Sites: Catch a shooting star
Roger Ridey finds Comet Hyakutake and Hollywood starlets on the Web
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Your support makes all the difference.COMET SITES: Have you seen Comet Hyakutake yet? Try looking for it on the Net. The comet will make its closest approach to Earth tonight and the Night of the Comet site (http://george. arc.nasa.gov/comet/) will be holding virtual star party on the Web. It has been set up by the Nasa Ames Research Center to allow you to view images of the comet uploaded by astronomers from around the world as Hyakutake comes within nine million miles of Earth. The site also has a message centre to help you locate the comet, and you can participate in an online chat with Nasa experts. Another good place to get a look is Comet Hyakutake site set up by Nasa's Jet Propulsion Lab (http://NewProducts.jpl. nasa.gov/comet/hyakutake/), which houses an extensive image archive, the latest news on its approach and hints and tips for viewing the comet. Then there is ScienceWeb's Great Canadian Hairy Star Party site (http://scienceweb.dao.nrc.ca/comet.html), which also has a good selection of photos, including the one shown here. It also offers tips for the non-astronomer and links to other Hyakutake sites.
OSCARS SITE: If you're more interested in stars of the cinematic variety, tonight will also be a good time to look for them on the Net. Visit Mr Showbiz's Academy Awards Pavilion (http:// www.mrshowbiz.com/showbiz/awards/oscars/ index.html), which will be providing full coverage of the Oscars festivities from Los Angeles. If you have Real Audio installed, you will be able to listen to live interviews with the stars. Or you can cast your vote for the ceremony's best-dressed celebs as well as the fashion disasters. There is also a competition to predict the winners and you can post your opinions about the Oscars on Mr Showbiz's bulletin board. The site also features a searchable database of Academy Awards from the Twenties to the Nineties. And the winner is...
RACING SITES: If you're planning a flutter on the Grand National this Saturday, you can find plenty of information sources on the Internet. Try the Racenews Punters Magazine site (http://www.demon.co.uk/racenews/punters/), which offers a betting column along with a beginners guide to punting. It also has links to many of the UK's courses, including Aintree. Internet Racing, the UK online racing magazine (http://www.compulink.co.uk/i-net- racing/), has a list of race meetings, course notebooks, a results service and trainer interviews. And coming up fast on the inner rail is the Sporting Life site (http://www.sportinglife.co.uk). The online edition of the "Independent Voice of Racing" offers the best of the daily paper's columnists and articles, along with race reports and, of course, plenty of betting information. Or sidestep all the hard work - simply forego all of the above and take my advice - put your money on Young Hustler.
If you know of any interesting sites, e-mail details to network@independent.co.uk
Network contact: David Bowen
e-mail: network@independent.co.uk
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