Journeys across space

• Very close: Nothing is closer than a friend. There are many ways to find friends across the Net, but my favourite one is to go in search for them.
• To exotic places of our own planet: If you'd like to surf in a really unconventional way, try this. We've got also a special recommendation: the adventures of early modemmers to get to Sri Lanka and contact Arthur Clarke.
• The nearest planets: Mars is the great favourite, specially since we know there's life on it! If you preferred classic Mars, before scientists put their dirty hands on it and proved that definitely, Martians weren't green, read the Martian adventures of Edgar Rice Burroughs. For other planets, consult the NASA.
• On the limits of our solar system: NASA has a lot to say about it. But you won't really appreciate how exciting can space exploration be until you've read Arthur Clarke's 2001.
• Other stars: You can visit virtually other planets in other solar systems. But if you prefer the real thing, and you don't have a telescope, never mind. There's one here.
• Beyond: Read Poul Anderson's Tau Zero.

• A few million years ago: It was the time when dinosaurs reigned. If you're more open-minded, and you'd like to know what else there was, apart from dinosaurs, take a look at this Museum of Paleontology. And if you want to prove that you aren't at all paleoracist, jump to another planet and learn about ancient life on Mars.
• Some time ago: People looked around, they tried to make sense of the strange things they saw, and invented beasts that never existed. They never suspected it, but it was the beginning of science-fiction! The art of imagination improved with time, and Robert Heinlein managed to write Stranger in a strange land, a hippie book... ten years ahead of Woodstock.
• Some time in the future: There are many opinions, but my favourites are in the films of Steven Spielberg and in the tales of Isaac Asimov. In the Net, it's a must to mention William Gibson (click to see one of the many weird sites dedicated to him), and his masterpiece Neuromancer.
• A bit further and wilder: Visit the worlds of Larry Niven (especially Ringworld) or the amazing writings of Samuel Delany and his beautiful Babel-17.
• When all the galaxy is explored: There are plenty of sources of information for this period: the films of the Star Wars, the Encyclopedia Galactica of the Foundation (complete with Foundation and Empire and Second Foundation)... but my favourite is The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy (which, by the way, is free to download and has nothing to do with Amazon)
• Beyond: Read Poul Anderson's Tau Zero.