http://workshop.chromeexperiments.com/stars/

Zoom right out to the whole galaxy or right in to individual stars.

cool find, thx!

Damn, this thing is nice! Love the music they fited on it!

Holy crap! This is even better! http://en.spaceengine.org/

It requires a download (I found the second direct link to be the fastest) but imagine the application in my OP, but you can zoom right down to planet-surface level. Anywhere where the detail is unknown, it's created with plausible procedural generation. And all rendered in breathtaking 3D.

http://youtu.be/v6sq1O4KF-A

It's better than that, it procedurally generates every galaxy in the universe.

Great findings, tnx guys