Facebook Live users will soon have the ability to create 360 degree videos, immersing viewers “fully into the scene, letting them explore on their own and experience a new environment”.

Facebook first rolled out Live video streaming in August 2015, with 360 video following in September. It is now bringing the two together.

Live 360 was launched with National Geographic, from the Mars Desert Research Station facility in Utah.

It will be available to some Pages via the Live API in the coming months, and will roll out to all Pages and Profiles in 2017.

Since rolling out Facebook Live, the company said it has seen “incredible adoption and engagement with the new format”.

YouTube already has the option to live stream in 360, although users need special software for it.

It is worth noting that Twitter’s Periscope doesn’t support 360, although TechCrunch said it has built the foundation for 360 streaming from encoders into its Periscope Producer feature.

Twitter has only just recently launched a feature that lets users broadcast live video from within the Twitter app.