What is it? Laser gun? Telescope? Nope. This thing called MySky has built-in GPS, LCD screen, magnetic north sensors, electronic accelerometers, & complex circuitry.
Take the MySky out of its package, plug in some batteries, go outside, preferably at night although even when you can’t see them, the stars are still there during the day. Now let the MySky figure out its location and time via GPS. There are three different basic modes to using the night sky - Identify, Find, & Guided Tour. In ‘Identify’ Mode, the default, you will be presented with a real time LCD view of the night sky, complete with constellations. Simply point it to the object of choice in the real sky, and shoot. It will identify! You can also take a ‘Guided Tour’ of the best objects available to you at the moment based on your location, date & time. Finally, if you want to locate a specific object (planet, comet, galaxy, etc.) - you can navigate through the menus, select the item and your MySky will point out its location in the real sky.
# Specifications: Sights - Illuminated red sights to easily point to objects
# Object Database - Database of over 30,000 celestial objects (planets, stars, nebulae, galaxies & more)
# LCD - 480 x 234 pixel full color display
# Audio - 500+ Audio/Multi-media presentations by NPR Stardate personality, Sandy Wood. Including interesting science facts, mythology, folklore, and astrophotography.
# Earphones - Comfortable high-fidelity ear buds included for audio
# Storage - 256 Megabyte SD card (included)
# GPS - 12 channel GPS receiver
# Orientation - Magnetic north sensors
# Positioning - Electronic accelerometers to determine tilt/pointing
# Night Vision - Optional mode to display screen entirely in red to protect your night vision.
# Compatibility - Can optionally control any Meade computerized telescope.
# Upgradeable - Software upgradeable from meade.com
# Power save features - Advanced power saving features to extend battery life
# Batteries - 4 AA batteries required (not included)
# Battery Life - Up to 6 hours (normal use)
# Instructions - Includes onboard video instructions that are optional for first time use. Also includes a printed instruction manual and quickstart guide along with a CDROM that includes Planetarium software (Windows 98/XP).
# Dimensions - Approximately 9″ x 2.5″ x 7″