14 DAY TRIAL // Space?the final frontier! For all the natural-born astronomers out there who suffer from insomnia, Meade introduces a revolutionary way to explore the universe: the mySKY "astronomy professor". The device is an easy-to-use multi-media player designed to guide you through the night sky like no other.
Meade's patented technology allows the mySKY to outperform any other handheld night sky exploration device on the market.
The Meade item comes with a personal guide for night sky explorations and a "just point and shoot " option , so you just have to point and shoot to identify the planets, the stars, the constellations and many more. The device enables you to see images, watch videos and hear audio description of the celestial item that interests you most.
MySky incorporates full GPS Auto Alignment which does not require any user input, just a simple turn on. To make the job easier, the mySKY provides the user with information in multimedia formats, from video, audio, video, still images, Sky maps to text.
The device is capable of updating object information, tours and program improvements from the Internet. The best part is that you can control your Meade telescope from the computer.
The main specifications include illuminated sights to easily point the objects, a database of over 30.000 celestial objects. It features a 480 x 234 pixel color LCD display and comfortable high-fidelity ear buds for audio.
You also get a 256MB capacity storage card, enough to store all the information you need. As for the orientation and the positioning, the device features magnetic north sensors and electric accelerometers to determine a more precise pointing. It works 6 hours with 4 AA batteries.
According to OhGizmo!, "if you are an amateur astronomer the mySKY can even be used to control your Meade telescope with a special interface cable."
So, when your telescope is properly aligned, it will automatically move to whatever you've targeted with the mySKY, allowing you to take a close look at the object.
OhGizmo! also stated that "the mySKY should be available at the end of the month for about $400." It is not a cheap price, but still a reasonable one, taking into consideration what the device is capable of.
I say I'd better try a demo version first!