mySKY
© 2007 Meade Instruments
Ideal for middle and high school science field trips, mySKY is an easy-to-use (once you set it up) hand-held sky guide that uses a GPS to detect what part of the sky you're pointing at. It can then provide facts from its extensive database. The device looks like a police radar gun, with a small color LCD screen. Explorers, such as Magellan or Christopher Columbus, would have found it to be particularly useful. Here's how it works. Let's say you're on an overnight field trip, or you are a naturalist taking a group on a nighttime walk. You see a faint star but can't tell what it is. By pointing this gun-like device at the star and pressing the trigger, you can confirm if your "star" is actually a planet, or perhaps a constellation that is part of a particular galaxy. The database contains 30,000 items -- names, facts and distances from the earth, as well as audio descriptions with close-up pictures. It's like carrying an expert astronomer with you. But what if the sky is cloudy? No worries. Keep in mind that mySky doesn't actually "see" the sky. It only calculates the position. So it works, even in the daylight or indoors, telling you what stars are currently overhead. Guided tours can detect your position and direct you to celestial points of interest. Other features include illuminated alignment sights, a color LCD screen, ear buds and an SD card slot. Our tester, John Malley of New Jersey, is an astronomy hobbyist who found mySky to be "nothing short of amazing." His wish list for improvements includes a more accurate sighting system, a way to darken the screen ("can be too bright and annoying"), better audio options such as an onboard speaker or headphones, and easier computer connectivity (an SD card reader is required on your computer, for updates). He noted that unless you are outdoors a lot, this is the kind of specialty device that might gather a lot of dust. But it would be ideal for sailors, science teachers or naturalists. It is powered by four AA batteries.
$399, Smart Toy
Teaches: science, astronomy
CTR Rating: 90%