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First look: Meade, another manufacturer of telescopes, binoculars and microscopes, recently introduced a rival to the Skyscout, the mySKY, a hand-held device about the size and shape of a power drill. Like the Skyscout, mySKY identifies stars, constellations and other objects in the sky. But instead of a lens, mySky has a 2 1/2 -inch screen (measured on the diagonal) that shows the patch of sky in your sights. Pull the trigger on this gun-shaped tool and a voice from the earphones tells you what you are looking at. Like the Skyscout, mySKY can also direct you, using an arrow on the screen, toward stars and planets you want to spot.

Likes and yikes: The advantage of mySKY is that the screen displays a bright, colored depiction of the sky, a plus when your view is blocked by clouds, trees or other obstacles. Meade claims mySKY can identify 30,000 objects. The drawback: It can take 10 minutes or more for the GPS receiver to communicate with orbiting satellites.

The 411: $399, available at Samy’s Camera, Woodland Hills Camera & Telescopes, or call (949) 451-1450, or go to www.meade.com to find a local retailer.