Vaonis Vespera Pro Smart Telescope (50mm Apo, 12.5MP)

A 12.5MP smart telescope that frames nebulae in full color from your phone

The Vaonis Vespera Pro Smart Telescope combines a 50mm f/5 apochromatic quadruplet refractor, a color astronomy camera, a computerized alt-az mount and a battery in one 5kg (11lb) unit. You set it on its tripod, open the Singularity app on your phone or tablet, and pick a target. It finds the object, focuses, tracks and stacks the image for you, and the picture improves on your screen as the minutes go by. It's for anyone who wants color images of deep-sky objects without learning a separate mount, camera and software, and for experienced imagers who want a light second rig.

Key specs: 50mm f/5 apochromatic quadruplet, 250mm focal length · Sony IMX676 STARVIS 2 color sensor, 12.5MP (3536 × 3536) · 1.6° × 1.6° field, mosaics up to 50MP · 16-bit FITS and TIFF output · 11-hour battery · 225GB storage · built-in humidity sensor and anti-dew system · 5kg (11lb)

What you can capture

• Bright nebulae: the Orion Nebula, the Lagoon Nebula (M8), the Eagle Nebula (M16) and the Trifid Nebula fill a good part of the 1.6° square frame.
• Large nebulae with a mosaic: the North America Nebula, the Veil Nebula and the Rosette Nebula, using CovalENS to cover a wider area.
• Galaxies: the Andromeda Galaxy as a mosaic, plus the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51), Bode's Galaxy (M81) and the Cigar Galaxy (M82) as smaller targets.
• Star clusters and the Sun: the Pleiades and the Double Cluster, and the Sun with the optional solar filter (required for any solar viewing).

Why it's easy to use

Unfold the tripod, level it with the bubble level, set the Vespera Pro on top and turn it on. It connects to your phone or tablet over Wi-Fi through the Singularity app, works out where it's pointing on its own, and goes to the object you choose. Autofocus, tracking and live stacking are automatic, so there's no polar alignment and no laptop. The built-in humidity sensor turns on the anti-dew heater when conditions call for it.

When you want more control, you can choose the field of view and framing, take dark frames with the included lens cap, adjust camera settings, and download 16-bit FITS raw frames over USB-C for programs such as Siril or PixInsight. The pre-stacked 16-bit TIFF is a good middle ground: the telescope has done the stacking, and you do the stretching and color in Photoshop, Affinity Photo or Lightroom.

What to add for the best results

• Vaonis Vespera Dual-Band Filter: passes hydrogen-alpha and oxygen-III light, so emission nebulae stand out from city or suburban skies like ours along the Front Range.
• Vaonis Vespera Light Pollution Filter: a broadband city light suppression filter for galaxies and star clusters from light-polluted skies.
• Vaonis Vespera Solar Filter (required for the Sun): lets you image sunspots and eclipses safely.
• Vespera Cosmic filters bundle or the All Sky filters bundle: the night-sky filters together, or all three with the solar filter.
• Vaonis Vespera Backpack: a padded backpack for hiking to a dark site, lighter to carry than the included hard case.
• Vaonis High Carbon Tripod: raises the telescope to standing height, which helps clear walls and trees near the horizon.

Vespera Pro vs. Vespera II

See all Vaonis smart telescopes and accessories.

What's in the box

• Vaonis Vespera Pro smart telescope with built-in humidity sensor
• Adjustable tripod with built-in bubble level
• Lens cap (also used for dark frames)
• Anti-theft system
• Hard transport case with cut foam

Filters, the backpack and the full-height tripod are sold separately.

Vaonis Vespera Pro FAQ

Is the Vespera Pro good for beginners?

Yes. Pointing, focusing, tracking and stacking are automatic, and you control everything from the Singularity app. You'll see color images of nebulae and galaxies on your first night without learning to polar align or process data.

Can I see Saturn and Jupiter with it?

You can capture them, but with a 250mm focal length they appear as small disks. The Vespera Pro is built for deep-sky objects, the Moon and, with the solar filter, the Sun. For planetary detail, a larger telescope with a longer focal length is the better tool.

Vespera Pro or Vespera II?

Both use the same 50mm f/5 optics. The Vespera Pro has a higher-resolution 12.5MP square sensor, 11 hours of battery instead of 4 and 225GB of storage instead of 25GB. The Vespera II has a wider native field and costs less.

Will it work from a light-polluted backyard?

Yes. Live stacking helps a lot, and the dual-band filter makes a big difference on emission nebulae from the city. For galaxies, a darker site still gives the best results.

Can I process the images myself?

Yes. It saves 16-bit FITS raw frames and calibration frames for Siril or PixInsight, and a pre-stacked 16-bit TIFF you can stretch in Photoshop, Affinity Photo or Lightroom.

Is this the newest Vespera Pro?

No. This is the original Vespera Pro. Vaonis has since released the Vespera Pro 2. The original uses the same 50mm optics and IMX676 sensor described on this page.

Specifications