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I’m a big fan of anything that makes science accessible. Biology and meteorology are my favourite sciences, but I’ve always been fascinated by physics and astronomy. And by fascinated I mean I want to learn more about them, but I doubt I ever will.
Having said that, the product I’ve been reviewing over the summer might just be the best gadget I’ve ever found to give me even a chance of becoming more proficient.
It’s the Vaonis Vespera Smart Telescope. I’ve used telescopes before, but nothing quite like this.
This is an automated, app-based telescope that effectively does all the complicated stuff for you. You just carefully lift it out of its gorgeous box, assemble its legs, connect it up to your Wi-Fi, and let the magic happen.
Through the simple app commands you can instruct the telescope to go off and find something interesting to look at.
I know that makes it sound really simple, but it basically is that simple. The telescope works out all the angles and focus and lighting conditions, and then beams images back to the app’s display.
You can make it more complex, if you like, but there’s no need. You just harness the device’s Star Field Recognition technology, and it will just let you get on with the job of marvelling at the wonders of the sky at night.
There are a few flaws to overcome though if, like me, you’re a genuine amateur and you’ve never dabbled in astronomy before.
The first problem I came across was the fact that, in the British summer, it doesn’t get dark until later on in the evening. And the Vespera likes it really dark. In fact, during July, it was unable to calibrate until nearly 11pm. And I’m an early riser, so staying up late is a big commitment.
And that’s if you have a clear sky. You might remember our summer was pretty rubbish. And to get any chance of stunning pictures being beamed back you don’t want clouds getting in the way.
The Vespera does a brilliant job of homing in on planets and constellations, but if they’re blocked by some stratus you might as well be using binoculars. You’re not going to get a good view.
Light pollution is another issue, obviously, but using a quality telescope can be quite addictive, so you’ll soon be ramping up your commitment levels and heading out to remote spots on clear nights to get the best possible images.
And that’s another great feature from the Vespera, it’s completely wireless, and only weighs 5kg. Charge it up, connect it to your phone, and you can be at the top of a mountain, sat with a cup of hot chocolate, in awe at the definition it delivers, thanks to its Full HD Sony IMX462 sensor.
Its limitations, then, aren’t unique to the Vespera, or any other digital telescope, for that matter, they’re just a quirk of astronomy generally.
But pick the right evening, at the right time, with the right features in your view, and watching the Vespera silently whir into position is a remarkable thing to behold.
It is, that said, rather expensive. On the Vaonis website currently it’s priced at $1,499. But when you compare it to other smart telescopes it’s not only a pretty fair price, but it’s by far one of the simplest and most attractive telescopes out there. It might look unconventional compared to some, but it’s just such an easy introduction into astronomy that I’d recommend it to anyone.
And, trust me on this, the autumn and winter season is the best time to use it. Let’s just hope the weather improves and the skies clear.
