The night sky holds endless wonders. For centuries, people have looked up in awe. Telescopes helped bring the stars closer. But traditional telescopes are complex. They require setup, alignment, and a bit of patience. Many people give up before they even begin. Enter the Vaonis Vespera II. It is a smart tool for astrophotography. It combines optics, robotics, and software. And it fits in your backpack.
A successor with big shoes to fill
Vaonis launched the first Vespera in 2022. It was a compact, all-in-one smart telescope. It won awards and fans worldwide. But the team at Vaonis wasn’t done. In 2024, they introduced the Vespera II. It improves on everything with more resolution and more features. A better experience for everyone, from beginner to expert.
A look inside
The Vespera II uses a Sony IMX585 sensor. This is a big upgrade. It captures images at 8.3 megapixels. The pixel size is 2.9 µm, giving crisp, detailed results. The telescope has a focal length of 250 mm and an aperture of 50 mm (f/5). This gives it a field of view of 1.6° x 0.9°, or about three times the Moon’s width. With its CovalENS mosaic feature, you can extend this up to 3.2° x 1.8°. That’s wide enough to capture huge nebulae like the North America Nebula. The lens uses quartz glass with apochromatic correction. That means no color fringing. Stars look sharp and clean.
It weighs only 5 kg (11 lbs). You can take it anywhere.
Fully automated magic
Setting up a normal telescope takes time. You need to align it. You must learn the sky. Not with Vespera II. Just place it down. Connect it to the Singularity app. It uses auto star-finding and GPS to know its location. It calibrates itself in minutes. Once calibrated, pick a target. The app has a list of more than 300 celestial objects. This includes galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters. You can also search manually.
When you hit “observe,” the telescope slews to the object. It tracks it automatically. It also starts live image stacking. You’ll see the photo get better in real time. The longer you observe, the clearer it becomes.
Powered by CovalENS
One major highlight is CovalENS. This is Vaonis’s patented mosaic technology. The telescope takes multiple images. It automatically stitches them into a large, high-resolution image. This allows for photos up to 24 MP. That’s three times more than the native sensor resolution. You can capture wide nebulae like the Orion Molecular Cloud in full detail. It’s perfect for creating prints or sharing online.
Singularity app
The telescope works with the Singularity app, available for Android and iOS. The app is free. It connects to Vespera II via Wi-Fi. From here, you control everything. Choose targets. Schedule sessions. Adjust exposure time. Save and share images. The app also provides data on each object. It’s educational and user-friendly. Want to capture the same object over several nights? Use the multi-night stacking feature. The app will resume where it left off.
Astrophotography without the pain
Vespera II removes most of the technical hurdles required for astrophotography. You just pick a target. The telescope does the rest. The software stacks, enhances, and saves your final image. If you want more control, you can export raw TIFF or FITS files. Advanced users can process them in PixInsight or Photoshop. This makes Vespera II flexible. Beginners get the ease. Experts get tools.
Limitations you should know
No telescope is perfect. Vespera II has some limits.
- Planetary imaging is not its strength. The focal length is too short for detailed shots of Jupiter or Saturn.
- No manual focus ring. The focusing is automatic. It’s accurate, but not user-tweakable.
- Tripod is not included in the base pack.
- Battery life is limited.
Key specifications
Here are the specifications of the Vaonis Vespera II:
- Sensor Model: Sony IMX585
- Resolution: 8.3 Megapixels (3840 × 2160)
- Pixel Size: 2.9 µm
- Sensor Type: CMOS, backside illuminated (BSI), color
- Aperture: 50 mm (2 inches)
- Focal Length: 250 mm
- Focal Ratio: f/5
- Native FOV: 1.6° × 0.9°
- Extended FOV with CovalENS (mosaic mode): up to 3.2° × 1.8°
- Image Output Resolution (CovalENS mode): up to 24 Megapixels
- Mount Type: Alt-azimuth, motorized
- Control App: Singularity (iOS/Android)
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi
- Image Formats: JPEG, TIFF, FITS
- Battery Life: ~4 hours (internal rechargeable battery)
- External Power: Supported via USB-C
- Weight: 5 kg (11 lbs)
Price and availability
The Vespera II is priced at $1,700 for the base pack with only the telescope. The tripod pack costs $1,820, and the solar pack (with solar filter and tripod) will cost you $1,930. All of these bundles are available on the Vaonis official website.
The Vaonis Vespera II brings the cosmos to your fingertips. It’s smart, portable, and powerful. It strips away complexity and replaces it with wonder. In just a few taps, galaxies become visible. Nebulae unfold. Star clusters come alive. It’s a new way to explore space. And it’s never been this easy.
Clear skies!