Nikon and Unistellar have teamed up to create these amazing app-controlled smart telescopes
Smart telescopes are all the rage in the stargazing world and are likely the future of astrophotography. Now Unistellar has cemented its position in this area with the dual launch of the Odyssey and Odyssey Pro CES 2024.
They look strikingly similar to the Celestron smart telescope that was also announced at CES, and the nice thing about Unistellar’s Odyssey and Odyssey Pro is that they are controlled remotely using a newly developed Unistellar app.
From the comfort of your couch, you can view what your Odyssey telescope sees on your smart device and determine which part of the night sky it’s pointing at, using the telescope’s “autonomous field detection technology,” which Odyssey calls a “smart starfinder.” ‘ mentions. ‘.
The makers say the new GPS-equipped smart telescopes can “autonomously point and track any celestial object from the moment they are turned on, so you can admire the space in minutes.” In short, it’s stargazing made easy.
Unistellar innovation meets Nikon optics
Unistellar is a household name in the astrophotography world – it launched the Unistellar eQuinox 2 at last year’s CES, and also makes the mighty eVscope 2. This year’s models are much smaller and lighter and have broader appeal, thanks in part to what Unistellar calls ‘Multi-Depth Technology’, which lets you instantly switch between viewing close to planets and distant galaxies and nebulae.
You can easily choose what to watch via the Unistellar app for iOS and Android, with useful information on each of the 5,000+ planets and nebulae in the app database, which even beginners and enthusiasts can absorb.
Nikon has also jumped into action with these new smart telescopes, designing the high-precision autofocus optics used in both models, and the electronic eyepiece found only in the Pro model – ideal for those who prefer to keep their telescope in the want to put into practice. Technically, both models have a field of view of 34 x 45 arcmin, a mirror diameter of 85 mm and a focal length of 320 mm. There is more information about the Unistellar website.
At 4kg, the Odyssey and Odyssey Pro are much lighter than Unistellar’s previous offerings, and come with a sturdy tripod, although their five-hour battery life doesn’t compare. Both models are available from the Unistellar website or camera stores – the Odyssey costs $2,499 / £2,199 (about AU$3,750), while the more expensive Odyssey Pro costs $3,999 / £3,499 (about AU$6,000). That will count for most people, but Unistellar has nonetheless transformed the experience of getting lost among the stars.
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