Just got my Vespera. I’m by no means an astrophotographer. I simply wanted it to explore with ease of use. I’m blown away by the fact that I can set this thing up in my backyard (or take it with me) and have the ability to peer into space. The singularity app is also awesome, too.
So many here in the comments don't seem to get what this thing is about. I too have a dedicated astrophotography rig, a few dobs, and a sct. but sometimes I simply want to walk out back with a light weight, simple to use, all-in-one system and look at few deep sky objects with more color and detail than my dobs, sct or binos can provide. Not everything is about high res, highly processed imaging that takes days to complete. This is about EAA-and it seems great for that. Sitting under the dark skies and experiencing the wonder with good enough, near live color images is all many want. It seems some here are so consumed by the tech, that they miss the mystery and wonder.
Great presentation defuse the naysayers immediately. Heard the same noise when Ansel Adams switched from large format black & white photography to, [gasp] Polaroid.
Wow! after having an Astrofi Celestron, and really being frustrated with being able to see things and take pictures, this seems like the solution to all my problems. My glasses currently get in the way for one thing. Plus, I am a small business owner and want something that is easy that I can quickly setup for leisurely viewing and taking pictures. Thanks for the great video!
That is a really cool system. Other “serious astrophotographers” have published reviews of this. It was clear that the Vaonis is cramping their style a bit, it cost a fraction of what you pay for a system with all the goodies. The Vaonis will also cut down on the divorce rate amongst astrophotographers .
Eh. I'd actually say the exact opposite. You can get a better imaging setup for less money quite easily. The difference comes in ease of use and learning curve for people new to the hobby. I used to talk down on them a lot. A friend of mine got one and I got to mess with it firsthand, and actually came away impressed. For what it is. I'd never own one and can take far higher quality images than the Vaonis can, but for its target audience I definitely see the appeal. It was fun and easy to use, and let me friend have an enjoyment of space he'd have never had otherwise.
Haha, love the "divorce"-sidekick ☺! You have certainly seen Wido's preferred t-shirt: "I love my wife" in big letters, in between in very small letters "I LOVE it when MY WIFE allows me to buy astrophoto-stuff" (czcams.com/users/AstroForumSpaceplaylists). We settled this divorce-threat by agreeing on a budget for both of us that we can spend without any discussion with one another. But this only works because we are now lucky enough to allow that budget to be large enough to make both of us happy (it's not a million, it's a few thousand bucks each - what is still a lot of money imo 😉).
Nice work, had to cancel my kickstarter order as it’s been over a year and they projected March of next year to supply me. Hope your pipeline is better, clear skies
Great video. Astrophotography is changing. Look at devices like go to mounts, ASIAIR, mini PCs, Primalucelab’s Eagles, remote control, highly efficient cameras, etc. EAA is attracting more young people into science which is important but also the infusion of technology into AP means more science can be performed by the rest of us instead of spending our time hooking up cables, figuring back focus, polar alignment, star alignment and just fiddling
Vespera and Stellina are the future of astrophotography or a means to view the night sky and share with others. No knock on geeks who have the skill, the time and the patience to do it "the old fashion way". I have respect for all of them. In fact, they are who inspired me to look up at the sky. Guys like Astro Biscuit and others have sparked the light to see what's up there. On the other hand, you have people like me: Busy all the time and wishing to live away from civilization, I mean, light pollution. We don't have time to sit there for hours every night, nor have the skills other people have. That doesn't make us lazy, just like staying out at night for hours and hours doesn't make you a lunatic. Both parties share the same desire: to share what you view with others. Why can't we just leave it at that? Both sides have their cons and pros, but both share the same passion and love for the beauty of the Universe. What I'm trying to say is that I get tired of people saying one method is best than the other, or that instead of dropping 2k on Vespera you would rather Google pictures of the night sky. Same can be said for Vespera users saying we don't have to fiddle with a mess of wires, lenghty setups, blah, blah, blah...As long as you are looking up and being amazed by what's up there, it really doesn't matter the method you use. If you have the time and skill to use a telescope and camera, knock yourself out, and if you have the money to spend on this expensive toy, go for it. If either method brings you joy, then it's worth it.
theyre really not.... the cost per aperture is ridiculously high...., these things are 2 grand.... you can pick up a decent mount for a quarter of that... they can be an add on but not a take over.... also, people using them for the first time.... arent learning anything. its like saying digital art will take over traditional painting.... its never going to happen. these systems lack the versatility of a hands on approach... I have 5 scopes I use with one mount..... some days I go hunting with my 16in sct.... some days I try to get the sharpest clearest views for double stars and more with my tak refractor. Then I might look for the best image of a nebula with my WO triplet... trying 2 or 3 different cam, exposure and filter setups. Its part of the fun, and I learn so much every time. .
I must have $50k in astro gear... i've gotten some amazing photos but some nights I'm way too lazy to drag the 100s of lbs of gear into the yard, spend an hour setting it up, then spend an hour tearing it all down before the sprinklers come on haha. I think this will be awesome for those nights that I just don't have the energy but I still want to look up.
I ordered a Vespera in December 2021 and paid in full. The promised delivery date was Spring 2022. Then in the late Summer of 2022, Vaonis increased the price of the Vespera and started selling to retailers, yet my paid-for Vespera still had no definitive delivery date. This is unprofessional if not dishonest on the part of Vaonis. It also suggests possible financial problems which does not bode well for Vaonis customers.
How does it do auto focus?Just point to the sky and focus? If it is pointing to the tree or building, does it mean it will never auto-focus succeed and need me to move the scope away from the tree? How can I do that？
i'm living at Bortle 9 downtown area. I have no troublein using my Vespera & Stellina at balcony of my Condo. Ofcourse, it all depends on weather(Cloudy or not).
The Vespera was great on the moon! Jupiter was rather bright and a little bit overexposed but the moons were easily visible. We weren't able to test it on Saturn or Mars unfortunately.
If you live anywhere with light pollution, and aren't interested in complex astro setups that nobody except you can get to work, this isn't a bad option. I'd like to see it at $1500 though. Early days yet. In a few years, half the telescopes on the market will do this and they'll be under $1000.
good for people already in the hobby who want a quick setup... thoughits still too expensive for what it is.... but for newbies.... youre doing it the yuppie way..... not learning anything
There's something about looking through an eyepiece that is just better. I have a digital one if I'm just whipping it out to show someone something, but I will always prefer seeing it with my eye and only mirrors in between
The automation was great during my entire experience for sure! 50mm of aperture and a 200mm focal length allows for a wide field of view. The difference between binoculars and the Vespera is the Vespera's ability to expose the sensor to incoming photons for several seconds at a time rendering it thousands of times more sensitive than our naked eye! Pair any size apochromatic refractor on the market with a camera sensor it will quickly out perform an eyepiece from nearly any amateur visual setup!
You think $2000.00 is elite? $5000.00 plus is normal for a serious astrophotography set up. A Celestron Evolution 8 inch visual scope is $2200.00 and you will need another $500-$1000 in eyepieces and other things. A push-to 8 inch dob with a few eyepieces and other other accessories will set you back $1000-$2000 all in. If you piecemeal your own equivalent EAA setup, you'll still be around $1500-$2500. Oh, and why the lazy comment? Did you grind your own mirror and program your own plate solving routine? If not, then why are you so lazy?
Since the beginning of anyone's education in astronomy, we are told, and we still teach, that imaging of any sort, visual or photog, has everything (EVERYTHING) to do with aperture! So is that Cardinal rule now changing - I guess for the use of on board processors and batteries etc. etc. it makes it all easy for those who don't want to buy all that equipment and fiddle with it every night. So I'm guessing there is a place for this type of thing. Before making your decision A) look at the several other options out there for these "E" scopes, if you do want one, there are several better ones! and B) you must know your mission! what do you want to use this for? I think it is great for Clubs, Libraries, star parties, etc. as for an individual, not so sure it is worth the $.
Just got my Vespera. I’m by no means an astrophotographer. I simply wanted it to explore with ease of use. I’m blown away by the fact that I can set this thing up in my backyard (or take it with me) and have the ability to peer into space. The singularity app is also awesome, too.
So many here in the comments don't seem to get what this thing is about. I too have a dedicated astrophotography rig, a few dobs, and a sct. but sometimes I simply want to walk out back with a light weight, simple to use, all-in-one system and look at few deep sky objects with more color and detail than my dobs, sct or binos can provide. Not everything is about high res, highly processed imaging that takes days to complete. This is about EAA-and it seems great for that. Sitting under the dark skies and experiencing the wonder with good enough, near live color images is all many want. It seems some here are so consumed by the tech, that they miss the mystery and wonder.
It's expensive, sure, but an excellent system for things like outreach and getting people enthused about the night sky.
Great presentation defuse the naysayers immediately. Heard the same noise when Ansel Adams switched from large format black & white photography to, [gasp] Polaroid.
Wow! after having an Astrofi Celestron, and really being frustrated with being able to see things and take pictures, this seems like the solution to all my problems. My glasses currently get in the way for one thing. Plus, I am a small business owner and want something that is easy that I can quickly setup for leisurely viewing and taking pictures. Thanks for the great video!
you could always learn.... its an achievement when you get it right..... trust me
This indeed would be a good compact observatory system for educational purposes, or simple viewing.
Great presentation ..............
That is a really cool system. Other “serious astrophotographers” have published reviews of this. It was clear that the Vaonis is cramping their style a bit, it cost a fraction of what you pay for a system with all the goodies. The Vaonis will also cut down on the divorce rate amongst astrophotographers .
Eh. I'd actually say the exact opposite. You can get a better imaging setup for less money quite easily. The difference comes in ease of use and learning curve for people new to the hobby.
I used to talk down on them a lot. A friend of mine got one and I got to mess with it firsthand, and actually came away impressed. For what it is. I'd never own one and can take far higher quality images than the Vaonis can, but for its target audience I definitely see the appeal. It was fun and easy to use, and let me friend have an enjoyment of space he'd have never had otherwise.
Rubbish!
it seems overpriced but i don’t know, 50 mm scope with who knows what sensor, do they have a technical spec sheet for this published?
If you’d try one out for yourself you probably wouldn’t talk down on it, I’m buying one myself this weekend
Haha, love the "divorce"-sidekick ☺! You have certainly seen Wido's preferred t-shirt: "I love my wife" in big letters, in between in very small letters "I LOVE it when MY WIFE allows me to buy astrophoto-stuff" (czcams.com/users/AstroForumSpaceplaylists). We settled this divorce-threat by agreeing on a budget for both of us that we can spend without any discussion with one another. But this only works because we are now lucky enough to allow that budget to be large enough to make both of us happy (it's not a million, it's a few thousand bucks each - what is still a lot of money imo 😉).
Nice work, had to cancel my kickstarter order as it’s been over a year and they projected March of next year to supply me. Hope your pipeline is better, clear skies
I plan on ordering the Vespera since it’s in my budget range instead of Stellina
Great video. Astrophotography is changing. Look at devices like go to mounts, ASIAIR, mini PCs, Primalucelab’s Eagles, remote control, highly efficient cameras, etc. EAA is attracting more young people into science which is important but also the infusion of technology into AP means more science can be performed by the rest of us instead of spending our time hooking up cables, figuring back focus, polar alignment, star alignment and just fiddling
Vespera and Stellina are the future of astrophotography or a means to view the night sky and share with others. No knock on geeks who have the skill, the time and the patience to do it "the old fashion way". I have respect for all of them. In fact, they are who inspired me to look up at the sky. Guys like Astro Biscuit and others have sparked the light to see what's up there. On the other hand, you have people like me: Busy all the time and wishing to live away from civilization, I mean, light pollution. We don't have time to sit there for hours every night, nor have the skills other people have. That doesn't make us lazy, just like staying out at night for hours and hours doesn't make you a lunatic. Both parties share the same desire: to share what you view with others. Why can't we just leave it at that? Both sides have their cons and pros, but both share the same passion and love for the beauty of the Universe. What I'm trying to say is that I get tired of people saying one method is best than the other, or that instead of dropping 2k on Vespera you would rather Google pictures of the night sky. Same can be said for Vespera users saying we don't have to fiddle with a mess of wires, lenghty setups, blah, blah, blah...As long as you are looking up and being amazed by what's up there, it really doesn't matter the method you use. If you have the time and skill to use a telescope and camera, knock yourself out, and if you have the money to spend on this expensive toy, go for it. If either method brings you joy, then it's worth it.
theyre really not.... the cost per aperture is ridiculously high...., these things are 2 grand.... you can pick up a decent mount for a quarter of that... they can be an add on but not a take over.... also, people using them for the first time.... arent learning anything.
its like saying digital art will take over traditional painting.... its never going to happen.
these systems lack the versatility of a hands on approach... I have 5 scopes I use with one mount..... some days I go hunting with my 16in sct.... some days I try to get the sharpest clearest views for double stars and more with my tak refractor.
Then I might look for the best image of a nebula with my WO triplet... trying 2 or 3 different cam, exposure and filter setups.
Its part of the fun, and I learn so much every time.
.
I must have $50k in astro gear... i've gotten some amazing photos but some nights I'm way too lazy to drag the 100s of lbs of gear into the yard, spend an hour setting it up, then spend an hour tearing it all down before the sprinklers come on haha. I think this will be awesome for those nights that I just don't have the energy but I still want to look up.
How does this compare to the Dwarf Labs system?
Teagan, another excellent video and review. How do I order a HPS T Shirt?
No mention of planetary viewing and photography? I wish this was as good of a review as your one on the ZWO offering.
Other than the sun and moon, the Vespera is not good for planets.
Great video but you guys gotta equalize your audio. Presenter audio is super low compared to rest of video.
Thank you for the feedback! I get different performance in headphones than I do without. Audio is always a work in progress!
I ordered a Vespera in December 2021 and paid in full. The promised delivery date was Spring 2022. Then in the late Summer of 2022, Vaonis increased the price of the Vespera and started selling to retailers, yet my paid-for Vespera still had no definitive delivery date. This is unprofessional if not dishonest on the part of Vaonis. It also suggests possible financial problems which does not bode well for Vaonis customers.
How does it do auto focus?Just point to the sky and focus?
If it is pointing to the tree or building, does it mean it will never auto-focus succeed and need me to move the scope away from the tree? How can I do that？
Thank you for the review! I’m womdering if this would still work well in Bortle 9 location? (Aka the plate solving and then exposures images)
It should definitely work from our experience. This video was shot under bortle 7 skies and it never had any trouble platesolving!
i'm living at Bortle 9 downtown area. I have no troublein using my Vespera & Stellina at balcony of my Condo.
Ofcourse, it all depends on weather(Cloudy or not).
Mine arrived this evening. More later.
Wondering about planetary performance....
How does it do on planets?
The Vespera was great on the moon! Jupiter was rather bright and a little bit overexposed but the moons were easily visible. We weren't able to test it on Saturn or Mars unfortunately.
Will this take pictures of the moon as well?
Yes.
If you live anywhere with light pollution, and aren't interested in complex astro setups that nobody except you can get to work, this isn't a bad option. I'd like to see it at $1500 though. Early days yet. In a few years, half the telescopes on the market will do this and they'll be under $1000.
good for people already in the hobby who want a quick setup... thoughits still too expensive for what it is.... but for newbies.... youre doing it the yuppie way..... not learning anything
$500. Tops
There's something about looking through an eyepiece that is just better. I have a digital one if I'm just whipping it out to show someone something, but I will always prefer seeing it with my eye and only mirrors in between
The automation is fine, the problem is its a 50mm aperture, 200mm focal length scope with a tiny sensor for $2500. Its half a good pair of binoculars.
The automation was great during my entire experience for sure! 50mm of aperture and a 200mm focal length allows for a wide field of view. The difference between binoculars and the Vespera is the Vespera's ability to expose the sensor to incoming photons for several seconds at a time rendering it thousands of times more sensitive than our naked eye! Pair any size apochromatic refractor on the market with a camera sensor it will quickly out perform an eyepiece from nearly any amateur visual setup!
as an addition fine.... as a newbie or only system.... you are learning nothing
There's room in astronomy for lazy elites too! 😉
You think $2000.00 is elite? $5000.00 plus is normal for a serious astrophotography set up. A Celestron Evolution 8 inch visual scope is $2200.00 and you will need another $500-$1000 in eyepieces and other things. A push-to 8 inch dob with a few eyepieces and other other accessories will set you back $1000-$2000 all in. If you piecemeal your own equivalent EAA setup, you'll still be around $1500-$2500. Oh, and why the lazy comment? Did you grind your own mirror and program your own plate solving routine? If not, then why are you so lazy?
$2500. for 50mm? I think I'll wait until the prices come down. Someone new will enter the market and undersell all these guys.
Since the beginning of anyone's education in astronomy, we are told, and we still teach, that imaging of any sort, visual or photog, has everything (EVERYTHING) to do with aperture! So is that Cardinal rule now changing - I guess for the use of on board processors and batteries etc. etc. it makes it all easy for those who don't want to buy all that equipment and fiddle with it every night. So I'm guessing there is a place for this type of thing. Before making your decision A) look at the several other options out there for these "E" scopes, if you do want one, there are several better ones! and B) you must know your mission! what do you want to use this for? I think it is great for Clubs, Libraries, star parties, etc. as for an individual, not so sure it is worth the $.
They finally made telescope for lazy elites, i like big aperture telescopes thank you
It’s a great option for me
Why do you need to shit on other peoples desires and what may work for them? I also have a big light bucket and this still interest me.
@@ChopperChad The Vespera is great, had it for well over a month now
I don't see any difference between this and downloading images from the internet 😃
It’s rubbish for the serious enthusiast but great if you have more money than sense.