Learn all you need to know about the Unistellar eQuinox 2 smart telescope before you buy.
Key Points
- The eQuinox 2 is a premium smart telescope with large telescope aperture and high camera resolution allow for quality astrophotography imaging
- It is ultra-slick and easy to use
- As with all Unistellar models, you can to take part citizen astronomy initiatives
- It is virtually the same telescope as the Unistellar eVscope 2 and is much cheaper, the main difference is that the eVscope 2 has a liveview eyepiece
- Like the eVscope 2, it may need occasional collimation (adjusting)
Unistellar eQuinox 2 Review
The Unistellar eQuinox 2 is a premium smart telescope.
In this Unistellar eQuinox 2 review, I share my experience and explore that of other experts in the field. I rate it in terms of five criteria:
- Ease of Use
- Portability
- Imaging Quality
- Value for Money
- Versatility
Ease of Use
The eQuinox 2 is extremely easy to use and the whole user experience is extremely slick.
Using the Unistellar app, you can see a list of targets to view on any night:
The only downside in comparison to the Vaonis models and the new Unistellar Odyssey and Odyssey Pro is that it may require an occasional retuning (called collimation).
This is a easy to follow guide and video, but this is an obstacle to the grab-and-go appeal of this smart telescope.
Ease of Use Score: 8.5
Portability
It cannot rival the compact alternatives like the Dwarf 2 or the Seestar S50 in terms of size and weight, but it is far superior to those in terms of the specifications it offers and so it is hard to compare.
It is not too heavy though at just under 20 lbs and there is an optional backpack that can be bought specifically for the eQuinox 2.
Portability Score: 7
Imaging Quality
The key specifications in this regard are:
- High resolution camera sensor: 6.2 megapixels
- High aperture: 4.5 inch
- Wide field of view: A wider expanse of the night sky can be captured in any image. Pivotally, this means that the whole moon can be captured with the eQuinox 2, whereas it was cropped with the first eQuinox.
Imaging Quality Score: 8
Value for Money
Coming in a roughly half the price of the eVscope 2, you get a great smart telescope for a good value price just without the realtime viewing eyepiece of the eVscope 2 and a slightly lower resolution camera.
It’s still a premium smart telescope though and so pretty expensive.
Value for Money Score: 7.5
Versatility
Whilst it lacks the liveview eyepiece and terrestrial capabilities it does allow you to take part in Citizen Science collaboratory projects due to Unistellar’s link up with NASA.
Versatility Score: 7
Smart Telescope for Light Polluted Cities
- Brand new upgraded eQuinox
- Cheaper than eVscope 2 but improved capacity over original eQuinox
- Ultra quick and easy setup in less than one minute
- Expensive compared to regular telescopes
Unistellar eQuinox 2 Pros and Cons
Unistellar eQuinox 2 Advantages
The pros of the Unistellar eQuinox 2 are:
- Cost: The starting price is lower than the first eQuinox at launch and about half the price of the eVscope 2 (check live prices as this may vary)
- Power: The Unistellar models have the highest aperture
- Imaging: 6.2 MP resolution makes it close to the Stellina for a lower price and behind only the eVscope 2
- Citizen Astronomy: With any Unistellar model, you to join a citizen astronomy network and take part in cooperative initiatives
Unistellar eQuinox 2 Disadvantages
In terms of the downsides:
- No eyepiece: The main downside to the eVscope 2 is the lack of eyepiece for realtime viewing (plus the lower resolution)
- Weight: Comparable to the other Unistellar models and the Stellina, but heavier than the Vespera, Dwarf 2 or SeeStar
Unistellar eQuinox 2 Alternatives
The alternatives to the Unistellar eQuinox 2 are the:
- Unistellar eVscope 2 – More expensive and very similar in terms of specs but adds the liveview eyepiece so you can look through it like a “real” telescope
- Unistellar eQuinox – the original version of this telescope. Slightly lower spec but also substantially cheaper if you can still find it on sale
- Unistellar Odyssey – Cheaper and lower spec, but no need to collimate
- Unistellar Odyssey Pro – Still cheaper and lower spec, but no need to collimate and does have the eyepiece like the eVscope 2
See our overview of the Best Smart Telescopes to see how they all compare.
Unistellar eQuinox 2 Specifications
- Aperture: 114mm (4.5 inches)
- Focal Length: 450mm (17.7 inches)
- Focal Ratio: F/3.9
- Weight: 19.8 lbs (9 kg)
- Resolution: 6.2 MP
- Year of release: 2023
Unistellar eQuinox 2 Review: Our Verdict
The eQuinox 2 is one of the best options in the premium smart telescope category:
- It has some of the best specs and so can deliver the best images
- It’s not cheap but is substantially cheaper than the eVscope 2 and the only thing it lacks is the eyepiece
Verdict: Recommended for those valuing the smoothest experience
It’s not cheap, but it is ultra slick and delivers all you would want from a premium smart telescope.
Overall Score
7.5 / 10
Imaging Quality
8 / 10
Ease of Use
8.5 / 10
Portability
7 / 10
Value for Money
7 / 10
Versatility
7 / 10
Pros
- High telescope aperture and camera resolution allow for quality imaging
- Ultra-slick and easy to use
- Allows you to take part citizen astronomy initiatives
Cons
- Lacking the liveview eyepiece of the eVscope 2
- Relatively heavy compared to the new compact smart telescopes
- A premium smart telescope and so is not cheap
Check Prices:
Sources and further information
How we reviewed the Unistellar eQuinox 2
This Unistellar eQuinox 2 review is based on an assessment of its core specifications, the feedback of users, and the reviews of a number trusted experts.
Submit Your Review of the Unistellar eQuinox 2
If you own (or have used) a Unistellar eQuinox 2, you can submit your review and ratings to us via this form to be incorporated in this review:
Unistellar eQuinox 2
Pros
- High telescope aperture and camera resolution allow for quality imaging
- Ultra-slick and easy to use
- Allows you to take part citizen astronomy initiatives
Cons
- Lacking the liveview eyepiece of the eVscope 2
- Relatively heavy compared to the new compact smart telescopes
- A premium smart telescope and so is not cheap
