Vaonis Vespera II vs Unistellar Odyssey Pro: 1 Minute Summary
- The Unistellar Odyssey Pro was released in 2024 and is a premium smart telescope and one of the few models that features an eyepiece for real-time viewing.
- The Odyssey Pro also has the better telescope with higher aperture, longer focal length, and faster focal ratio. Plus with it you can take part in Citizen Astronomy projects.
- The Vaonis Vespera II has the higher resolution camera and wider field of view. Plus it has the unique Mosaic Mode to automatically stitch together larger images.
- The Vaonis Vespera II is a fair amount cheaper but doesn’t include a tripod and so you need to also buy one or use one you already have.
- Given the price differential when looking at these models, the Vespera II is a great deal.
- The main reason to favor the Odyssey Pro is the eyepiece which is a great feature but substantially increases the cost.
Why choose the Unistellar Odyssey Pro over the Vaonis Vespera II?
The Unistellar Odyssey Pro is a premium smart telescope from French manufacturer Unistellar released in 2024.
The main reasons to consider it over the Vaonis Vespera 2 are:
- The Odyssey Pro’s real-time viewing eyepiece means you can look through the telescope, rather than just view images on your smartphone or other screen. This is particularly good if using with friends or family as you have a more shared experience in taking turns to look through.
- The telescope specifications are higher, with 3.3 inch aperture, versus 2 inch inch for the Vespera 2, 320 mm focal length versus 250 mm, and f/3.8 focal ratio versus f/5.
- With all Unistellar models you can take part in Citizen Astronomy initiatives and join missions to track asteroids and hunt exoplanets.
- It comes complete with a tripod, which the Vespera II does not.
- Whilst very close, it is smaller and lighter than the Vespera II.
The main downside versus the Vespera 2 is the cost. The Odyssey Pro’s starting price is more than double that of the Vespera II, even if you have to buy an additional tripod.
Why choose the Vaonis Vespera II over the Unistellar Odyssey Pro?
The Vaonis Vespera II is a compact, premium smart telescope from French manufacturer Vaonis that was released in 2024.
The main reasons to opt it over the Unistellar Odyssey Pro are:
- It has a higher resolution camera with 8.3 megapixels, compared to 4.1 megapixels for the Odyssey Pro.
- It has a wider field of view and the Mosaic Mode which enables the stitching of multiple images to capture even wider fields of view and larger astronomical objects.
The main downsides versus the Odyssey Pro are the lack of eyepiece and the lower aperture / focal ratio telescope which will mean it will take longer to capture images.
Telescope Specifications
The Unistellar Odyssey Pro has 85 mm (3.3 inch) aperture, 320 mm focal length, f/3.7 focal ratio, and 0.56° x 0.75° field of view.
The Vaonis Vespera II has 50 mm (2 inch) aperture, 250 mm focal length, f/5 focal ratio, and 2.5° x 1.4° field of view.
Camera Specifications
The Unistellar Odyssey Pro has a 4.1 MP resolution camera using a Sony IMX615 sensor and a pixel size of 1.45μm.
The Vaonis Vespera II has a 8.3 MP resolution camera of 3840 x 2160 size using a Sony IMX585 sensor and a pixel size of 2.9 µm.
Size and Weight
The Unistellar Odyssey Pro weighs 4 kg (8.8 lb) and has dimensions of 13 x 20 x 43 ((H x W x L in cm).
The Vaonis Vespera II weighs 5 kg (11 lb) and has dimensions of 48 x 20 x 9 ((H x W x L in cm).
Price and Value for Money
The Unistellar Odyssey Pro costs $3,999, and the Vaonis Vespera II costs $1,590.
Just note that the Vespera II does not include a tripod, so you will need to add that if you don’t already own one (any regular photography tripod should work).
Note, prices may vary so check the links to compare retailers if thinking about buying.
Specifications
| Unistellar Odyssey Pro | Vaonis Vespera II | |
|---|---|---|
| Year | 2024 | 2024 |
| Aperture | 85mm (3.3 inch) | 50mm (2 inch) |
| Focal Length | 320mm | 250mm |
| Focal Ratio | f/3.7 | f/5 |
| Limiting Magnitude | 12.35 | 11.19 |
| OTA type | Reflector | Refractor |
| Eyepiece | Yes | No |
| Field of View | 0.56° x 0.75° | 2.5° x 1.4° |
| Resolution | 4.1MP | 8.3MP |
| Sensor Size | ? | 3840 x 2160 |
| Sensor | Sony IMX615 | Sony IMX585 |
| Pixel Size | 1.45μm | 2.9 µm |
| Image Formats | FITS, TIFF, PNG, JPEG | TIFF, FITS |
| Mosaic Mode | No | Yes |
| Size (H x W x L) cm | 13 x 20 x 43 | 48 x 20 x 9 |
| Weight | 4kg (8.8 lb) | 5kg (11 lb) |
| Mount | Included | Included |
| Tripod | Included | Not included |
| Battery Life | 5 hrs | 4 hrs |
| Internal Storage | 64GB | 25GB |
| Dew Control | None | None |
| Retail Price* | $3,999 | $1,590 |
Unistellar Odyssey Pro vs Vaonis Vespera II: Verdict
A big factor in choosing between these two models will be budget and how much you would value the eyepiece.
If money is no object and you think you would like the eyepiece then the Odyssey Pro is for you.
However, the Vespera II is excellent and well-loved. It is very close in terms of many of the key specs to the Odyssey Pro and so is the right option for you don’t have the money for the Odyssey Pro, and/or you don’t think you need the eyepiece.
Note the Odyssey Pro is the cheapest smart telescope with an eyepiece. The only other option with one is the eVscope 2, which is more expensive.
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Premium Pick with Eyepiece
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Value Pick
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$3,999.00
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Related content and more information
- Best Smart Telescopes
- Unistellar website: Odyssey Pro
- Vaonis website: Vespera II
- Unistellar Odyssey Pro review
- Vaonis Vespera II review
Other Odyssey Pro comparisons:
- Unistellar Odyssey Pro vs Unistellar Odyssey
- Unistellar Odyssey Pro vs Unistellar eVscope 2
- Unistellar Odyssey Pro vs Vaonis Vespera Pro
- Unistellar Odyssey Pro vs Vaonis Vespera II
- Unistellar Odyssey Pro vs ZWO Seestar S50
- Unistellar Odyssey Pro vs Dwarf II
- Unistellar Odyssey Pro vs Celestron Origin
Other Vespera 2 comparisons:
