The Vaonis Vespera Pro is a premium portable smart telescope which was announced in 2023 to be released in May 2024.
But what is the Vespera Pro and how does it compare to other smart telescopes?
Key Points
- The Vaonis Vespera Pro will be released in mid-2024 and is an update to the original Vaonis Vespera which was released in 2022
- It is the same compact size and weight as the original and the telescope is very similar with 50mm aperture but slightly longer focal length
- The camera is vastly improved with a 12.5 MP sensor
- The Vespera Pro also features much larger storage, longer battery life and accessories included like a built-in dew heater and field flattener.
- It retails at $2,499. About $1,000 more than the original Vespera.
What is the Vaonis Vespera Pro?
The Vespera Pro is the 2024 upgrade to the original Vaonis Vespera, which was released in 2022.
Here’s a teaser video from Vaonis:
Vaonis Vespera Pro Review
Given that it is not yet released nor do we have our hands on one, we will not be rating the Vespera Pro.
Instead I will give my views on how it is likely to shape up based on the five criteria we usually use to assess smart telescopes:
- Ease of Use
- Portability
- Imaging Quality
- Value for Money
- Versatility
Ease of Use
The Vespera Pro is likely to excell with regards to ease of use.
I can say this because this has been one of Vaonis’s big strengths – the near-perfect user experience where you seamlessly set it up and connect to your phone and then are ready to go with the app guiding you.
In addition, we also know the Singularity app that it will use well as it is already out and used with the original Vespera and Stellina.
It is simple to use and great for planning and executing your imaging.
Portability
Again, we know that the Vespera Pro is the same size and weight as the original Vespera – weighing just 5kg with 48cm height.
There is also a backpack available for the Vespera that ensures that it packs away securely and snugly for travel, but this is not included and so it an extra cost.
The small size and light weight are great in comparison to the larger premium smart telescopes, but now that we have the even smaller and lighter budget models like the ZWO Seestar S50 and the Dwarflab Dwarf 2 we have to compare the Vespera Pro in that light.
Imaging Quality
This is where the Vespera Pro will excel, particularly in comparison to the older Vespera and the two budget smart telescopes mentioned above.
It has a 12.5 megapixel camera sensor which is a big upgrade.
One of the additional great features of the Vespera Pro (and all the Vaonis models) is the mosaic mode (CovalENS) which can build a much wider image of an astronomical object of up to 32 megapixels.
Value for Money
This is the challenge for the Vespera Pro. Its starting price is $2,499, which makes it fairly expensive.
This is about $1,000 more than the Vespera and Vespera II, and about $2,000 more than the Dwarf 2 and Seestar S50.
I think the buyer for the Vespera Pro will be the person who values the sexy design and perfect usability over saving money – i.e. people who have enough money not to care and compromise to save $1,000-$2,000 (I wish that was me!).
There will definitely be a market for those people, but someone already into astrophotography that perhaps wants an easier alternative to there regular setup will probably be happy enough with one of the cheaper options.
Versatility
The Vespera Pro doesn’t have the liveview eyepiece which is the selling point of the eVscope 2, nor is it usable for non-astronomical purposes.
However, it is great for users of all levels and the mosaic mode means that it can bypass any issues with field of view to capture much larger images.
Vaonis Vespera Pro: Pros and Cons
Vaonis Vespera Pro Advantages
The pros of the Vaonis Vespera Pro are:
- High resolution camera
- Mosaic mode to capture widefield images
- Ultra-slick design
- Great usability
- Light, compact and portable
Vaonis Vespera Pro Disadvantages
In terms of the downsides:
- Expensive in relation to the budget smart telescope options of similar specifications
- Lower spec than premium smart telescope alternatives, especially with regards to aperture
Vaonis Vespera Pro Alternatives
The alternatives to the Vaonis Vespera Pro are the:
- The Vespera and Vespera 2 for premium compact smart telescopes
- The Dwarf 2 and ZWO Seestar S50 for budget compact smart telescopes
- The Unistellar eVscope 2 and Unistellar eQuinox 2 for premium smart telescopes
See our overview of the Best Smart Telescopes to see how they all compare.
Vaonis Vespera Pro Specifications
- Aperture: 50 mm (2 inches)
- Focal Length: 250 mm
- Focal Ratio: F/5
- Weight: 11 lbs (5 kg)
- Height: 48 cm (18.9 inches)
- Sensor: Sony IMX676
- Resolution: 12.5 MP (3536 x 3536 px)
- Year of release: 2024
Our Verdict
The Vaonis Vespera Pro will be the most advanced compact smart telescope on the market when released.
Those shopping around for the right smart telescope for them will need a make a choice as to whether they are happy to pay the premium price for this model, or compromise and save money on one of the alternatives.
Premium Compact Smart Telescope
- Brand new in 2024
- Compact size and weight
- Highest resolution (12.5 MP) camera of any smart telescope
Sources and further information
- Best Smart Telescopes – All Model Comparison 2024
- Vespera Pro Page on Vaonis Website
- Vaonis Vespera Review
How we reviewed the Vaonis Vespera Pro
This Vaonis Vespera Pro review is based on an assessment of its core specifications and comparison to existing models.
We will update this when it hits the market and hands-on testing can begin.
Submit Your Review of the Vaonis Vespera Pro
If you own (or have used) a Vaonis Vespera Pro, you can submit your review and ratings to us via this form to be incorporated in this review:
Vaonis Vespera Pro
Pros
- Brand new in 2024
- The best compact smart telescope on the market
- 12.5 MP camera
Cons
- Expensive
I have a seestar , I love it but want more
Thanks Richard!