The first smartphone telescope, Hestia, was introduced by telescope manufacturer Vaonis in July. Vaonis has revealed the beta version of its telescope app, Gravity by Vaonis, ahead of Hestia’s planned December delivery date.
Vaonis is renowned for producing cutting-edge smart telescopes. A lightweight and compact option, the Vaonis Vespera was previously reviewed by PetaPixel. The company also produces a more durable telescope with a large 1050mm lens, called the Hyperia Telescope Camera.
Hestia is the company’s most avant-garde product, though. A smartphone can be upgraded to a powerful telescope with the Vaonis Hestia. Despite its extreme portability and compact design, the Hestia offers a 25x magnification for viewing the Moon, Sun, and other celestial objects.
Hestia allows you to record the splendor of the Sun, the mesmerizing beauty of the Moon, and the fascinating depths of the Universe—all without the need for elaborate setups or in-depth astronomy knowledge—by utilizing the power of your smartphone and state-of-the-art technology. To begin exploring a whole new world, just place your smartphone on Hestia’s ocular, align it with your preferred celestial object, and follow incredibly intuitive app.
The gadget will start shipping later this month after its Kickstarter campaign. According to Vaonis, users will be able to view the Sun safely when combined with its solar filter. This encompasses the solar eclipse scheduled for April 8, 2024. Users will be able to explore the moon and get detailed information about its phases, visibility, and current illumination level through the app.
To further enhance the device’s versatility, you can use the Hestia in daylight by pairing it with the Gravity app’s Scenery Mode, which functions similarly to binoculars or a spotting scope. Vaonis shared screenshots showing that when in Scenery Mode, users can modify the focus and exposure in the Gravity app.
Help setting up a telescope, weather reports for optimal viewing, an interactive map with constellations and other celestial objects, and notifications for impending celestial events are some of the additional features of the app. A knowledge base with information on stars, planets, constellations, and other topics will also be available.
The Google Play Store and Apple App Store currently offer the app for download. Unfortunately, the majority of users appear to be experiencing instantaneous crashes.