With the Vespera III and Vespera Pro 2, telescope-maker Vaonis unveils its sharpest optics yet

Telescope maker Vaonis has unveiled two new additions to its smart telescope family, the Vespera III and the Vespera Pro 2, a pair of high-end telescopes designed to provide even better night sky views than their predecessors, the company said. The new smart telescopes are the latest in the Vespera line of telescopes from Vaonis , the first of which was released in 2022 with the second-generation Vespera II and Vespera Pro models released in 2024. Building on the groundwork laid by the previous models, the Vespera III and Pro 2 — both unveiled last month — boast improvements to the optical design, which Vaonis claims will boost color contrast, reduce chromatic aberration (color fringing) and ensure edge-to-edge sharpness for astrophotography. Smart telescopes have become increasingly popular in recent years, particularly among beginners and casual astrophotographers looking for equipment that automates alignment, tracking and image processing. They typically have a built-in image sensor and a go-to automatic mount controlled by a smartphone-app. Users can orient, locate targets and take photos of night sky objects from the palm of their hand, whether that be star clusters , galaxies or nebulas. While we think that smart telescopes are a great way for beginners to observe the night sky, with price tags either at or above $2500, these new releases aren't for budding astronomers on a budget. …