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.

Vaonis is one of the big companies competing in the smart telescope industry, alongside Unistellar, Celestron, ZWO and Dwarflab. This is a fast-growing area of amateur astronomy that has made skywatching and astrophotography easier than with a manual telescope setup.

Both models are available from BH Photo and Video, with the Vaonis Vespera III priced at $2,490 and the Vespera Pro 2 priced at $2,990.

The new models build on the Vespera II and Vespera Pro, both of which received positive reviews from Space.com. The external design of the telescopes looks almost identical to the previous Vespera releases but with a new internal lens configuration and a shorter 245mm focal length. A shorter focal length should help deliver a wider field of view, something that is important when imaging larger deep sky objects like the Andromeda Galaxy.

Vaonis has also added several features aimed at improving usability. A built-in hygrometer measures humidity levels and works with an anti-fog system designed to prevent moisture from interrupting imaging sessions. The new models also add USB-C support for faster transfer of JPEG and RAW files to a computer.

Vaonis offers several optional accessories for its smart telescopes, including filters for solar imaging, dual-band imaging and light pollution reduction. While those filters are sold separately, the Vespera III and Vespera Pro 2 include an aluminum tripod designed to provide additional viewing height for observations in obstructed environments.

While the Vaonis Vespera III and Verspera Pro 2 are available now from BH Photo and Video and other retailers, we have not yet tested them at Space.com. You can see our review for the Vespera II, as well as our Vespera Pro review, to get an idea of how Vaonis smart telescopes stack up as high-end observing equipment. We also have a guide to the best smart telescopes that can help you decide.

<em>Check out our other guides to the best telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star projectors, drones, lego and much more.