{"id":61606,"date":"2024-07-25T12:59:20","date_gmt":"2024-07-25T12:59:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/e963f46a-59f0-4bf7-9de1-c1681c1ec8b2"},"modified":"2024-07-25T13:39:48","modified_gmt":"2024-07-25T13:39:48","slug":"unistellars-newest-smart-telescope-is-here-but-how-does-the-odyssey-pro-fare-and-is-it-worth-the-price","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/unistellars-newest-smart-telescope-is-here-but-how-does-the-odyssey-pro-fare-and-is-it-worth-the-price\/","title":{"rendered":"Unistellar’s newest smart telescope is here. But how does the Odyssey Pro fare, and is it worth the price?"},"content":{"rendered":"

From planets to galaxies, this foolproof all-in-one captures them all \u2013 for a price. <\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Thursday, 25 July 2024 at 12:59 PM<\/p>

\n\n

Unistellar is at the forefront of the smart telescope revolution, with the eVscope 2 and eQuinox 2 telescopes already in its Expert Range.<\/p>

Here we look at the manufacturer\u2019s latest Discovery Range, aimed at beginners and complete novices, featuring the Odyssey and, for our review, the Odyssey Pro.<\/p>

Unboxing<\/strong><\/h2>

On arrival, the Odyssey Pro comes well packaged and features a smart box housing the main telescope body, sturdy tripod and the power supply.<\/p>

This came with various attachments for different countries and a set of adjustment tools.<\/p>

Assembly was extremely simple \u2013 in fact, the quickest we\u2019ve been able to set up a review instrument.<\/p>

The Discovery Range features a smaller mirror \u2013 85mm compared with the 114mm version in the Expert Range \u2013 but don\u2019t let that fool you; the Odyssey Pro is a very capable system.<\/p>

Designed to be foolproof, with automatic focusing, plate solving, accurate Go-To and no collimation<\/a> requirements, these telescopes are aimed at anyone, regardless of astronomical experience.<\/p>

\"Unistellar<\/figure>

Odyssey Pro upgrade<\/strong><\/h2>

The primary difference between the Unistellar Odyssey and Odyssey Pro models is that the Pro version features a high-quality Nikon electronic eyepiece, giving the user an immersive astronomy experience.<\/p>

It shows a view of the image gradually being stacked, which is also displayed on our smartphone app.<\/p>

Therefore, when imaging nebulae<\/a> and galaxies<\/a>, the eyepiece view can initially look dim until enough photons have been collected and stacked<\/a>, usually taking less than a minute for the image to begin to look good, depending upon the target.<\/p>

Open and globular clusters<\/a>, along with double stars<\/a>, fare better being points of light but, again, building up the image gives rewarding results in both the app and the eyepiece.<\/p>

\"Unistellar<\/figure>

Control from your phone<\/strong><\/h2>

To control the Odyssey Pro, download the iOS or Android Unistellar app from their respective stores and connect to the telescope\u2019s on-board Wi-Fi adaptor.<\/p>

The app is intuitive, simple to use and has a selection of recommended targets which you can tap to select.<\/p>

Each time you begin an observing session, the app asks you to perform an orientation so that it can carry out the Go-To and tracking functions on your selected targets.<\/p>

\"Unistellar<\/figure>

Citizen science is a fascinating aspect of the Unistellar experience, with the app giving you the chance to collaborate with a variety of astronomical projects.<\/p>

For instance, there\u2019s the ability to collect data and upload it to Unistellar to share with SETI and NASA to develop predictions and models on a range of events.<\/p>

These can include asteroid occultations, exoplanet study, planetary defence, comets and more.<\/p>

\"Unistellar<\/figure>

How the Unistellar Odyssey Pro performs<\/strong><\/h2>

We had a good run of clear nights and used the Unistellar Odyssey Pro to image a range of targets such as the Whirlpool Galaxy<\/a>, Bode\u2019s and Cigar galaxies<\/a>.<\/p>

We captured nebulae including the Dumbbell Nebula<\/a> and Bubble Nebula<\/a>, and star clusters from the Beehive Cluster<\/a> to the Owl Cluster<\/a> and Double Cluster<\/a> (which only just fitted into the Odyssey Pro\u2019s view).<\/p>

We finished our run with the Moon and, via the loan of a Unistellar smart solar filter, photographs of the Sun.<\/p>

\"Unistellar
The Whirlpool Galaxy \u2013 31 million lightyears away, but appearing on your phone screen within minutes<\/figcaption><\/figure>

On the latter point, we were pleased the telescope\u2019s front end incorporates magnets both to hold the dust cap in place and for holding the solar filter securely so it can\u2019t come off.<\/p>

We enjoyed our time with the Odyssey Pro, but like all current smart telescopes it does tie up your smartphone or tablet.<\/p>

There\u2019s also no way to upgrade the sensor, although firmware and app updates do help improve the scope\u2019s functionality.<\/p>

\"Unistellar
We put the Odyssey Pro to work on some nebulae, starting with this 32-minute exposure of the large, bright Dumbbell Nebula<\/figcaption><\/figure>

A recent update vastly improved the downloading of raw data to our laptop; the externally processed results were far better than images created as standard by the app.<\/p>

Overall, the ease of use and the simplicity of the Unistellar Odyssey Pro mean that anyone can operate it and enjoy the night sky.<\/p>

\"Unistellar
Next we tried the challenging Bubble Nebula, NGC 7635, with 65 minutes of exposure<\/figcaption><\/figure>

One seeming downside is the high price, at \u00a33,499 for the Pro or \u00a32,199 for the basic Odyssey.<\/p>

However, you\u2019re paying for the sheer convenience of not having to set up multiple items, which it does seamlessly.<\/p>

Is it worth the cost? That\u2019s a personal choice.<\/p>

\"Unistellar
Rewarding views of the Double Cluster in Perseus from just a four-minute exposure<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Astrophotography with the Unistellar Odyssey Pro<\/strong><\/h2>

Smart telescopes have brought astrophotography within the reach of anyone who can use a smartphone or tablet.<\/p>

No, they\u2019re not quite as good as a dedicated astrophotography rig, but the key is that anyone can now capture pleasing images of galaxies, nebulae, clusters and even Solar System targets.<\/p>

\"Unistellar
Galaxy M82, 320 raw images stacked and processed with external software<\/figcaption><\/figure>

In many systems that employ a mirror, there are usually two issues to deal with: focus and collimation.<\/p>

Here, the Odyssey Pro excels because Unistellar, in collaboration with Nikon, has produced a sealed compact system that autofocuses on the stars for you and doesn\u2019t require collimation.<\/p>

This results in a maintenance-free astrophotography system.\u00a0<\/p>

\"Unistellar
Moon, 0.33-second exposure, slightly cropped from full-frame view<\/figcaption><\/figure>

With automatic plate solving to achieve accurate Go-To navigation, Dynamic Signal Amplification and Deep Dark Technology to deal with light pollution, and live stacking all rolled into a simple-to-use package, the Odyssey Pro has winning potential.<\/p>

Plus, it can be set up in mere minutes, meaning you spend more time capturing images.<\/p>

\"Unistellar
With a solar filter before the aurora storm on 10 May 2024, 1\/100-second exposure<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Unistellar Odyssey Pro best features<\/strong><\/h2>

Optics and sensor<\/strong><\/h3>

Designed for low image noise, the IMX415 sensor provides 1.45\u00b5m x 1.45\u00b5m pixels and 8MP, producing a field of view of 33.6 x 45 arcminutes. Meanwhile, the optics consist of an 85mm Newtonian mirror with a focal length of 320mm, giving an f ratio of f\/3.9 in a compact body.<\/p>

Sturdy tripod<\/strong><\/h3>

The Unistellar tripod is rock solid and well engineered, providing the ideal support for the telescope body. We found it easy to install the telescope and the two locking screws kept the mount firmly in place. The tripod also features a handy bubble level and three points of adjustment for height.<\/p>

Power and ports<\/strong><\/h3>

Power is supplied via an in-built lithium-ion rechargeable battery that lasts around five hours. A charging adaptor with a USB-C connector is used and connects to the lower of the two ports on the side of the mount. A USB-A port also allows smartphones to be charged up via the battery.<\/p>

Nikon eyepiece<\/strong><\/h3>

The high-quality Nikon OLED eyepiece provides a bright view of the image as it builds up, using the enhanced vision mode of the app. At night, deep-sky targets appear bright. The view is clear and a small focus wheel on one side focuses the eyepiece for enhanced views.<\/p>

Unistellar app<\/strong><\/h3>

The Unistellar app contains all the functionality you need to connect and operate the Odyssey Pro and conduct citizen science. We found it reasonably intuitive, with a vast database of targets, including Solar System bodies and many of the popular deep-sky objects, plus links to onlinehelp files and much more.<\/p>

\"Unistellar<\/figure>

Vital stats<\/strong><\/h2>