French maker Vaonis builds premium smart telescopes: the Vespera range of 50 mm apochromats with long battery life and 5-year warranties, and the new modular 80 mm Atlas.
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List price $2,990 (as of Oct 2026)
The Vespera 3 body with a square 12.5 MP Sony IMX676 sensor, S-FPL52 glass, finer 1.6 arcsec/pixel detail, 225 GB storage and up to 50 MP mosaics.
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List price $2,490 (as of Oct 2026)
Vaonis's 2026 mid-range model: 50 mm apochromatic quadruplet with a field corrector, Sony IMX585 4K sensor, 11-hour battery, 115 GB storage and automatic anti-fog, with a 5-year warranty.
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List price $3,990 (as of Oct 2026)
A modular system announced October 15, 2026: an 80 mm f/4.5 apochromatic module on a weatherproof (IP64) alt-az mount with a fisheye Sky Guard camera; a second module can be added (Atlas Twin).
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List price $1,590 (as of Oct 2026)
Vaonis's entry Vespera: 50 mm apochromatic quadruplet at 250 mm with a Sony IMX585 sensor, one-button start, 25 GB storage and a 4-hour battery, with a 3-year warranty.
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Vaonis, based in Montpellier, France, made one of the first consumer smart telescopes, Stellina, and now sells the Vespera range. Its telescopes are distinctive metal cylinders with a single power button, controlled through the Singularity app, and are sold on design, simplicity and long warranties.
| Model | Aperture / focal length | Sensor | Battery | Warranty | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vespera II | 50 mm / 250 mm | Sony IMX585, 8.3 MP | 4 h | 3 years | $1,590 |
| Vespera 3 | 50 mm / 245 mm | Sony IMX585, 8.3 MP | 11 h | 5 years | $2,490 |
| Vespera Pro 2 | 50 mm / 245 mm | Sony IMX676, 12.5 MP | 11 h | 5 years | $2,990 |
| Atlas (pre-order) | 80 mm / 360 mm | Sony IMX585, 8.3 MP | 6 h | 5 years (module), 10 years (mount) | $3,990 |
Prices from vaonis.com on October 17, 2026. Vaonis's store showed euro prices to us; reported US prices are the same figures in dollars.
Every Vespera weighs 5 kg (11 lb), saves 16-bit FITS files and can stitch mosaics (CovalENS) up to 24 MP (50 MP on the Pro 2). The Vespera 3 and Pro 2 add a stray-light baffle, automatic anti-fog and an included tripod.
Strengths: polished hardware, all-night battery on the newer models, the longest warranties in the category, and a 30-day trial. Weak points: 50 mm of aperture at prices where rivals offer 85 to 152 mm, no built-in light-pollution filter, no wide-angle camera, and filters and solar filters that cost extra.
From vaonis.com and astronomy retailers. Vaonis doesn't run a public affiliate program that we've found; our links to Vaonis are not paid.