Vaonis collects $1M in a week on Kickstarter, with its new exploration telescope / camera station, Vespera.
Vaonis collects $1M in a week on Kickstarter, with its new exploration station, Vespera. The Vaonis start-up has just announced the launch of a mini version of Stellina, a hybrid between a smart telescope and a camera that has brought a deep change in the field of traditional astronomy since it was created in 2018. Named Vespera, evening in Latin, the new product is a lighter version of its big brother, accessible at a $999 price point. Preorders have just opened on the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform, for a delivery expected by Christmas 2021.
With the current health crisis that has shaken the world, sales of astronomical instruments have never been stronger. And for good reason: between the obligation to stay home and limitations on travel, and a desire for a return to nature, individuals have a longing to escape, in complete safety. Their new playground? The starry sky. Vaonis, a young start-up specializing in the production of astronomical instruments, has seen its number of uses, shared photos, and orders more than double since the beginning of the quarantine.
The company, whose ambition is to revolutionize the world of amateur astronomy by making it accessible to all, has announced the creation of its second product, a miniaturized version of Stellina aimed at an even wider audience: Vespera. “Our first revolution, Stellina, has been a worldwide success since the first year of its launch. This year, we’re bringing all the technology embedded in Stellina within everyone’s reach with our new product, Vespera” says Cyril Dupuy, founder of Vaonis.
Weighing less than 5kg (10 lbs), Stellina’s little brother is “more affordable than an iPhone”. A true technical and industrial feat in regard to its technology, which combines optics, electronics and mechanics of high precision, as well as the most cutting-edge embedded intelligence on the market. While Stellina is positioned in a high-end segment, Vespera should find a wider audience. Small but powerful, it can be used by any newcomer to stargazing thanks to its ease of use and mobile app. Users will be able to observe on their screens and in just a few minutes the night sky’s hidden gems, galaxies, nebulae, and then share the photos of their observations on social media. In addition to being the smallest smart telescope in the world, Vespera is the only instrument to offer a shared and interactive experience around the stars, while respecting the precautions of use imposed by COVID thanks to the remote observation on screen.
In order to finance the production chain of its new creation, Vaonis has opted to use the KickStarter crowdfunding platform. Pre-orders will be possible as of October 1, 2020, in North America, its main market, and in Europe for a campaign that will last 31 days. Deliveries are expected the following year, during the Christmas holidays.
To celebrate the launch of its Kickstarter, Vaonis has joined the many influencers who have backed the start-up since the beginning of its adventures, and this year is presenting its collaboration with the well known American astronauts, Scott Kelly and Terry Virts.
About Vaonis
Created in France in 2016 by Cyril Dupuy, Vaonis is composed of fifteen astronomy, photography and technology enthusiasts eager to share their wonder of the stars with everyone. Together, they created Stellina, the first observation station allowing anyone to photograph the universe’s celestial objects at the touch of a button. Real game changer in the field of amateur astronomy, the product won several awards, including a CES Innovation Award in 2018 and a Red Dot Design Award in 2019.
Websites: Vaonis.com / Kickstarter.com
