I recently acquired a Vaonis Stellina smart telescope and have been taking images from my backyard. Images include the Sun, Moon, various nebulae, galaxies, and stars.

I acquired a Stelling because it offers a number of advantages over a traditional telescope.

Advantages of Using a Smart Telescope

Smart telescopes, like the Vaonis Stellina, offer several advantages over traditional telescopes, making them an appealing choice for amateur and experienced astronomers.

  1. Ease of use: Setting up a smart telescope is faster and more intuitive than traditional models. With automatic alignment and tracking features, I can focus on observing rather than spending time adjusting equipment.
  2. Portability: Many smart telescopes are designed with compactness in mind, making them easier to transport and set up in various locations.
  3. Connectivity: Wi-Fi allows me to control the telescope remotely through a smartphone or tablet app, providing greater convenience and flexibility during observation sessions.
  4. Image processing: Built-in cameras and software enable smart telescopes to capture high-quality images without requiring additional accessories or extensive post-processing knowledge.

All in all, using technology in today’s smart telescopes makes stargazing a fun and easy activity for everyone who loves astronomy, no matter their experience.

My Experience with Stellina

I have been using my Stellina in my Bortle eight skies on every clear night since I received it. I wanted to share my experience with you in case you might be considering getting a smart telescope.

I thought I’d share how the Stellina captures images and compare the Stellina live-stacked image with an image processed, based on the FITS files, using PixInsight.

Final Processed Image of M27

Let’s start with what the final, processed result looks like. This is M27 as viewed from my backyard, in a three-hour exposure:

I processed the FITS files from the observations using PixInsight. The stars are of various colors, and the nebula itself is richly colored. Click the image for a full-size view.

This is an excellent image because the background is even, the stars are of various colors, and the nebula, even the fainter edges, is well-resolved. The moon was about 85 degrees away from the nebula, so it was challenging to extract the details from the faint parts of the nebula.

The following is the live-stacked image from Stellina after two and a half hours of exposure:

This image is also quite good, especially since I didn’t do any post-processing of the image; this was captured live from the Stellina as it was observing M 27.

Intermediate Results

As Stellina captures an image, it processes it to produce the final result; more exposure time yields better final image quality.

The following is the image of M 27 after just one minute of exposure:

The brighter parts of the image are starting to be resolved after just one minute (made up of a total of 6 sub-exposures).

The following is after 15 minutes of exposure, so the image is made up of 90 sub-exposures:

The fainter aspects of the nebula are starting to develop and the nebula itself is not over-exposed.

This is what the image looks like after 30 minutes:

The nebula’s edges are starting to become more detailed and ,the star colors have become quite good.

This image is after one hour of exposure:

The nebula is well-resolved, and the colors are quite rich.

This is after two hours of exposure:

This image is very good, with low noise, deep colors, and good contrast.

Overall, Stellina does a great job capturing and live-stacking images to produce an excellent result.

Conclusion

The Vaonis Stellina smart telescope has proven to be an excellent investment because it is easy to use, transport, and set up. Its ease of use, portability, connectivity, and image processing capabilities make it a powerful tool for capturing stunning images. The live-stacking feature allows users to see improvements in image quality over time as exposure increases. With its user-friendly interface and remarkable performance, the Stellina has revolutionized how we observe and appreciate the night sky.