Frequently asked questions about the Hestia telescope
The smart telescope for your smartphone
How do I set up the Hestia?
If you still have questions after reading? Please contact customer service
Other frequently asked questions
Saved images are automatically saved in your smartphone's photo gallery.
Click on the camera icon in the Space Center, then use the menu or shortcut to change modes: landscape, sun, moon, deep sky, or planet.
Click on the camera tab in the application and select landscape mode.
To check the compatibility of your smartphone, you need to know whether you have an iPhone or Android. For iPhones, you need at least iOS 16 and iPhone 8 or higher. For deep sky observations, you need an iPhone 13 or higher. For Android phones, the Samsung Galaxy S20 and above, Google Pixel 5 and above, and several Xiaomi and Oppo models are compatible. Tablets and Chromebooks are not compatible. If you cannot find the Gravity by Vaonis app in your phone's app store, it means your phone is not compatible.
Yes, the Gravity by Vaonis app uses image stacking technology to amplify the captured light and enhance the image.
Removable magnets hold your smartphone in place on the Hestia and ensure that the phone's lens is correctly aligned with the eyepiece.
It is an optical system with lenses and prisms that direct the collected light to the phone's sensor.
Yes, the Hestia is compatible with smartphones that have four cameras, but will only use the main camera to take photos.
The solar filter is only available as part of the Solar Pack or Ultimate Pack and cannot be purchased separately.
Yes, you do not need to remove your case to use Hestia.
Hestia has no battery. It is an optical system that works without electronics or mechanics. Its useful life depends entirely on your smartphone's battery.
A compatible tripod should:
- Features a fluid head or pan-tilt head with two axes (horizontal and vertical), and a 3/8” thread.
- Able to support a weight of at least 500 grams.
- Be stable and sturdy enough to prevent vibrations.
Notice: Smartphone tripods and ball heads are not compatible with Hestia.
Yes, with Hestia you can:
- Observing the phases of Venus.
- Viewing the moons of Jupiter.
- Distinguishing Saturn's rings.
No, Hestia does not have a GoTo function and cannot track objects automatically. The Gravity by Vaonis-app helps you manually aim and track objects. A motorized mount will be available in 2024 to provide these features.
No, Hestia cannot track objects automatically. The Gravity by Vaonis-app provides guidance for manual tracking. A motorized mount is being considered for use with Hestia.
Yes, although the app does not offer a special mode for daytime observations, you can use Hestia and your smartphone camera to view distant objects such as landscapes and animals.
With Hestia and the Gravity by Vaonis-app you can:
- Daytime: Observing the sun and sunspots (a solar filter is necessary), as well as full and partial solar eclipses.
- ’At night: Viewing the moon, stars and brightest deep-sky objects such as star clusters, nebulae and galaxies.
