Latest news with #Unistellar
Daily Mirror
18-07-2025
- Science
- Daily Mirror
'Rare' planet like Jupiter discovered 400 light years away
The discovered gaseous planet, named TOI-4465 b, is located around 400 light-years from Earth and is around the same size as Jupiter, but with a much smaller orbit A planet has been spotted roughly 400 light years away from Earth. Dubbed TOI-4465 b, this colossal, gas-filled world bears striking similarities to Jupiter. The breakthrough came courtesy of NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission alongside Unistellar's network of amateur astronomers. Franck Marchis, a Senior Astronomer at the SETI Institute and Chief Scientific Officer at Unistellar, explained: "This planet is scientifically significant because it helps bridge a gap in our understanding of planetary systems. "So far, we mostly detect hot Jupiters orbiting very close to their stars, unlike the cold gas giants in our own solar system", reports the Express. "TOI-4465 b falls somewhere in between - a 'temperate' Jupiter, offering a valuable case study of gas giants that bridge the gap between the most prolific gas giants and those in our solar neighbourhood." TOI-4465 b stands out as an unusual specimen - a massive, compact world that completes its stellar orbit every 102 days. Being a long-period exoplanet made confirming its presence exceptionally challenging, as spotting another transit was highly unlikely. A long-period giant refers to a substantial planet, similar to Jupiter, which requires considerable time to circle its host star. Research leader and University of Mexico scientist Zahra Essack noted: "This discovery is important because long-period exoplanets, defined as having orbital periods longer than 100 days, are difficult to detect and confirm due to limited observational opportunities and resources. "As a result, they are underrepresented in our current catalogue of exoplanets. Studying these long-period planets gives us insights into how planetary systems form and evolve under more moderate conditions." A global team of 24 observers from the UK, US, Japan, New Zealand, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Austria contributed data, with 21 being amateur stargazers. The elusive transit signature of the planet was detected just once in TESS observations. A transit signature is the slight dimming of a star caused by a planet crossing in front of it, hinting at the presence of an orbiting planet. Prompted by TOI-4465 b's transit signature, the study's lead researcher collected radial velocity measurements to determine the star's motion towards or away from Earth, often influenced by the gravitational pull of a planet. Armed with this information, they forecasted the next transit event and alerted astronomers at the SETI Institute. Guided by SETI experts, Unistellar's network of citizen astronomers successfully recorded what has been termed a "long and challenging" transit. Despite the transit enduring around 12 hours, the international scope of the network allowed for coordinated observation throughout the entire occurrence. Given the uncertainty surrounding the precise timing of the planet's journey across its star, astronomers kept watch over a span of three days. Mr Marchis revealed: "TOI-4465 b is the most massive, long-period giant to transit a sub-solar metallicity star." This refers to a star with fewer elements other than hydrogen and helium when compared to our sun. He continued: "It's a great candidate for follow-up observations of its atmosphere, so there's a good chance JWST (James Webb Space Telescope) will be looking at this planet at some point in the future." Mr Marchis highlighted that individuals with a digital smart telescope can now spot and confirm exoplanets from their own gardens, aiding NASA in charting planetary systems identified by the TESS mission. He added: "The likelihood of TESS observing another transit of a planet like TOI-4465 b, which happens only every 102 days, is low. So the SETI-Unistellar network is essential for these discoveries."
Wales Online
01-06-2025
- Science
- Wales Online
Review: Unistellar Odyssey smart telescope is out of this world
Review: Unistellar Odyssey smart telescope is out of this world It's not perfect but the images it produces in double-quick time are tremendous Bode's Galaxy taken by the Odyssey There's never been a better time to get into astro photography for the enthusiastic amateur thanks to a new generation of smart telescopes that do away with all the painstacking preparation and assumed knowledge that can be a barrier for newbies. One of these hi-tech scopes is the Unistellar Odyssey, which, while not cheap, couldn't make taking amazing images of celestial objects any easier, even from light-polluted urban areas. The Odyssey is a fully automated smart digital reflector telescope equipped with an 85mm aperture and uses Unistellar's proprietary technologies for enhanced viewing. It's not too bulky or heavy so can be used on the go, although you don't get a case included which, considering the price, I thought was a shame. You do get a stand which is absolute top quality, though, even if the way it holds the telescope itself is rather lo-fi and made me slightly nervous. Indeed, a few times after a viewing session I found the scope had come loose and wobbly on top of the stand. Usability couldn't be simpler. Once paired with a phone or tablet through the app, you are away. Simply choose the object (be that galaxy, planet, nebula or star cluster) you want to take an image of and the telescope does the rest. And it's here where the Odyssey shines. I've tried a few smart telescopes over the years but the picture quality blew me away as it came through on my tablet. Not only do they look great, the snapshots only take a few minutes to come through. What would take over an hour using a cheaper telescope as image after image are stacked on top of each other to get a nice picture, the Odyssey delivers better in a fraction of the time. Unistellar Odyssey It's all the more impressive as light pollution is a problem where I live. Indeed, it'll be hard to go back to my other scopes once I return it! As an extra slice of fun, you can also choose to participate in collaborative and citizen science missions with institutions such as NASA and SETI Institute . There is a minus to the fully automatic system for the more experienced astro photographer, which may limit appeal for users who prefer manual adjustments and customisation. However, for a beginner it's tremendous and you'll be sharing images with your friends and family, taking the plaudits for your skill! Unistellar Odyssey I did have a few niggles The telescope uses its own wifi to connect and you can't set it up, say, through your home network. This meant on my tablet I could not be connected to the Odyssey and the internet at the same time. Also, there is no way (as yet) of rebooting the device via the app. A few times when it did crash I had to go outside and switch it off and on again. Sometimes if took a very long time to find the object I wanted to take an image of (although this might be down to the aforementioned light pollution) while the battery life wasn't super great. Charging is only through the wall rather than a charging brick. Another quibble is that you do not get a solar filter included. That will set you back another £200, So the Osyssey is not perfect but for any budding astronomer I wouldn't hesitate in recommending it. Sure, the Odyssey is pricey but in this case you get what you pay for. The (dark) sky's the limit! The Odyssey Smart Telescope is available for 15% off ahead of Father's Day (£1,699) via the Unistella website. What users say "Odyssey is an excellent telescope. It packs amazing technologies, bigger aperture in a portable format. It does very well in many different situations including my apartment balcony. It is the telescope that got me interested back in amateur astronomy." "Ease of use is exemplary. Just plug and play. This telescope does allow deep space as well as plant viewing. I purchased without the eyepiece and have had no need for the added feature. I would recommend saving the added cost." Alternatives Article continues below Celestron 11068 NexStar 6SE Computerised Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope ZWO Seestar S50 Smart Digital Telescope
North Wales Live
01-06-2025
- Science
- North Wales Live
Review: Unistellar Odyssey smart telescope is out of this world
There's never been a better time to get into astro photography for the enthusiastic amateur thanks to a new generation of smart telescopes that do away with all the painstacking preparation and assumed knowledge that can be a barrier for newbies. One of these hi-tech scopes is the Unistellar Odyssey, which, while not cheap, couldn't make taking amazing images of celestial objects any easier, even from light-polluted urban areas. The Odyssey is a fully automated smart digital reflector telescope equipped with an 85mm aperture and uses Unistellar's proprietary technologies for enhanced viewing. It's not too bulky or heavy so can be used on the go, although you don't get a case included which, considering the price, I thought was a shame. You do get a stand which is absolute top quality, though, even if the way it holds the telescope itself is rather lo-fi and made me slightly nervous. Indeed, a few times after a viewing session I found the scope had come loose and wobbly on top of the stand. Usability couldn't be simpler. Once paired with a phone or tablet through the app, you are away. Simply choose the object (be that galaxy, planet, nebula or star cluster) you want to take an image of and the telescope does the rest. And it's here where the Odyssey shines. I've tried a few smart telescopes over the years but the picture quality blew me away as it came through on my tablet. Not only do they look great, the snapshots only take a few minutes to come through. What would take over an hour using a cheaper telescope as image after image are stacked on top of each other to get a nice picture, the Odyssey delivers better in a fraction of the time. It's all the more impressive as light pollution is a problem where I live. Indeed, it'll be hard to go back to my other scopes once I return it! As an extra slice of fun, you can also choose to participate in collaborative and citizen science missions with institutions such as NASA and SETI Institute. There is a minus to the fully automatic system for the more experienced astro photographer, which may limit appeal for users who prefer manual adjustments and customisation. However, for a beginner it's tremendous and you'll be sharing images with your friends and family, taking the plaudits for your skill! I did have a few niggles The telescope uses its own wifi to connect and you can't set it up, say, through your home network. This meant on my tablet I could not be connected to the Odyssey and the internet at the same time. Also, there is no way (as yet) of rebooting the device via the app. A few times when it did crash I had to go outside and switch it off and on again. Sometimes if took a very long time to find the object I wanted to take an image of (although this might be down to the aforementioned light pollution) while the battery life wasn't super great. Charging is only through the wall rather than a charging brick. Another quibble is that you do not get a solar filter included. That will set you back another £200, So the Osyssey is not perfect but for any budding astronomer I wouldn't hesitate in recommending it. Sure, the Odyssey is pricey but in this case you get what you pay for. The (dark) sky's the limit! The Odyssey Smart Telescope is available for 15% off ahead of Father's Day (£1,699) via the Unistella website. What users say "Odyssey is an excellent telescope. It packs amazing technologies, bigger aperture in a portable format. It does very well in many different situations including my apartment balcony. It is the telescope that got me interested back in amateur astronomy." "Ease of use is exemplary. Just plug and play. This telescope does allow deep space as well as plant viewing. I purchased without the eyepiece and have had no need for the added feature. I would recommend saving the added cost."
