Stargazing can be a complicated and expensive business, but the folks at Beaverlab are looking to make things a little easier and cheaper with the Finder TW2 – a beginner-friendly telescope that's billed as the world's first AI-powered planetary camera.
Beaverlab has a fair bit of crowdfunding form already, with its latest smart telescope being the third Indiegogo fundraiser, following the Darwin M2 microscope and the Davcarve L1 laser engraver. Both of those have also been launched on Kickstarter too, along with the Excope DT1 hybrid camera system.
The telescope part of the Finder TW2 equation shapes up with a 500-mm optical focal length, F6.1 aperture and an optical resolution of 1.7 arc seconds – and boasts 29x optical magnification plus 4x digital zoom. At the opposite end to the main lens is an imaging unit featuring a 5-inch tilting touchscreen display at 1,280 x 720 pixels.
This DS1 unit is used for astrophotography at up to 48 megapixels and 4K video recording of planets, galaxies and nebulae after dark or wildlife and nature during daylight hours. At its heart is a 1/1.8-inch starlight CMOS image sensor from SmartSens Tech, which is larger than the Sony sensor used on the TW1 before it (1/2.8 in) and therefore "captures more light, enhancing performance in low-light conditions and providing better image quality with less noise and more detail, even in challenging lighting conditions."
Beaverlab has also cooked in AI-powered image processing to help users capture clear, sharp photos and video. This taps into a color correction matrix to enhance color accuracy, will correct for chromatic aberration, and features a motion compensation filter, wide dynamic range, noise reduction and dehazing too. A near infrared denoising algorithm is also included.
The smart telescope features a number of different image capture modes as well, with parameters pre-tweaked for landscapes, moon shots, cloudy skies and more. Real-time settings adjustment and content editing are available on the device itself, though a handy Bluetooth remote is included for image capture without touching the screen.
The Beaver Point mobile app enables improved control while also allowing access to cosmic information. Locating celestial objects is undertaken manually here though (with the help of the included sky map) rather than automatically as with the Celestron Origin and Vaonis Vespera II models – which is reflected in the relatively low suggested retail price of US$499 (though Indiegogo perks come in even cheaper).
Elsewhere, the Finder TW2 includes a 6-axis gyro and electronic image stabilization, 32 GB of onboard storage, dual-band Wi-Fi, and a 6,000-mAh battery that's reckoned good for up to 6 hours of use per charge over USB-C, though a power bank can also be used for extended periods in the wild. It tips the scales at 3.8 kg (8 lb) for an easy carry in the supplied bag, and will come with a tripod as part of the package.
Usefully, the DS1 imaging unit is reported compatible with just about any telescope sporting a 1.25-inch eyepiece, so you can pocket it and take it to a friend's house and use it on the resident scope there – even if it's not a Beaverlab product.
"Exploring the cosmos should not be exclusive to the affluent or technically skilled," said company founder, Simon Fang. "Our state-of-the-art optical telescope revolutionizes stargazing by merging superior optical precision with exceptional affordability. Engineered to be lightweight and highly intuitive, it caters equally to seasoned astronomers and beginners. This latest telescope addresses the traditional barriers of cost and complexity, offering a transformative tool that democratizes access to the night sky for all."
Indiegogo pledges currently start at US$329 for the telescope and imaging unit combo, or $229 for the DS1 unit on its own. The usual crowdfunding cautions apply, but if all goes to plan with the already funded campaign, shipping is estimated to start as early as next month. The video below has more.
Source: Beaverlab