It is in the nature of our work here at autoevolution to talk about, among other spectacular things, telescopes. Yet, we almost always only talk about the big ones used by space agencies and astronomers, like the James Webb, the Hubble, or the Nancy Grace Roman. Believe it or not, this story is about a telescope, but not any of those. It is about something that claims to be the world's first AI-powered astrophotography telescope.
Artificial intelligence is used in just about everything these days. From the ones that power our phones to the ones that drive various types of robots in car factories, AI has unlocked possibilities never thought possible in just about every area of life. Why wouldn’t it power a telescope?
The telescope market (let's call it civilian) is pretty robust, and if you're experienced enough with doing a little stargazing now and then, you probably already know where to turn for the right instruments. You might also want to check out the guys at Beaverlab, because they're the ones who claim to have launched the world's first mass-produced telescope powered by artificial intelligence.
Beaverlab, which has been around for about four years, is a group of people who are used to achieving firsts, as their only other product so far is the world’s first detachable microscope, the Darwin M2. As for the telescope that got us here, it’s called the Finder TW2.
Technically, it is an optical telescope that has some of its systems enhanced by an unspecified type of AI power. It offers an aperture of 82mm, optical zoom capabilities up to 29x (and digital up to 4x), and has an optical focal length of 500mm.
All of the above means that the telescope can capture images from further away. They are also high-quality images thanks to something called the DS1 planetary camera. It is this piece of hardware that should enable even those of us who are not experts in such matters “to unravel the mysteries of the cosmos with unprecedented clarity.”
Photo: Beaverlab
And it is also in this DS1 image collector that AI makes its presence felt for the first time. It helps the hardware to take pictures and process high-quality photos better, even in areas where there is a lot of light pollution.
Although mounted on the Finder TW2, the camera can be removed and attached to another telescope, as it is compatible with almost all others currently on the market, as long as they are equipped with a 1.25″ eyepiece.
The camera relies on a 1/1.8-inch Starlight CMOS sensor that should provide high-quality images even in low-light conditions. The sensor also uses artificial intelligence, this time for processing purposes, resulting in images with more detail and less noise.
The telescope also features a built-in five-inch touchscreen. This not only lets you see what the camera sees, but it also lets you edit photos and videos in real time (video can be shot in 4K). That’s right, editing is done right on the telescope, eliminating the need for extra gear during a stargazing session.
All of the above sounds interesting and all, but what does it mean to the uninitiated? Well, all of this talk boils down to the following 13 words: You’re going to see some really intricate details of distant planets, stars, and galaxies.
The Finder TW2 telescope launched on Indiegogo not long ago. Beaverlab’s goal was to raise $20,000 and start production. With 33 days left in the campaign as of this story’s press release, the total pledge has reached more than ten times that amount.
Photo: Beaverlab
The first hundred backers who supported the idea were promised that they would receive their fancy AI-powered telescopes in September. The company appears to be keeping its promise, but it’s unclear when the next hundred will receive theirs.
Beaverlab sells the complete telescope, which costs $329, or the standalone image collector that you can add to your existing telescope, which costs $229. If you choose the complete package, the company will add a tripod and a professional outdoor bag. A remote control, world map, and data cable are also included.
Whether you choose the Finder TW2 telescope or some other piece of hardware, there’s probably never been a better time to get into stargazing. Space exploration is probably in its heyday, and who’s to say a device like this won’t make history by accidentally capturing something amazing on camera?
As for the natural motion of celestial bodies, keep in mind that there are two more supermoons coming in September and October, which means that the satellite will already appear 14 percent larger in diameter and 30 percent brighter than usual. Imagine pointing a powerful instrument at it during its close approach to our planet…
