Why do ODYSSEY telescopes offer better planetary performance than those in the EXPERT range ?

This is a question we’re often asked and for good reason.

The answer doesn’t just depend on the telescope range or price, but mainly on optical and electronic design choices.

Understanding sampling

It all starts with a key concept: sampling, that is, the telescope’s ability to render real-world detail in an image. It’s usually expressed in arcseconds per pixel ("/px): the smaller this value, the finer the level of detail shown in the image (in this case, the sky).

Sampling depends on two factors: the pixel size of the sensor and the focal length of the telescope.

Here’s how to interpret it:

Low sampling value = the telescope image shows very fine details in the sky (each pixel covers a small portion of the sky).

High sampling value = the telescope shows fewer details, but gains sensitivity: each pixel covers a larger area of the sky and therefore gets more light.

Sampling of our telescopes on planets

0.93" < 1.33": ODYSSEY therefore has a finer ability to capture detail.

This means that ODYSSEY models are particularly well suited for observing planets, which are small but very bright.

Conversely, EXPERT-range telescopes are more light-sensitive: they are better suited for observing nebulae and galaxies, which are dim but very wide.

Here’s an example below: the planet Jupiter captured with an eVscope 2 on the left, and an Odyssey Pro on the right. 

Good to know

ODYSSEY telescopes also benefit from Multi-Depth technology, which allows pixel binning to increase sensitivity when observing deep-sky objects (nebulae, galaxies…), offering very good performance on these targets while remaining excellent for planetary observation.