Nikon - Unistellar Announce Joint Development Agreement
Nikon has announced a master joint development agreement with Unistellar SAS, a company that handles telescopes for the consumer digital astronomical telescope field.
According to reports, Unistellar was established in 2015 with the aim of developing, manufacturing and marketing consumer digital astronomical telescopes. Unistellar’s telescopes determine the user’s observation position utilising GPS, and are equipped with Autonomous Field Detection technology that can automatically point at the targeted celestial objects by comparing them in the viewfield with a built-in coordinate database. This technology, which reportedly eliminates the time spent searching for celestial targets, with a dedicated app for smart devices, make it much easier for people without specialised knowledge to use a telescope intuitively and perform astronomical observation. In addition, by enabling image processing during observation based on Enhanced Vision technology, clear viewing is realised even in areas such as cities where the night sky is bright and greatly affected by light pollution. Via the app, the users can communicate with astronomers around the world interactively, and share observed data.
Nikon first released an astronomical telescope in 1920. Since then, it has manufactured various astronomical telescopes from small-diameter models to large-scale equipment installed at observatories, to optical systems equipped on satellites. Currently, Nikon does not manufacture or sell astronomical telescopes, but contributes to astronomical observation by offering products with superior optical performance such as the NAV-HW series of astronomical eyepieces that feature a super-wide field of view and WX series binoculars that are ideal for astronomical observation.
This agreement and the products that will stem from it are aimed at contributing to the advancement of science through astronomical observation and ‘enhancing interest in the universe’ by combining the technologies and know-how of both companies.
According to Nikon, the company is taking advantage of its extensive range of optical technologies and knowledge to provide innovative solutions in the astronomical observation field for consumers together with Unistellar, which is generating remarkable growth.
In addition to this, through further utilisation of Nikon’s technologies and collaboration with other companies that are creating major advances, Nikon aims to continue to move toward the realisation of a sustainable society by contributing to the ongoing development of science technologies.