Everyone remembers the way that the latest Samsung handsets claimed to take pictures of the moon, only they took a weird smudge and then used AI to fill in all the blanks of the moon's pock-marked surface.
Were they real pictures of the moon? No, not really. Well, this new telescope attachment promises to let you take pictures of the moon, or other celestial bodies, with mad detail on your iPhone — that's not been filled in with a clever photography algorithm.
It's not out yet, although you can lay down some bucks on Kickstarter, which says it will start shipping devices to backers at the end of the year.
Perfect iPhone moon pics
Do you know what else comes out at the end of the year? The iPhone 15. And we think the two would make an incredible pair — and you don't have to worry about compatibility because manufacturer Vaonis claims that the Hestia telescope will be adjustable so that it can fit a wide range of smartphones, including, we presume, the as-yet-unreleased iPhone models.
The device itself is about the size of a large tome and sits atop a tripod for stability. At the top of the book-shaped telescope is a socket for your phone to sit in, screen up, where it then interacts with the telescope. Follow the instructions in the Hestia app, and you'll be snapping high-detail shots of the moon, the sun (if you're a bit mad), and far-away stars and deep sky.
Vaonis has also been very brave here — Kickstarters aren't often very expedient, and dates will often slip. The Hestia is promised to come before the lunar eclipse next April so that you can get an incredible view of what is a very rare celestial event. It'll cost you $189/£147 to get one in the Kickstarter campaign, and there's now only a month left before the campaign is over.
