Comets News 16 January 2026 - 21 January 2026

January 22, 2026, 7:00 PM EST. Vaonis' Hestia reimagines smartphone astronomy as afocal imaging. It acts as a lens mount that clamps onto most smartphones, pairs with Vaonis' Gravity app, and lets you shoot using your phone's camera. The kit includes a lightweight tripod and a magnetic, adjustable phone plate. It isn't a traditional telescope; optics are external, and magnification tops at 25x with a 1.2-inch aperture. Gravity adds guided exposure, stacking and object catalogs, providing more control than a simple phone-to-eyepiece adapter but less automation than a full smart telescope. It's priced at about $299 on Amazon, ships with a padded case, and prioritizes portability. Best suited for the Moon, Sun with a filter, stars and bright deep-sky targets. A practical DIY option for smartphone astrophotography, not a showpiece instrument.