Unistellar Odyssey: how long to image deep-sky targets
Unistellar’s compact 85 mm with autofocus and tiny pixels. Sharp, but the fine sampling costs time on faint extended targets.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Aperture | 85 mm |
| Focal length | 320 mm (f/3.8) |
| Sensor | Sony IMX415, 3840 × 2160, 1.45 µm pixels |
| Pixel scale | 0.93″ per pixel |
| Field of view | 1.00° × 0.56° (60′ × 34′) |
| Sub exposures | 4 s (default 4 s) |
| Filter | No filter option. |
| Read noise used | 1.2 e⁻ |
Popular targets
| Target | Bortle 4 | Bortle 6 | Bortle 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andromeda GalaxyGalaxy | 4 h 24 min3,964 subs | 6 h 07 min5,505 subs | 12 h10,829 subs |
| Orion NebulaEmission nebula | 50 min750 subs | 1 h 08 min1,016 subs | 2 h 09 min1,936 subs |
| PleiadesReflection nebula | 8 h 12 min7,377 subs | 11 h10,297 subs | 23 h20,387 subs |
| Whirlpool GalaxyGalaxy | 2 h 55 min2,626 subs | 4 h 01 min3,617 subs | 7 h 49 min7,040 subs |
| Bode's GalaxyGalaxy | 3 h 12 min2,876 subs | 4 h 25 min3,981 subs | 8 h 40 min7,798 subs |
| Pinwheel GalaxyGalaxy | 14 h12,667 subs | 20 h17,741 subs | 39 h35,277 subs |
| Hercules ClusterGlobular cluster | 21 min316 subs | 28 min419 subs | 52 min774 subs |
| Dumbbell NebulaPlanetary nebula | 1 h 19 min1,186 subs | 1 h 47 min1,601 subs | 3 h 22 min3,036 subs |
| Ring NebulaPlanetary nebula | 22 min327 subs | 28 min422 subs | 50 min750 subs |
| Lagoon NebulaEmission nebula | 1 h 24 min1,257 subs | 1 h 55 min1,719 subs | 3 h 41 min3,319 subs |
| Eagle NebulaEmission nebula | 4 h 47 min4,312 subs | 6 h 39 min5,992 subs | 13 h11,798 subs |
| Omega NebulaEmission nebula | 1 h 10 min1,057 subs | 1 h 36 min1,442 subs | 3 h 05 min2,772 subs |
| Trifid NebulaEmission nebula | 3 h 21 min3,022 subs | 4 h 39 min4,184 subs | 9 h 07 min8,201 subs |
| Triangulum GalaxyGalaxy | 8 h 12 min7,377 subs | 11 h10,297 subs | 23 h20,387 subs |
| North America NebulaEmission nebula | 6 h 51 min6,165 subs | 9 h 33 min8,594 subs | 19 h16,987 subs |
| Western Veil NebulaSupernova remnant | 7 h 30 min6,743 subs | 10 h9,406 subs | 21 h18,609 subs |
| Eastern Veil NebulaSupernova remnant | 6 h 16 min5,637 subs | 8 h 43 min7,852 subs | 17 h15,506 subs |
| Elephant's Trunk NebulaEmission nebula | 12 h10,574 subs | 16 h14,795 subs | 33 h29,380 subs |
| Iris NebulaReflection nebula | 5 h 44 min5,154 subs | 7 h 58 min7,175 subs | 16 h14,156 subs |
| Pacman NebulaEmission nebula | 8 h 12 min7,377 subs | 11 h10,297 subs | 23 h20,387 subs |
| Heart NebulaEmission nebula | 14 h12,667 subs | 20 h17,741 subs | 39 h35,277 subs |
| Rosette NebulaEmission nebula | 6 h 51 min6,165 subs | 9 h 33 min8,594 subs | 19 h16,987 subs |
| Horsehead NebulaEmission nebula | 9 h 49 min8,830 subs | 14 h12,341 subs | 27 h24,473 subs |
| Flame NebulaEmission nebula | 2 h 21 min2,123 subs | 3 h 15 min2,927 subs | 6 h 20 min5,706 subs |
| California NebulaEmission nebula | 9 h 49 min8,830 subs | 14 h12,341 subs | 27 h24,473 subs |
| Helix NebulaPlanetary nebula | 9 h 49 min8,830 subs | 14 h12,341 subs | 27 h24,473 subs |
| Double ClusterOpen cluster | 7 min107 subs | 9 min136 subs | 16 min237 subs |
| NGC 891Galaxy | 8 h 19 min7,481 subs | 12 h10,436 subs | 23 h20,645 subs |
| Sombrero GalaxyGalaxy | 2 h 20 min2,094 subs | 3 h 11 min2,865 subs | 6 h 09 min5,531 subs |
| Sunflower GalaxyGalaxy | 4 h 58 min4,473 subs | 6 h 54 min6,208 subs | 14 h12,203 subs |
All 170 targets have a page for the Odyssey.
Getting the most from the Odyssey
Short subs chosen by the app. No filter option.
The Odyssey uses fixed 4 s subs, so the only levers you have are the sky you shoot from, the filter, and total time.
Stack across nights. Every smart scope app can continue a stack or you can combine the saved frames on a computer; the figures here are totals, not single-session limits.
Useful gear
Power, dew control and a stable tripod are what stop a long session early. Search links, not specific endorsements; check fit for your model.