Telescope maker Unistellar and Nikon have announced a new partnership to give a wider public of amateur astronomers a chance to use high-end equipment and enjoy the wonders of the night sky just like astronomy professionals.
A lot of cameras used by astronauts to photograph the Earth from above on the International Space Station are made by Nikon, and through the partnership the optics icon will help Unistellar by sharing its cutting-edge technologies and industrial know-how, according to a July 7 announcement by the companies.
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"Like Nikon has done and continues to do in many fields related with optics and imaging, we see Unistellar's products spark joy and excitement on an important and meaningful topic that was previously difficult to grasp for consumers," Yasuhiro Ohmura, Nikon's senior vice president, said in a statement (opens in new tab).
"We are also especially sensitive to the unique way Unistellar promotes science and enlightenment at a popular level and are happy to collaborate in widening and furthering this mission."
Both companies are aiming to promote knowledge, education and advancements in science as well as public participation in astronomy. Citizen scientists have helped full-time researchers detect asteroids, supernovas and exoplanets, among other accomplishments.
"The passion and drive of Nikon's teams for our common projects has been incredible," Unistellar CEO Laurent Marfisi said in the same statement. "We can't wait to reveal our future products to the public and how they will accelerate the New Astronomy revolution."
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