Cars

Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept is a mobile interstellar observatory

Nissan teams up with the European Space Agency to create a mobile astronomy lab in search of dark skies.

Chris Paukert

Following stints in TV news production and as a record company publicist, Chris spent most of his career in automotive publishing. Mentored by Automobile Magazine founder David E. Davis Jr., Paukert succeeded Davis as editor-in-chief of Winding Road, a pioneering e-mag, before serving as Autoblog's executive editor from 2008 to 2015. Chris is a Webby and Telly award-winning video producer and has served on the jury of the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards. He joined the CNET team in 2015, bringing a small cache of odd, underappreciated cars with him.

See full bio

Chris Paukert

Sept. 19, 2018 4:48 a.m. PT

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Nissan's Navara Dark Sky Concept is an off-road astronomy lab in a box.

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Since observing the cosmos is best done far away from light pollution, Nissan's truck and trailer rely on non-distracting red lights when in operation.

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The custom-built dual-axle trailer is temperature controlled to keep the telescope in tip-top shape.

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The trailer also features a laptop station, WiFi and an integrated UHF data transmitter, all powered by an EV battery borrowed from Nissan's Leaf.

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Open the trailer's roof and you'll find an observatory-grade PlanetWave telescope rocking a 40-cm primary mirror.

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Nissan plans to donate the telescope to the ESA after the concept's show tour.

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Special bed lighting, storage and a stylish roll hoop are all part of the modifications.

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Nissan has leveraged its ProPilot Assist advanced driver aids by including some new trailer-minded features.

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The truck appears to have some updated lighting and fascia tweaks, too.

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Keep clicking or scrolling for lots more images of the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept.

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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SKETCH: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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SKETCH: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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Nissan unveils mobile space observatory: the Nissan Navara Dark Sky Concept

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