Telescopes and binoculars and other astronomical accessories and are at the heart of of amateur astronomy.

A good pair of binoculars is what acquainted me with the pleasures of stargazing quite a few years ago and only after a couple of years scanning the skies did I graduate to a telescope.

That was one of the department store 60mm telescopes we’re all warned about, but my folks didn’t know any better, and to a 12-year old kid, it opened up the universe.

Astronomy Binoculars

Binoculars have a role to play in astronomy. Good binoculars for astronomy cost less than a telescope and are an excellent entry point for someone who wants to learn the night sky.

They don’t offer the same magnifications as a telescope (but magnification isn’t everything) but binoculars do show a much wider field of view which makes it easier to navigate across the sky.

And, since you’re using both eyes, you suffer less eyestrain. You also have the added benefit of being able to see the “big” picture.

You can get binocular viewers for telescopes and those who use them swear by them (rather than at them!). However, since these are a piece of specialised equipment, they will cost more than a pair of binoculars. There is also the additional cost of buying two eyepieces for each binocular viewer.

A typical set of binoculars will be 10×50s (front lenses 50mm across, with a x10 magnification). More powerful models are available – 20×60s are priced from $150 upwards and you can get 20×80s for as little as $90 (yes, cheaper than 20×60s).

Astronomy binoculars are quite heavy and you can tire easily pointing them skyward for any length of time. Also, due to their greater magnification, any tremor in your hands will also be enlarged and stars will bounce around in the view.

If you plan to look at the sky for extended periods, you’d be advised to use a tripod with a binocular adaptor. This lets you securely mount the astronomy binoculars on it and easily point them around the sky without strain.

Large scale bodies such as comets or the Moon are well suited to astronomy binoculars. The Moon through 20x binoculars can be breathtaking, bringing it close enough to see relief in craters and mountains but you’ll see it in 3d as well, something that doesn’t happen when looking through a telescope because you only use a single eye with one.

Astronomy binoculars for beginners are available from a wide range of manufacturers: Zhumell, Celestron, Meade, Canon, Pentax and Barska.

Serious amateur astronomers may want to invest in top-brand models from Nikon, Vixen, Kowa and Fujinon. Expect to pay $1,000 and upwards to $5,600 depending on the make and model. Why would anyone want to pay such an amount for a pair of binoculars? They’re the best instrument for comet hunting for one. The 3-D view they give makes you feel like you’re out in space. The better models use interchangeable eyepieces so you can change the magnification and field of view.

Conclusion

You can start using a pair of binoculars much more quickly than setting up a telescope so if you have very changeable weather where you live, they’re probably a better option for sky watching. Naturally, binoculars go into your luggage a lot more easily when you’re travelling allowing you to view the sky from your holiday destination with ease.

All in all, astronomy binoculars are a much better option for casual viewers because of their portability, daytime and night-time use and their cost in comparison to a decent telescope.

As is the case with everything in life, with binoculars you get what you pay for. Low quality binoculars can cost under $10, and others in excess of $5,600. My experience says astronomy binoculars for beginners will cost at least $90 if you want a quality pair worth having.

Gary Nugent has been involved with astronomy as a hobby for over 30 years. He runs one of the best-known astronomy and space news websites – the Night Sky Observer where you can learn more about astronomy. His site has been online since 1997. You are welcome to reprint this article – but get your own unique content version here.

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