Binoculars For Astronomy: A Quick Review Of The Best Astronomical Binoculars For Beginners
Have you considered using binoculars for your astronomy needs? If not, you certainly should.
As Tim Phillips (an amateur astronomer for more than 40 years) said recently in an Astronomy column published online in "The Sudbury Star":
"Astronomy is a hobby that can only be taken so far with your naked eye. It is at this stage when budding astronomers start to think about getting a telescope - don't! The first equipment you should get is a good pair of binoculars. Binoculars will let you see many of the sky's wonders. You can see double stars, star clusters, nebulae and even some galaxies in a humble pair of binoculars."
My own review of binoculars over the years has led me to the following:
Nikon 10 x 70mm Astroluxe binocular: This is an excellent choice for astronomical viewing as it features a big aperture, providing a large 5.1 degree field of view, that allows you to view large objects in deep space. It uses special performance, extra-low dispersion glass which ensures bright images, as well. Distortion is also extremely low.
Celestron 8 x 56mm Ultima DX binocular: Waterprood and fog-proof, with a very wide 5.8 degree field of view and bright 7mm exit pupil, this is an ideal binocular for wide field astronomical viewing. It is rather heavy, however, at 35 ounces, making a tripod a must for clear, sharp images. As an added bonus, the eye relief is very generous at 18mm, making it an ideal choice for those with eyeglasses.
Apogee 20-32x88mm Right-Angle binocular: One of my favorites, though it is in a higher price range. My favorite feature is that it comes with 2 sets of eyepieces (both 20x and 32x) and has individual eyepiece focus, which is a great focus system for medium to long range objects. It also has a built-in tripod socket for quick mounting on a tripod, which is made even better by its right-angle viewing.
If you're serious about viewing the night sky, galaxies, and stars in all their glory, you'd do well to skip the telescope and pick up a pair of binoculars for your new astronomy hobby.
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Binocular Resources:
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