First time seeing Milky Way stars through bins

[virtualpilot45]

OK, I know that technically all the stars that I have seen are in the Milky Way, but I mean the really faint ones that make up the hazy band of light stretching across the sky.

I have a 10x50 pair of binoculars, and I hadn't used them for ages. I had, months ago, before buying my scope, tried to use them to see Jupiter's moons and failed (combination of bad focus and the Shakiest Arms on Earth), so my hopes weren't high. I followed Stellarium's instructions for finding the Milky Way, as my eyesight and the local light pollution rendered it invisible to the naked eye. Through the bins however, the massive seething fields of stars leaped out at me as soon as I looked towards the Summer Triangle. I spent several minutes just scanning through, tweaking the focus now and then, just admiring the view. Part of my surprise is due to the fact this was the first time in ages I have been up at around 00:30, when the sky is reasonably dark. The rest of the time, there is a noticeable blue haze which ruins the views, and I had never known where to look to see our own galaxy. Now all I need is a trip to a nice dark location and my binoculars, my new friends!

(Just re-read that very last bit. I sound like a very lonely person)

[Stargazing_Cliff]

Brilliant i would view towards east from where i am and look at jupiter just light polluction from lamp posts i can see jupiter is looking bright like.

they was some drunken idiots fighting so didnt bother viewing.

i mainly view facing south - west darker skies no lights from lamp posts.

i need to get tripod for me binoculars which will help stable when viewing.

possibly what you want to do for your binoculars get some tripod for them

[GeorgeB]

I've just come back from a camping weekend on the Rame peninsula in Cornwall. I've gotten too used to the poor sky quality in London, so I turned into a gibbering loon on Saturday night when one of the clearest darkest skies I've ever seen appeared. There was still a bit of LP towards Plymouth, but looking out to sea was fantastic. The stars were incredibly bright with almost no twinkling and the Milky Way was so prominent that it was easy to see the structure in it caused by the various dust lanes. I was trying to show my companions where particular constellations were, but really struggled due to too many stars being in the way!

On the Sunday night I was tooled up with a pair of bins ready for a session, but a high altitude haze degraded the viewing somewhat and only gave a clear view to the south. It was still great to have a scan through Sagittarius and Scorpius, which are virtually impossible to see from home.

[Nexus 6]

Had a spectacular view of it when on holiday in Cornwall a few years ago, was a fantastic sight.