Binoc Highlights!

[JackHole]

Hi all, this is me losing my Stargazers Lounge virginity! I'm new-ish to astronomy (I did a touch of space physics whilst at university) and I will be receiving a pair of Strathspey 10x50 Marine binoculars for Christmas. I just wanted to know what you all thought would be the best and most impressive objects that I'd be able to see in the night sky with these binoculars.

Thanks in advance!

Jack

[wookie1965]

http://astronomycentral.co.uk/the-night-sky-with-binoculars-tonight/ Try this site and a warm welcome to SGL

[SteveNickolls]

Hi and welcome to SGL. I know most members will use a telescope for observing but a lot have binoculars too and they are a smashing way of viewing the sky (wide views, easy to use and they 'cut through' light pollution allowing you to see fainter stars). With the limited magnification of x10 many clusters are good targets-I particularly love the Double Cluster in Perseus but there is the moving cluster in Perseus as well. The Moon can look great particularly with a little cloud and appear to be floating with the apparent 3-D effect that binoculars give. Some nebulae are good through wide field binoculars too. I have two books that I would heartily recommend-"Binocular Astronomy" by Stephen Tonkin includes 50 objects to view with 50mm binoculars and 50 more with 100mm ones. "Binocular Highlights" by Gary Seronik has 99 objects for binoculars.

Have a great time learning the sky and making use of the advantages that binoculars provide.

Cheers,

Steve

[foundaplanet]

Hello,

If you go to the binocular section on this site and search out tetenterre (sgl member) in his sig is his website address http://binocularsky.com/ . I think you will find there pretty much all you need to know.

[JackHole]

Hey everyone, thanks for the speedy and info packed replies.

Wookie, that website is great! I think the Orion nebula will be my first port of call.

Steve, thanks for the very detailed response, I have placed those books on my shopping list I do intend on buying a telescope in the near future, but I want to get to know the sky a bit better first and read that binoculars are a good way of doing so.

And finally, thanks foundaplanet, he really seems to be the go-to guy for binocular astronomy!

[wookie1965]

Glad i could help enjoy the night sky with your bins you will soon want a scope to see more and when and if you do wait until you look at Orion through a scope.

[bendiddley]

when i found the andromeda galaxy with bins that was a wow moment, its quite small and faint but knowing you're seeing a galaxy is amazing, give that try its quite easy to find.

[Catweazel]

Hi Jack, check this out http://astrog80.astro.cf.ac.uk/mwm/ the Moore Winter Marathon; you can print lists of naked eye and binocular object from the tabs just below the star map. Good luck with your bins