tried some binoculars last night :-)

[Gonzo]

Last night I've borrowed some binoculars, Canon 15x45IS, and headed out to the beach at night in south east Spain. I was able to spot M31 quite easily with them.

It's quite astonishing the difference between just looking up with your naked eyes and with the help of some binoculars.

I wouldn't however buy some as I prefer a telescope, but I can see the attraction in them.

[WaveSoarer]

You can get a decent pair of binoculars without breaking the bank. I must say that my binoculars really extend my observing activities. They're great for impromtu observing when there are only a few gaps in the cloud and it's not worth the effort of getting the scope set up. I have them with me even when I do have the telescope out as it's often a good way of checking the star hop to a new or unfamiliar object. They're also very nice for observing large star clusters or other objects that are larger than the telescope FOV. I find that they also come in useful when I'm doing imaging as it gives you something interesting to do while the camera is clicking away.

[Alfian]

Hi Gonzo,

I don't see having a pair of binoculars as an either/or prefernce to a telescope so much as another string to the proverbial bow - although I have to admit to a growing interest in binocular astronomy and an appreciation of their particular attributes.

I briefly tried a pair of Canon 15x45 IS binos last year, and my initial ignorant scepticism about them being expensive (very) hi-tech toys was completely blown away with the views I got! They are remarkable.

Nothing to stop you (expenditure withstanding) from adding a pair of half decent 10x50 Porros to your kit - I'm sure you'll quickly wonder how you managed without them.

[Gonzo]

As I'm still in south Spain and today is a very clear day (read: cloudless night... woohoo) I'll be heading out to the beach with the binos.

I was reading some magazines I took with me and they have a few articles about binoculars and trapeze mount thing. I might buy a medium size second hand bino to learn the night sky and do some star hoping.

[Alfian]

Here's to that! Good luck.

[Gonzo]

Here's to that! Good luck.

Luck ran out

There is a thin layer of cloud covering the entire sky (nothing can be seen past it), I don't believe it.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Glad you liked the binocular experience. Bins pick up so much more light than the naked eye: if your pupils dilate to 5mm, the 45mm you used collects about 81x more light, or just over four magnitudes. 

You are right that they do not replace a scope, but are an excellent extra piece of kit. Bins are great for a number of reasons (some have already been mentioned): They show a wider field than most scopes, they have ultra-quick set-up time, so even small gaps in the clouds can be used, and they can be carried to holiday destinations easily. Finally, they are a very good way to set out in astronomy for a modest price, and they are invaluable for learning your way around the skies.