First-time binocular user- any general tips/advice?

[Panzerbeard]

Hey there, fellow earth-dwellers. I recently received my binoculars- Celestron 20x80's, specifically, with a Horizon Heavy Duty tripod. I've already had a brief go with them, managed to see 3 of the Galilean moons, which was wonderfully impressive, but unfortunately it became fairly windy and cloudy quite quickly. I'm hoping to go out on Saturday, if the weather is decent, and hopefully get a look at M82 if it all possible; I was just wondering if anyone has any general tips regarding using binoculars? Any easy ways to locate things, any particularly nice objects I should be looking out for?

A couple of more specific questions, too: Firstly, I had some trouble focusing the binoculars correctly. I used the suggested method of focusing the left eyepiece using the centre focussing knob, then twisting the right eyepiece to focus that side, and each side looks sharp individually, but when I look with both eyes things appear very slightly blurry. I was using Jupiter to focus, since it seemed like the easiest object to find and focus on, but I just can't seem to get it perfect. Is this a fault with the binoculars themselves, are they out of collimation, or is it just my eyes being generally useless?

Secondly, my friend mentioned that he'd like to come along some time. Unfortunately, he wears glasses for several issues, including astigmatism. Would the binoculars need refocusing/adjusting specifically for him, and can he keep his glasses on?

cheers,

Karl.

[Steve Ward]

The place you need to be looking is here ... http://stargazerslounge.com/forum/80-observing-with-binoculars/ ... loads of helpful info and posts ... 

[baggywrinkle]

Have a look at www.binocularskies.com

Excellent webiste and the owner has written some excellent books on using bins....

[ronl]

Go to the binocular section and download Steve Tonkin's

monthly newsletter, it gives you lots of targets, Steve also

writes the binocular tour in Sky at Night magazine.

[ronin]

Concerning the focus issue with your eyes I find I set mine up the same then refocus both to get a decent/better view overall. Small change but a change. It is also too easy to adjust your eye to get a good image when setting them up which destroys the whole idea.

The idea is not to specifically get a good image, the idea is to get them corrected with respect to each other with regards to your 2 eyes. If you have eyes like mine they seem to subtly alter all the time.

Friend with glasses: I hope that the eyepieces have wind up/wind down cups, for you these would have the be up, for friend they would be down. So some adjustment is required. They will also probably have to wear the glasses as there may not be enough adjustment in the binoculars for the level of long/short sight they have. Mine just manage to not have enough.

Find that the astigmatism (I have some) doesn't seem to have any really detrimental effect.

[cantab]

When focussing each side, cap the other objective rather than closing your eye. Closing one eye can affect the other one from focusing. Also, approach focus from one side, the same for both, rather than rocking back and forth.

[LukeSkywatcher]

20x80 bins and a Horizon 8115 tripod is a great start.

[Fahndar]

I have severe astigmatism and wear glasses but I cannot use them with binoculars. The picture is just not the same, Also when it's cold outside having your glasses next to eyepieces will fog both glasses and eyepieces after a couple of minutes. What I do I just focus left eye first and

then use the individual focuser to focus the right eye. If this is not enough I use the central knob to bring the right eye into the sharpest focus even if it means to lose some of the sharpness in the left eye. This works better for me than keep wiping my foggy glasses every minute. (My

left eye has more astigmatism than the right , that's why I focus the right one to 100%)