new binoculars

[jimmythemoonlight]

Hi all I'm getting a new pair of binoculars for my birthday in two weeks off my wife and I would like two know if there are any type I should avoid getting and even more important any I should get. I am going to look at stars and constellations mainly but I've a open mind of what I should use them for, so any suggestions would be grateful. Later in the year I will be buying a stand as I have trouble with my back so I'm obviously going to need something that will be compatible with them many thanks for any information that I receive . Jimmy

[Ruud]

Avoid zoom binoculars, and those with bright colourful coatings on the objective lenses.

What is your budget, and how big and heavy do you want your binoculars?

[jacktbear69]

It just so happens that I just purchased a  Celestron SkyMaster , Model#71009,15 x 70 binoculars.  I recommend using a tripod mount with these. It does not take long for your arms to tire enough to cause shaking, or unstable viewing. But, these were worth every penny.  They do allow a lot of light in. From the viewing I have done so far, I had no problem viewing the Orion Nebula, and some open clusters. The moon is rather bright. My viewing time has been limited due to weather. These do come with a tripod adapter and a nylon carry case. Even better if you buy these when they are on sale.

[Charic]

Avoiding anything over 10x magnification makes them more manageable. For Stars and Constellations and your age,   7x50 might be to low a magnification, as you may waste some of the exit pupil? I'm only a little older than yourself, and I find my Helios Nature-sport 8x40s work great for steady, wide-field views. I also have some 15x70s. They get me a little closer to the Moon but I don't see any details on Jupiter, so I prefer to avoid the 15x70 binoculars for the planets using the telescope instead. But for ease of use, steadiness, and wide-field views, stay with the lower powered binoculars. 7mm is supposedly  the width of the dilated eye of the younger generation, and as we age, we lose the ability to open our pupils that wide.  If you use a 7x50 giving a 7.14mm exit pupil, and your own eyes can only open to say 5.6mm then effectively, your own eyes have reduced the exit pupil to match the entry pupil size, so you would be better off finding a pair of binoculars to closely match the size of your eye pupil.

[BinocularSky]

Hi Jimmy, I've put some stuff on the web regarding choosing binoculars for astronomy here. When it comes to decidng how to mount them, some ideas here. HTH