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What can a pair of 10x50 or 20x80 binoculars see?

tgkhang262

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tgkhang262

tgkhang262

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Hi guys! I'm buying my self a new binoculars, but I'm having trouble from choosing "The right One". I know how to choose an appropriate one to see things clearly, but I don't know how big the magnification and object lens is needed to see my 1st 2 targets, Orion Nebula and Andromeda Galaxy. I want the view to be big enough so that the nebula can fill nearly the whole field (If that's possible). Right now I have enough budgets for the 10x50, but I doubt I'd get that result, so I'm considering a 20x80... 

Any suggestions??? (If you can post some of the pictures seeing from a 10x50 or 20x80 it would be wonderful)

Also are there any sites in Australia that I can go to to get a wonderful view of the Milky Way with naked eye (I suppose you'd say the desert but let's not talk about that, somewhere near Queensland or Victoria will do)

Thanks

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kev100

kev100

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Hiya,

Download a copy of Stellarium, if you can, and input the specs for the binoculars you're thinking of choosing. You'll get a simulation of how a variety of targets will appear (not counting seeing conditions, light pollution, etc). The attached pic shows M31 (Andromeda galaxy) using 10x50 and 20x80 binoculars. The 10x50s can be hand held as they're pretty light, but the 20x80s will definitely require a tripod for steady viewing.

Kev

 

M31.png

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Stu

Stu

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Bear in mind that these simulations just show the total size of the object, not what you would see. Andromeda is huge, about six times the diameter of a full moon in length, but under light polluted skies you only really see the central core. Get your binoculars out under a very dark sky and get your eyes dark adapted for 45 mins and you will begin to see the full extent of the galaxy in binoculars.

A good pair of 10x50s is easy to handhold and will show plenty under the right conditions. The 20x80s will show more, but have a smaller field of view perhaps 3.5 degrees vs 6 for the 10x50s. The larger binos will need tripod mounting for best results but will start to show more detail such as resolving some of the stars in the Trapezium and more clearly showing the moons of Jupiter.

These diagrams show the comparative fields of view, the smaller circle is the larger binocular.

image.png

image.png

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acey

acey

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10x50 bins are an ideal first instrument. You may go through lots of scopes over the following years but you'll still be using the bins. Don't expect M31 or M42 to fill the field of view, they won't be anywhere near. The size of a DSO on a photo is not the size you see, for two reasons. One, your eye is not a camera. Two, light pollution makes DSOs smaller or non-existent. Take your bins to a place where you can easily see the Milky Way naked eye and you'll have fine views of M31 and M42. From an urban location you should still see them as small smudges. Try sweeping the sky from Cassiopeia through Perseus and you'll see some beautiful star fields.

It won't make a huge difference which bins you go for. As a beginner you're unlikely to notice chromatic aberration, field curvature and other effects that are the difference between £50 bins and £500 ones. The main consideration is that the weight and magnification are such that you can have reasonably steady views when hand held. 10x50 is ideal in that respect. 15x70 also works for me, but with more evident field cuvature in the entry level pair I own. Some people can maybe manage 20x80 hand-held but I'd expect a mount for those, which is a whole new issue.

Bins are the easiest astronomical instrument to use, and some people have managed to observe the whole Messier list with 10x50s. My first view of M104 (Sombrero galaxy) was with 10x50s in Greece, and is one of my unforgettable moments in this hobby.

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Tinker1947

Tinker1947

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The 10 X 50's will show a lot more than the 20 X 80's due to a few factors, with the 10 X 50 you will know you looking at Polaris, reasonably steady view because there light in weight, the 20 X 80 on the other hand all stars will be bright so choosing which one id Polaris will be difficult, this applies to any thong you choose to view, there heavy enough that hand help will be next to impossible they will need a tripod (don't try looking upwards) my suggestion would be some 8 X 42 type your get a lot more pleasure out of them.... 

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tgkhang262

tgkhang262

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Ok, so what I'm getting out of this is let's get the 10x50 first cos' it won't make any differences for me as a beginner comparing to the 20x80 or 15x70. So as to acey, he said I have to go somewhere where the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye. Any suggestions for that regarding in Australia???

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Stu

Stu

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1 minute ago, tgkhang262 said:

Ok, so what I'm getting out of this is let's get the 10x50 first cos' it won't make any differences for me as a beginner comparing to the 20x80 or 15x70. So as to acey, he said I have to go somewhere where the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye. Any suggestions for that regarding in Australia???

Ayers Rock should do it! ;)

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ollypenrice

ollypenrice

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I wouldn't hand hold anything beyond 10x but we are all different. Nobody in the birding world tries to do so without image stabilization. 10x50 or 8x42 (my favourites) give a stable and relaxing view.

You do need to move a long way from LP, ideally with hills in between, to beat it. A dark site is far more important than anything else for meeting the depths of space.

Olly

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Charic

Charic

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LP is short for light pollution.

The further away from any street light or man-made lighting the better, even hiding in the shadows at your dwelling is better than having any street  lighting  affecting your vision.

You`ll be surprised to just how bright the sky can be under its own natural lighting? The Milky way casts a shadow when the conditions are good near my location, but always best/better to avoid stray artificial lighting.

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Stu

Stu

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13 minutes ago, tgkhang262 said:

btw, are the configurations of the binos the same or are there different configs for different types of binos (if there are any). Also is the magnification for binos the same as telescopes????

Have a look at this site, should help

www.binocularsky.com

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billyharris72

billyharris72

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Would agree with 10 x 50, or even 8 x 42. I would only ever consider over x12 as a second binocular, as you lose a lot on field of view and ability to hand hold (with x20 absolutely requiring a tripod). Neither of the targets you mention requires much magnification (both are visible with the naked eye, and Andromeda is bigger in the sky than the full moon) so a pair of 10 x 50s would be absolutely perfect.

Hope this helps

Billy.

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michael.h.f.wilkinson

michael.h.f.wilkinson

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I tend to use my 15x70s far more than the 10x50s and 10x56s I have, but I apparently have steady hands, and you should always try before you buy. Even for me, 20x80 is really for tripod only, even though I could manage for a while with the rather lightweight Vixen Arc 20x80. When in Australia I went to the Blue Mountains one day, where there were plenty of places I bet you could see the Milky Way.  The only reason I couldn't was that clouds got in the way in the evening

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Bino Pete

Bino Pete

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I've just sold my 15x70 binoculars because I wasn't using them because of the hassle of having to get the tripod out as well. I've now got some 8x40 wide angle ones (see sig. below) and I use them all the time. Really light and steady to use and I got fab views of Andromeda using them in quite bad light polluted skies.

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