Astronomy Binoculars Should i Buy Some

[charmedkelly]

I was given some advice the other day and they said to get some binoculars for easy spotting and then i can find what i want easier that the scope and then once i have fouhnd what im looking for then i can set up my scope is this advisable or not if yes then where can i purchase one from?????

kelly

[philsail1]

Hello Kelly!

Yes definately! A decent pair of 7x50's or 10x50's will indeed show you wide view of the heavens on a clear night.

This size of binocular will not give you wonderfull views of the planets (except our Moon, which will be a nice sight!), but they will help you quickly learn where things are in the night sky - which will help you find things with a telescope when you get yourself one.

Be sure to buy a "decent" pair of binoculars - take some one with you, who has a bit of experience of what to look for in a good binocular, or try having a word with "Steve" of "First Light Optics." I'm sure he will be able to give you some good sound advice.

In the meantime, I'm sure you will receive much valuable advice from colleagues on Stargazers Lounge!

Best wishes,

philsail1

[Greg]

I can whole heartedly recommend binoculars...They are the ultimate in grab and go..They give me an indication to the quality of sky or "Seeing" Before I set up the big scope.

My 15x70's show me Jupiter's moons and the larger galaxies from my site..My 10x50's are just about the limit to hand hold and the 15x70's are usually on a tripod.

You can usually pick up a very reasonable pair of 10x50's and a good starmap would point you in the right direction for a very little outlay.

Sir. Patrick Moore's "Observing The Night Sky Using Binoculars" Is an invaluable book for binocular astronomers and anyone starting out in the hobby along with a planisphere or some free computer software such as this..

http://www.stellarium.org/

HTH

Greg

[charmedkelly]

i found some 15x70s for £60 is this a good deal?

[philsail1]

What is their make, and are you buying from a reputable dealer?

(this size binocular will require a tripod, as they will be quite tiring to hold for any length of time, and they will be a little bit hard to keep steady on whatever you are looking at - especailly at night).

regards,

philsail

[Carl]

i would say get a good pair of binos.I got a pair of 10x50s from this mag subsciption iwas doign thought they`d be cheap taky and Rubbish but no they`re are awesome.I tried em on orion and my g** they were even better then my telescope for wildfield all i could see was like millions of stars.And they are good for those lazy days of when you can`t be asked to use the scope.So yer get a pair.And even if ya don`t use em for astronomy you can use em for bidwatching and days out.if ya do get a pair make sure ya get a mount/stand so they don`t shake.

[philsail1]

I'll second that wholeheartedly Carl!

Even though your 15x70's might be a good deal Kelly, I would go for a pair of good quality 10x50's.

Lighweight, Easy to use, and guaranteed to give you splendid wide field views of the stars.

You will be amazed at the views Kelly.

Regards.

philsail1

[storebror]

I still have my Bresser 10X50s that AstroPhethean got for me from his local Lidl - they are brilliant, so if you have a Lidl near you, keep an eye open to see if they're selling them - I've never regretted getting these and they cost me a tenner - yep that sonds cheap and nasty I know, but anyone else who bought a pair of these binos will vouch for them.

[Neon]

Hi Kelly,

I'll just reiterate what the other guys here have said, binoculars are definitely worth getting. I myself have a pair of 15x70's which cost me £35 and have been excellent, getting me a foothold in astronomy before buying a scope.

However, I would recommend something smaller (maybe some 8x40's) since using them to accompany a scope will probably require them to be hand held and larger bins are harder to hold and will wobble a lot more. Although I'm more than happy with my 15x70's, I always use them with a tripod, which takes away some of their usefulness. In hindsight I'd have purchased some smaller binoculars for hand held work and then maybe some 20x80's to mount on my tripod.

But whatever you buy it'll be money well spent.

HTH

Mark

[charmedkelly]

hi can anyone tell me where to get them or maybe a link to a website

[charmedkelly]

hi all i have found some 10x50 binos and they come with a free tripod £40 they are is this good?

also what can i possible see with these binos?

i know not as much as a scope but if anyone has had some like that let me know what you saw i am so interested in getting them?

[TheThing]

The bresser 10x50's from Lidl are a joy. Don't confuse them with the Nitrogen filled waterproof ones which are not too hot! I got a pair from e-bay for £20 and I've noticed that Telescope House (?) also does them for £24.99.

[charmedkelly]

hi i what about the 7x50 what are they like? anyone know

[Neon]

Hi Kelly,

I can't comment on the ones you're looking at, but here are the ones I brought from eBay: Bushnell 15x70's.

These I can strongly recommend as they are great value for money, although all I've had to compare them against is my grandfathers' old 7x50 field glasses. They're slightly heavy although robust and well made, but when I got hold of mine they hadn't been culminated, but that's relatively easy to do.

The same guy who's selling those on eBay is also selling these: Bushnell 8x40's.

I can only assume that these will be of the same quality, although they'll probably need culminating as well. In hindsight I'd have purchased these instead, but only because they'll be easier to use without a tripod.

HTH

Mark