Celestron Skymaster 25x70 observations

[Knighty2112]

As my home astronomy viewing has been blighted by new LED street lamps been fitted late last year, I have just returned after a hiatus from astronomy mainly because of this. As a workaround to help see some of the fuzzies still from home I was looking at acquiring a larger pair of binos than my current 7x50 Strathspey, which although give good results, don’t have the light grasp or power to pull out much unless at a nice dark sky sight, which was going to be a rarity to do due to work and location etc.

After looking at various sites at binos ranging from 56mm up to 100mm, I saw the Celestron 25x70 been offered up a great price. I had previously owned  a pair of the same range smaller magnification binos at 15x70 a couple of years ago but sold them on after slimming down my equipment, and whilst there are certainly better binos out there, I knew that as long as there was no problem with alignment between the two barrels of the binos, then acceptable views where available from them. As the 25x70 were on offer for only £2 more than 15x70 Skymaster binos, it was a no brainer to take a punt on the 25x75.

Afetr re-aquiring my Orion binocular mount, which I’d sold to my brother at around the same time I sold on the 15x70 binos, I got the new 25x70 Skymasters out last night for their first light under the stars on the Orion mount.Jupiter came out real well in the 25x magnification, along also with a smaller Saturn too. However, as these binos where bought to scoop up fuzzies rather than planets I then turned my attention to some of them; as it was only just turning dark, I went first off for M13. After a minute of getting in the right area I saw M13 swing into view. And boy was it easy to see, even at around 9pm in my light polluted back garden, with a nasty LED streetlamp glaring away at me just 25 feet or so away, I could make out the great M13 with no problem nice and large. M92 next after moving up and to the left in Hercules brought that globular nicely in view too. Lower down near Saturn, I tried for M22 which I’d seen gloriously down in Cornwall just a couple of days earlier with my 7x50 Strathspeys. To be honest I wasn’t expecting it to be viewable above the rooftops and lower down in the murk, but these babies pulled it out of the skies still.

Next, I aimed for both Bodes over in Ursa Major. After a few minutes I got them both sweetly in view and showing pretty easily, M81 been the easier to see out of the two, but both nicely there none the less. Well chuffed, I then took the binos off the mount to go and view M31 from my front garden. Andromeda was a joy to see in these binos, the largest I think I’ve ever seen it, even against the views from a C8 SCT I’d owned previously. The weight of these binos are not that much different to the weight of the Strathspeys, which with been Marine binos are solid, so didn’t have much problem holding the 25x70’s up by hand. However, these excel best on a mount, so I returned to the back garden again and put them back on the Orion mount and went in search of M27 in Cygnus. Again after a little searching, the dumbbell swam into view majestically. Even though still not fully dark the contrast between sky and nebula was very good, so it was not just large to see, but stood out very well. I’m thinking with a real good dark sky view you probably would be able to see the Veil to in Cygnus with a bit of luck.

M57 next, which although very small in these binos, was still quite easy to pick out agaist the other stars in Lyra. M56 was another globular that was easy to see too, even if not as spectacular as M13 or M92.

All in all I am very chuffed with these binos, which will get much more use looking for fuzzies later on in the year when darker skies arrive back. Looking forward to trawling through Leo with these. If these pull out more in winter time that may also nudge me next year to look at a pair of 100mm binos perhaps! Watch this space!  

Edited September 1, 2019 by Knighty2112

[mark81]

That was a nice session and a good read.  I havent come across those bins before but I will go take a look. I've always thought that a pair at x25 with 70-80mm are perfect for picking up fuzzies and let's not forget all of those great clusters.  The only problem is, when you mount them, your mind starts thinking about a bigger pair.... Like those 100s.... I've looked at so many pairs but as you said, maybe next year..

Mark

[Stu]

Good to see you back observing Gus, and great that you've got a setup that you can make work for you. Sounds like an excellent session!

[Knighty2112]

41 minutes ago, mark81 said:

That was a nice session and a good read.  I havent come across those bins before but I will go take a look. I've always thought that a pair at x25 with 70-80mm are perfect for picking up fuzzies and let's not forget all of those great clusters.  The only problem is, when you mount them, your mind starts thinking about a bigger pair.... Like those 100s.... I've looked at so many pairs but as you said, maybe next year..

Mark

Yep, always something else there to tempt blowing the hard earned cash on in this game!  

[Knighty2112]

20 minutes ago, Stu said:

Good to see you back observing Gus, and great that you've got a setup that you can make work for you. Sounds like an excellent session!

Thanks Stu. Yes, slowly getting the passion back for it all again!  

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice report. We don't often get reports from users of 25x70s, as most people go for 15x70 or 16x70 bins. I can imagine that the smaller exit pupil of the 25x70 would give more pleasant dark sky backgrounds than the 15x70s in your more light polluted area. The mount is of course essential. I can hand hold my 16x80s quite well, but 25x70 would be beyond me, I am sure.

[Ciaran Meier]

How you getting on with the 25x70's ?

I've a set of 15x70's which I'm really enjoying, becomimg my main observation tool I would say. The mount you mentioned, the Orion,  could you post some detail on it.  I'm using a monopod at the moment but wouldn't mind trying something a bit more solid. 

 

[Knighty2112]

4 hours ago, Ciaran Meier said:

How you getting on with the 25x70's ?

I've a set of 15x70's which I'm really enjoying, becomimg my main observation tool I would say. The mount you mentioned, the Orion,  could you post some detail on it.  I'm using a monopod at the moment but wouldn't mind trying something a bit more solid. 

 

Hi Ciaran. Going well with the binos still. Heres’s some further info from Orion about the mount. I have a monopod too which I use for quick looks withthe binis, but the tripod is much better for longer more stable views of objects.

https://uk.telescope.com/Orion-Paragon-Plus-Binocular-Mount-and-Tripod/p/109828.uts

[Ciaran Meier]

Cheers 😀