Bins & Andromeda Galaxy

[koko.pelli]

Hi all,

I posted recently about help re a telescope... Fortunately a friend is going to loan me an 8" Schmidt Cassegrain so I can play with that while I decide but I have one more favour I'd like to ask...

I am going to Spain with my wife in Ronda in Andalusia and there is supposed to be little light polution, I am really hoping to see some cool stuff.

Can't lug a scope on the plane unfortunately but was hoping somebody could recommend me some good binoculars?

What could I expect to see with good bins and dark skies? I read you can see Andromeda Galaxy in autumn in the northern hemisphere with good conditions as a faint smudge with the naked eye... Is this true, would bins make it slightly better if so.

There's a fair few on FLO so any pointers and info would be greatly appreciated

[ollypenrice]

I know Ronda from cycling there and the sky is often excellent, though you will need to get out into the sticks to make the most of it. You won't need to go far. If I remember, the road to the out of town campsite carries on into a kind of dipped valley which ought to be well sheltered from light. But it's a while back so don't bank on my memory.

I'd go for 10x50 bins and these range from £15 to over £2000. I have some at £15 but would prefer the £2K Leicas I once borrowed! They showed colour on Andromeda, a subtle warm orange. FLO have a good range.

And yes, Andromeda is certainly naked eye, like a star smeared out horizontally. It is tiny but visible at the right time of year.

Bins are lovely on clusters, on sweeps of the Milky Way and can even pick up small galaxies like M81 and 82. They are great. I'd take a small star chart book and red head torch as well.

Ronda itself is stunning.

Olly

[koko.pelli]

Thanks Olly, you're a star (pun) as usual! Really appreciate that.

Can't believe you saw colour on Andromeda, that's breathtaking! Was that with the 2k bins? Would I not likely see colour with standard 10x50s?

Also, is there any preference in brand? Celestron, Helios, Opticron etc? Seems Helios have the most choice on FLO.

Is 10x50 better then 15x70 or 25 x 100?

Thanks again

[ollypenrice]

Hi,

Colour was in the Leicas. I've never seen it in anything else. They were great but out of my league.

I'd ask FLO to advise on makes because I don't know them at all.

!0x50 can be hand held and have a realisitic 5mm exit pupil but 8x50 are also nice. Less magnification but more stability. If you go to 15x70 you can no longer hand hold and need a camera type tripod, though not a massive one. However, this means you can't lie on your back for the zenith and introduces wear and tear on the neck. The variously branded Revelations are excellent value.

For 25x100 you are in telescope territory. Indeed a 100mm pair of bins is way more cumbersome than a 100mm refractor.

Bear in mind the exit pupil, which you get by dividing the aperture by the magnification, so that 11x80 is a bad size because the exit pupil is too big to fit into your pupiil unless you are a crepuscular mammal!

Olly

[koko.pelli]

That's great, thanks Olly - I will get in touch with FLO!

[koko.pelli]

Also on binoculars, particularly 10x50s, will it show me the planets in any more detail, or will they still be pretty much pin pricks?

Forgive my ignorance on this.

[pvaz]

10x is not enough for planet, 50x would be the very least you need to see a little line (the rings) crossing Saturn.

Jupiter and saturn will still be points, as well as all the others. I managed to spot 3 moons on jupiter with my 10x50, but it's not so easy (my arms tend to shake a bit).

In other words the binos won't satisfy you on planets. They are good for very large DSOs (like andromeda, orion nebula) and quick observations or to observe while traveling.

A scope will be far superior so, so unless you can afford good binos and a good scope, I would advice you to buy some decent celestron for around 50£, or 60£ max, and save the rest for a good scope.

[Llamanaut]

i have 15x70 celestrons and theyre great for large dso's - i'd echo pvaz's advice though no way you can hand held them... they come with a tripod attachment device which although plastic holds the bins quite firmly onto a camera tripod... i got mine for £69 from Amazon

[nicnac]

KoKo.Pelli,

have you had a look in the observing with binoculars thread, there are some fine tit bits to be found there.

[koko.pelli]

KoKo.Pelli,

have you had a look in the observing with binoculars thread, there are some fine tit bits to be found there.

I hadn't scrolled that far down before, didn't realise it existed, lol

Thanks bud

[LukeSkywatcher]

I travel alot to the Canary Islands and i only ever bring with me a pair of 10X50 bins.

I'd LOVE to take my 20X90 bins but i'd have to pay extra.

From a darker sky location such as somewhere in Spain..............you will be amazed at just how much you will see with a pair of 10X50.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Also on binoculars, particularly 10x50s, will it show me the planets in any more detail, or will they still be pretty much pin pricks?

Forgive my ignorance on this.

I may be wrong but i dont think any bins will show planets as more then pin pricks of light.

[Rui]

Definitely 10X50mm binoculars gives you the best "bang for the buck" ratio. Even inexpensive ones will show you a lot and in a very confortable way (no tripod required).

For planets, binos are totally rulled out. For that you really need a telescope. But planets don't suffer with LP as much as deep-sky objects do. So you can always get good views from UK.

[koko.pelli]

I travel alot to the Canary Islands and i only ever bring with me a pair of 10X50 bins.

I'd LOVE to take my 20X90 bins but i'd have to pay extra.

From a darker sky location such as somewhere in Spain..............you will be amazed at just how much you will see with a pair of 10X50.

Fantastico, scorchio!

Really looking forward to it! Will I be able to make out cloudy DSOs you think> IE clouds from Orion Nebula?

[LukeSkywatcher]

Yes from darker skies...............a simple pair of 10x50 will show you MORE.

[koko.pelli]

Yes from darker skies...............a simple pair of 10x50 will show you MORE.

Bonkers! That is very cool

[totalamateur]

Hi all,

I posted recently about help re a telescope... Fortunately a friend is going to loan me an 8" Schmidt Cassegrain so I can play with that while I decide but I have one more favour I'd like to ask...

I am going to Spain with my wife in Ronda in Andalusia and there is supposed to be little light polution, I am really hoping to see some cool stuff.

Can't lug a scope on the plane unfortunately but was hoping somebody could recommend me some good binoculars?

What could I expect to see with good bins and dark skies? I read you can see Andromeda Galaxy in autumn in the northern hemisphere with good conditions as a faint smudge with the naked eye... Is this true, would bins make it slightly better if so.

There's a fair few on FLO so any pointers and info would be greatly appreciated

Hi Koko,

I don't know about the bino's and i don't know the window when you will be in Ronda.

I will be in Alora, Andalusia next month which isn't too far from Ronda. I have a set-up over there and you would be wellcome to use it. My set-up is as below.

127mm f/7.5 FCD1 ED APO triplet & 2” Craford Focuser

8x50mm Finder with illuminated crosshairs

William optics (1.25) 4mm/7mm/16mm 82 deg EWANS

William optics (2") 20mm/33mm/40mm 72 deg SWANs

William optics (1.25”) 3mm/6mm 55 deg SPLs

Takahashi (.965) 9mm/18mm/25mm ortho's

Baader Hyperion 8 - 24mm clickstop zoom (1.25)

SMC PENTAX XF 6.5 - 19.5 zoom (1.25)

Series 500 40mm plossle (1.25”)

12.5mm Plossle (1.25”) No Name

William optics 2” 45 degree Erecting Prism with 1.25” adaptor

2” mirror Diagonal with 1.25” adaptor

EQ5 mount

Alt azimuth mount.

2" stainless steel tripod.

Leave a message if you are interested,

Totalamateur, Ray

[ilumeo]

I have some Avians bins from Ace Optics in Bath and they are very good. I have 8x32 for wildlife watching and have compared then with a friends

Leicas

(8x32) and they come close which is good when you consider the difference in price. I have not looked through the 10x50 but I would expect them to be good. Check out some of the birding reviews. Having said that I am new to Astronomy and there may well be some

differences

in what make a good pair of birding bins to

astro

ones

Avian Binoculars - Avian F, Avian Lite, Avian Trekker At Ace Cameras - Canon, Leica, Swarovski, Bushnell, Nikon, Avian & All Top Brands

[ilumeo]

I have some Avians bins from Ace Optics in Bath and they are very good. I have 8x32 for wildlife watching and have compared then with a friends Leica (8x32) and they come close which is good when you consider the difference in price. I have not looked through the 10x50 but I would expect them to be good. Check out some of the birding reviews. Having said that I am new to Astronomy and there may well be some differences in what make a good pair of birding bins to astro ones. (no affiliation to Ace Optics)

Avian Binoculars - Avian F, Avian Lite, Avian Trekker At Ace Cameras - Canon, Leica, Swarovski, Bushnell, Nikon, Avian & All Top Brands

[koko.pelli]

That's kind of you bud thank you, but we travel late August/early September

Hi Koko,

I don't know about the bino's and i don't know the window when you will be in Ronda.

I will be in Alora, Andalusia next month which isn't too far from Ronda. I have a set-up over there and you would be wellcome to use it. My set-up is as below.

127mm f/7.5 FCD1 ED APO triplet & 2” Craford Focuser

8x50mm Finder with illuminated crosshairs

William optics (1.25) 4mm/7mm/16mm 82 deg EWANS

William optics (2") 20mm/33mm/40mm 72 deg SWANs

William optics (1.25”) 3mm/6mm 55 deg SPLs

Takahashi (.965) 9mm/18mm/25mm ortho's

Baader Hyperion 8 - 24mm clickstop zoom (1.25)

SMC PENTAX XF 6.5 - 19.5 zoom (1.25)

Series 500 40mm plossle (1.25”)

12.5mm Plossle (1.25”) No Name

William optics 2” 45 degree Erecting Prism with 1.25” adaptor

2” mirror Diagonal with 1.25” adaptor

EQ5 mount

Alt azimuth mount.

2" stainless steel tripod.

Leave a message if you are interested,

Totalamateur, Ray