what binos

[star_chaser]

hello all i recently bought a scope (celestron) but its a bit big to keep moving also i have started reading turn left at orion and i know have have stellarium. i like the part of learning were everything is so i want to know what size bino's are best for this and whats the smallest binos i could use for this(as money is a bit short this time of year) i could upgrade later and give smaller ones to the kids

i have seen jupi/venus with naked eye and jupi through scope(tho i had a little trouble) just wanted to add to this little list

thx in advance star

edit; will i be able to use the celestrons tripod for the binos as i was doing a little reading on here and it seems they are needed thx again

[ollypenrice]

Biggish ones tend to be cheapest, oddly enough. 10X50 is a classic size but the kids won't get on with 10X magnification. It will be jittery for them. 7 or 8 would be better.

They come up from Liddl very often or you could have a look at the bargain ones from the astro suppliers. I have a quite acceptable pair from Telescope House, branded Bresser, with BAK4 prisms. Fifteen quid at Astrofest so what can you say? I use them all the time despite working with lots of very nice kit.

Not all bins have tripod adapters but at 10X or below you can hand hold. A rexcliner chair is a boon.

Fot biggger bins like 15X70 check out FLO, the sponsors. These are great bins for around fifty or sixty pounds. Again I use ours endlessly.

Olly

[garethmob]

iv got the celestron skymaster 15X70 but i find a tripod is needed as they do shake a fair bit (and i havent got the worlds most steadyist hands) there really really good i take them out before i take my telescope as its eaiser as a "grab and go" scope and iv seen a few DSO's u can see jupitor's moons and the moon looks fantastic in it

i also have the rockwell 10X50's from lidl's their ok small enough to leave in the car just in case but i find i much rather my bigger skymasters any way

FLO have them for £75 i beleive

Celestron

but a tripod is a must really im not sure which tripod you have with your scope though i picked up a cheap camera tripod up for £15 in pcworld

[Moonshane]

I have a pair of 7x36 bins (reasonably good quality) which are really nice for scanning around. I would say 7x is the minimum useful magnification. I'd say an ideal pair if you are considering the youngsters having a go too are a pair of 8x40s. I have to say though I have not picked up my 7x36s since I got my 15x70s which I use on a monopod.

for lower power I'd suggest these Helios - Helios Naturesport-Plus or these Helios - Helios Fieldmaster binoculars in an 8x40 based on my own research (but not experience).

As others have said, ring FLO, they will be able to advise the pros and cons of each.

my own 15x70s are a different matter being these Helios - Helios Apollo High Resolution but well worth the cost to me. Others say the 15x70 Celestron are good too.

Good luck with your choice.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Personally for an adult to learn the night sky i would say that 10X50 is about as small as you want to go. 10X50 is a great size pair of bins. I always have a pair by my side while observing. I own 3 pairs of 10X50. The Bresser ones from Lidl really are very good.

I agree though that even 10X50 could be a but heavy/bulky for small children to hold. Although modern bins can be pretty light to hold.

Given the choice i would go for a pair of 8X. They will give the kids just that bit more magnification then a 7X.

Then later on when you feel like upgrading, the Celestron 15X70 are a very popular choice of bins. They would be too much for the kids unless you had them mounted on a tripod. I've tried a pair of them in a store and even i (being a big strong lad) would not be happy using them without a tripod.

I have not used them but i have read many people say to avoid zoom binos.

Observing with bins really is a great experience. I find it so calm and relaxing. I normally have my 20X90 bins setup right beside my telescope and chop and change as i go.

My 10X50 Bresser's are always by my side also.

[moocher]

Celestron 15x70s are the best purchase i`ve recently made. I`d recommend them without hesitation......

Alan:D

[star_chaser]

thx for the advice think i will go with 10x50 or bigger. kids will get a small pair or a starter/spotter scope after christmas

cant wait i was using left turn at orion and stellarium last night with these i will be able to look out of window when im stuck indoors . window faces south eastish so get some ok views misses might get a little cold tho.

again thx all star

[acey]

whats the smallest binos i could use for this(as money is a bit short this time of year) i could upgrade later and give smaller ones to the kids

You want to start small and cheap so get 10x50, then go to 15x70 later on if you feel the need. There's a big difference of size and weight: I like my 15x70s but some people get tired using them - your kids certainly would.

[Tim]

Celestron 15x70s are the best purchase i`ve recently made. I`d recommend them without hesitation......

Alan:D

Snap.

The guys at FLO personally check each pair before shipping too to make sure they are perfect.

Probably too heavy for kids though, but great as keepers for yourself

[BinocularSky]

IMO everybody should have an 10x42 or 10x50. They have lots of uses outside astronomy (birds, gee-gees...).

10X50 is a classic size but the kids won't get on with 10X magnification. It will be jittery for them.

Sorry, but I have to disagree here. My son was using a 10x50 Greenkat from the age of 8; from what he described to me (including an independent discovery of M34 ), he was holding them pretty steadily. The trick is in how you hold them. If you look at the hand-holding page here, at #2, you'll see the lad still remembered 8 years later ....