Binoculars Info

When buying binoculars for astronomy one of the main considerations is the light gathering capability of the binoculars you are looking to buy and therefore the size of the objective lens is extremely important.

Before you start check out the range of binoculars for astronomy that are currently on the market you need to consider the distance you are looking to cover and what level of detail you are hoping to see. If you can imagine that a telescope can provide you with a significantly larger aperature (objective lens) and a wide range of magnification abilities it’s understandable that for viewing over longer distances, and to see the finer details, a telescope is often a better option. However that said binoculars can prove useful, even for the serious astronomer, and are an inexpensive way to get started.

The real pro’s of using binoculars for astronomy is the minimal set up time, the relatively low cost, portability and the fact that there isn’t an endless list of accessories that you need to buy.

Manufacturers generally indicate whether or not their binos are suitable binoculars for astronomy but as a general guide you want to be looking for giant binoculars or binoculars with an objective lens that is 50mm or greater. 10×50′s are often a popular choice for astronomy as they are reasonably comfortable to hold yet powerful enough for the basic astronomers needs.

Some manufacturers do make smaller binoculars for astronomy such as the Pentax PCF 8×40 or the higher quality Pentax DCF SP 8×43 and Olympus rate their EXPS I 8×42′s as excellent astronomy binoculars. As a general rule, and particularly relating to the smaller binos, if the objective lens is 5 times or more than the magnification you can use them for astronomy.

If you are looking for a real meaty beast then the Celestron Skymaster series ranges from 15 x 70 up to 25 x 100 (which offers the power of a small telescope) and Nikon do the 10 x 70IF SP which is considerably more expensive (around £1200 versus up to £400 for a Skymaster) but you are paying for the quality of the lenses and the superior optical design (one of the leaders in it’s class). The bigger you go when you are looking for binoculars for astronomy the greater the power and light gathering abilities so if you opt for a 25 x 100 (25x magnification, 100mm objective lens) you will be able to see further and view objects in greater detail than with a 7 x 35 or a 10 x 50 (for example).

Binoculars for Astronomy, quick check list:

• Fully multi-coated lenses are a must

• Waterproof binoculars are generally best if you want to prevent fogging and view in all weather conditions.

• The best astronomy binoculars come with Bak-4 Porro prisms (Bak-4 glass is high quality glass and porro prisms generally provide greater light transmission and a sharper image than their roof prism counterparts)

• Always check a binoculars suitability for astronomy

• Remember the more powerful the better and if you want a performance similar to a small telescope buy a binocular with the largest possible objective lens.

• For larger binoculars make sure you check tripod / mounting requirements.

• Quality optics is important and no more so than for astronomy. If you can afford high quality binoculars they are well worth paying for.



By: Terry Ross

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Image stabilising binoculars are the new standard when it comes to Binoculars.

Have you ever wished for a pair of binoculars that did not leave you with a blurry image no matter what you did to correct it?

Many times blurry images are due to human movement and error. This can happen no matter how still or careful you are. With image stabilising technology you can have a pair of binoculars that make corrections automatically to adjust for shaking hands or even the slight movement that comes from breathing.

There are a number of uses for these types of binoculars.

- One of the biggest and probably well known uses is bird watching. Bird watching is a wonderful pastime that can be either relaxing or exciting and which does not require anything more than a book so that you can know the birds you are seeing with a good pair of binoculars.

One of the biggest complaints is not being able to see the birds clearly making it difficult to determine what type of bird it is or which sub family it belongs to. Having a pair of binoculars that can provide you with a stable image will then result in you spending less time correcting or attempting to correct a slightly blurred image.

This means you have a better chance of seeing the bird and being able to recognise it before it gets away.

- Another great use for image stabilising binoculars is star gazing or celestial event viewing such as comets or shooting stars.

While telescopes may be best for viewing these up close especially if you want to look at images that are distant. Binoculars can be a great way to view objects such as the planets and some of the brighter stars.

One of the biggest problems, even with telescopes is the fact that it takes forever to make the adjustments. This is why telescopes come with tripods. Having an image stabilising pair of binoculars can make a difference when you are out casually viewing the stars or when you are watching for certain events.

These are just two of the many uses that you can find for image stabilising binoculars.

They are the perfect accompaniment on trips, and events such as races. You can enjoy the race no matter where your seat is located. You can view the birds; the stars even use them to get an up close view of bugs. These binoculars use a stabilising technology called the Tilt mechanism to correct for those human movements that may create a blurred image no matter how much the image is corrected. This happens frequently and it is possible to be linked to the actual weight of the equipment itself.

Depending on the style and type of binoculars that you get and what they are capable of doing they can be quite heavy, as a result it is hard to hold them steady when using them. This is why image stabilising technology has become popular into being able to provide you with a clear image no matter what the situation.



By: Derek Rogers

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Ashley asked:


I’ve been trying to find a pair of 10x WWII binoculars, and don’t know much about them. I’ve seen some on Ebay and other sites, but don’t know which are good and which are not (brand name, etc.). I’m having a hard time finding any websites or anything that can give me more info.

Kansieo.com

Sharkey asked:


The question reads, “The best place to aim a telescope or binoculars on the Moonis among the terminal line- the line between the Moon’s light and dark hemispheres. Why?”

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If you are buying binoculars in the UK, you can often find yourself overwhelmed. You simply want a good pair of binoculars, but now you have the salesman or saleswoman giving you all these technical features, when you simply want to buy a good pair of binoculars.

There is several routes we could go with, when buying binoculars in the UK. Either we can go forward with buying the highest priced pair we can see in the retail shop or online or we can learn all about the technical specifications. However, none of this is necessary.

It is good to become informed about the basics of buying binoculars. That way, you can buy a pair of binoculars that meets your needs, rather than the need of the salesman or saleswoman.

The first point to consider when buying binoculars in the UK is what you want the pair of binoculars for? Some uses of binoculars are:

* Bird and Animal and Nature Watching

* Stargazing

* Marine

* Hunting

* Site Seeing

* Concerts and Musical Events

* Camping

Depending on your needs, you could buy a low cost pair of binoculars or you can move forward with a higher end pair of binoculars.

Now that you have an idea of why you want to buy a pair of binoculars, it is time to get ideas. Having a look online can help you find the best prices, however, it is a great idea to look at local stores and find binoculars that you feel good about, and handle well. There is no point buying a pair of binoculars only to find that they you and the binoculars don’t get along!

Binoculars come with numbers. This could be a number such as 7X35. This number tells you some useful information about the pair of binoculars that you are intending to buy. The first number is the magnification. In the example, that is 7 times magnification. The second part or the 35 in the example above, is the diameter of the front lens.

Another point to consider is the warranty. Buying binoculars, especially the high end models could cost a few hundred pounds. Make sure that the pair of binoculars you are buying comes with a warranty of at least 12 months. Though generally you will find that the binoculars work for years, it is best to have a warranty just in case.

Before closing this article, if you wear eyeglasses, consider whether the binoculars you want to buy actually can work with your eyeglasses on. This is a point sometimes overlooked, and could make the binoculars of no use to you.

If you are purchasing online, have a look at the information listed. If it does not give details, you may want to consider emailing the store or giving them a quick call before buying the binoculars.



By: Koz Huseyin

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