Binoculars for Astronomy
Binocular Stargazing
There is a wide range of binoculars available these days, not only in terms of shapes and sizes but also prices, from under $100 to more than $500. The main difference is in the quality of the optics lie hidden inside. The best way to judge if a pair of binoculars is good is by simply looking through it. The images should be bright and sharp. Generally, binoculars with large apertures, multi-coated optics and BaK-4 internal prisms give clear images with good contrast.
Binoculars are generally used by amateur astronomers to scan the night sky for faint deep sky objects before deciding on which direction to point their telescopes.
Binoculars are excellent for both visual astronomy and terrestrial observation such as sports, opera and outdoor nature viewing.
Whether a pair of binoculars is good for astronomy observation depends very much on what you, as a beginner, want to do with it. If you only intend to use it to scan the night sky for fainter objects which are not perceptible to the naked eyes, then just any reasonable pair of binoculars will do.
However, astronomy binoculars, with their large apertures ranging from 60mm, 80mm, to even 100mm, are perfect for viewing the moon, besides bird watching and other terrestrial observation. They are invariably heavier than the normal binoculars and require a tripod for steady viewing.
If you intend to do binocular stargazing, get a pair of giant binoculars. There are some low-price giant binoculars of reasonable quality which are suitable for visual astronomy.
One such popular brand is the affordably priced Celestron 15×70 SkyMaster which promises bright and sharp images. Its large aperture means greater light gathering power. The protective rubber covering provides good grip while its comparatively light weight (about 3 lbs or 1.36 kg), allows you to hold it for short period observations. For steady extended viewing, you may attach the binoculars to any camera tripod as this SkyMasters model comes with a camera tripod adapter.
