Choosing Binoculars for Astronomy

October 7, 2009 by binocular

While it is true that almost any pair of binoculars will be better than the naked eye for viewing the sky, not all of them are created equal. It’s worthwhile to do some research to learn what makes a good pair of binoculars for astronomy before you invest any significant money.

There are so many different options available, with a million different combinations of features, stats, and materials. Let’s look at some of the most important specifications and identify the items you actually need to pay attention to in order to get the most out of your stargazing.

First you need to consider the power, which is how much the lenses will magnify whatever image you are observing. For instance, if a particular pair says that it is 8 x 50, it means that the images you see will be 8 times the size they would be if you looked at them directly with your eye.

While a higher magnification will certainly make objects in the sky larger, they do carry some disadvantages. For instance, you will see a smaller area of the sky, making it more difficult to figure out exactly where you are looking or to find a particular star. It also makes it harder to hold the binoculars steady enough to get a good view of your subject. A magnification of 8 is a good target when you’re starting out, and it’s probably best if you stay under 10.

Objective lens size is the next important aspect to consider. The bigger the lenses that let in light, the brighter the stars will look. Bigger lenses (the second number in a typical binocular designation) will pull in more light and allow you to see more objects in the sky. In addition, it will make enjoying each heavenly body easier since you won’t be straining as much to make out faint glimmers.

Those two being the most important aspects for astronomy, you’ll find that there are many other options for you to choose from. How does the focus work, is there any kind of stabilization, what is the weight, size, and shape of the binoculars (partially driven by the objective lens size, of course), price, style, color, and the list just keeps going. Most of these come down to personal preference, and shouldn’t have too much impact on the quality of your viewing.