Binoculars the best way to start?

[ewomack]

I have always wanted to find a relatively cheap and low-maintenance (and low storage) way to begin observing the sky. I have researched telescopes, but I'm afraid that I might purchase one and never use it because it might take too much effort to haul it into the car, drive it out to the middle of nowhere, set it up, etc., just to find out that I'm not all that into observing. In other words, I'm worried about lack of motivation syndrome leading to complete disinterest. Recently, I thought about giving binoculars a try as an alternative. Most seem somewhat cheap ($200 or so) and they take up less space and (theoretically) require less set up than a telescope. Perhaps I could get a pair and see if I actually use them? Then, if I do, perhaps I could justify a telescope later on?

After a little reading about binoculars, it sounds like I would want some heftier ones, such as the Celestron SkyMaster 20X80 or some equivalent. Though it weighs almost 5 lbs, I've heard that one can see the rings of Saturn and even some moons with it. First, is that realistic? Second, I'm guessing that it would require a tripod of some sort. Any thoughts on what kind? I wanted to bounce these thoughts off of this forum as a "crazy check" and, assuming that this isn't all some crazy idea, then find out the best tool to use to find objects in the sky with these binoculars. I have "StarChart" on my mobile, but I don't know if that would prove powerful enough to go out to a field and find objects to look at. I am really a complete and utter beginner.

Does this sound like a sane way to try to begin observing the sky? Or am I heading down a black hole? My ideal first experience would involve hauling a pair of binoculars, likely with tripod, and some kind of navigational tool and view Saturn's rings. I think that experience could motivate me to continue on in some capacity, without filling another closet space with unfulfilled aspirations. Thoughts?

[notFritzArgelander]

The Celestron Skymaster 20x80 might be a little big to start with for handheld use. It needs a panning tripod head for stability. I'd recommend the Nikon Aculon 10x50 which gives good images and is quite satisfactory hand held only. It's become my most used bino set.

[Lady Fraktor]

Binoculars are a great place to start viewing.
I also would recommend 10x50 if hand holding them.
Anything larger becomes harder to hold steady enough.
15x70 and larger should be mounted on a tripod.

[pakarinen]

I have Aculon 10x50s and find them to be a bit small for my tastes under my heavy light pollution at home. Under dark skies though, they're quite good. I also have a pair of Opticron 8x35s (very small but fit in my jacket pocket) and a pair of 1940s US Navy 7x50s. My most used pair is a pair of Orion 15x70 individual focus Giantviews. They really need a tripod though to hold them steady; I think they weigh 5 pounds.

I don't know about other Celestrons, but my 15x70 SkyMasters had uncorrectable collimation problems. A local club member just posted he has a pair to give away, also b/c of collimation problems. But others have gotten good ones and really like them. Seems to be a problem with quality control. They were nice and light though - easy to handhold.

Oberwerk binos get excellent reviews and their customer service is said to be very good. There are several levels / prices to choose from.

Apps are good, but I think beginners are better served by paper charts. You can study them and compare / contrast easily. There are several web sites with free printable charts, but I really like the Monthly Sky Guide by Tirion and Ridpath. I found an out of date copy for $5, but current ones look to be about $10:

https://www.astronomics.com/the-monthly ... ition.html

[John Baars]

10X50 bino's are a great way to start the hobby. From there you can step up to a small telescope, which even on a photo tripod can be operated moderately intuitively.

If you think of a 20x80 that will irrevocably have to be mounted on a tripod, you are in fact choosing two small straight through telescopes on an awkwardly too low and too heavy photo tripod, with a magnification that is just enough to see Saturn egg-shaped, so no rings.

A 20X80 is not a logical continuation of a 10X50, more a separate instrument for advanced users.
There are much more convenient small telescopes available. With which you can see much more of Moon and planets....believe me, I have been there.

To give you an example: I am an advanced observer and my 20X80 is very seldom used. If it is clear I start with my 10X50's and if any good I continue
with my small grabngo telescope or a bigger one. My 20X80 stays in the attic.

So start with a 10X50 and later step up to a small telescope: great! Start with a 20X80 and your learning curve will be steep. If you do want a 20X80, go for one with a 90 degree tilted view. But as a starter you'll find the field of view to small for finding objects.

p.s. I am observing from severe light-polluted skies

[jrkirkham]

For me the sweet spot is 10x50. I have several pair of binoculars, but that is my go to pair most of the time. They are about the best I can hand hold. They offer broad sweeping vistas of the night sky. They will help me locate most of the Messier objects. I can locate planets and sometimes see Venus' crescent, or the moons of Jupiter. I can see most of the major lunar features. I can also use them to hunt for comets.

I will admit that my larger binoculars offer better views of solar system objects, but if I want to focus on planets or the moon I usually switch to a telescope. None of my binoculars can offer planetary views to match my telescope.

I went out with a friend one night last week. We both had a pair of binoculars. We didn't even open the dome on the telescope. A good pair of binoculars, a lawn chair, and something to drink were enough for the night.

[Richard]

I started proper observing with a 90mm Mac on a go to mount , the Go To function gave me a lot of problems until I upgraded the firmware , then it was great
Before that I had a small Tasco scope from the 60's a 7te that when young could not operate properly , but did see Saturn , and Jupiter with it but after a while got bored so left the hobby for many years Like 30 (I got another one many years later a 10 Te and its great)
I discovered binos around 10 years ago and now love them , but they will certainly not impress at first time , one has to know what you are looking at
Remember that the pictures posted on forums are not what you will see , even with big scopes , most will be just black and white blobs !
So yes Binos are great but you will not see the rings of Saturn , but you will see the 4 moons of Jupiter ,but they will be small dots
To look at planets one needs high magnification and binos are not for that.
Also If you ever get a go to scope , when set up properly they will go to the target but due to light pollution etc does not mean you will see much, these go to mounts have thousands database but most are not visible
So starting this hobby with binos , yes if you learn what you are looking at

[Bigzmey]

Binoculars are definitely great way to observe in particular if time is short and you don't want any hustle setting up equipment.

I would start with 10x50 or even 8x40, since they are easier to hold steady. I would still recommend some way to stabilize them. I really like using a monopod.

You can see a lot even from light polluted location.

[helicon]

My most used bino is the 15x70's on a manfrotto tripod. I also have 25x100's on a parallelogram mount but since they are heavy and unwieldy I don't use them that much, though the views of star fields are great. More often I use the 5.1" grab-n-go newtonian, which is pretty light and easy to set-up. As I age and start to get aches and pains (some hip pain for example) hauling out the ar152 is kind of a chore. The Dob is more portable for me. For all of these reasons I have decided to get a dedicated observatory. I also agree that if you want to see Saturn a better choice than 20x80's would be a longer focal length 80 or 90mm refractor. These are not that expensive and will perform better on the planets and moon ( In this I agree with John Baars and bigzmey).

[gregl]

Well, you will get many different and conflicting opinions but I agree with those who counsel toward lower power binos, such as the 10x or even less. I have 10s and some 8s and 7s. I like the magnification of the 10s but find them heavy and harder to hold steady than the 7s. I made a parallelogram rig for the 10x but rarely use it. Frankly, I like the 7x50s best. A friend of mine has a pair of the image stabilized 10x and they are fantastic. If you can afford it, they might be the perfect choice.

Keep in mind that what you look at will be different with each instrument. What you will see best with binos are various large objects such asterisms and other similar things. With each change in magnification and scope type, other objects become the primary things to see. If you want to see the rings of Saturn, binos are not the choice. But if you want to look at the coathanger in Vulpecula, 10x binos are best. A scope isn't right for that target. Many serious observers have an assortment of binos and scopes and select what they use based on what they want to see.

[pakarinen]

But if you want to look at the coathanger in Vulpecula, 10x binos are best. A scope isn't right for that target.

I frequently observe the Hanger with my 80mm refractor, but it's fast (f/5) and I use a low power EP, so the field of view is comparatively quite large - close to some binos.

Many serious observers have an assortment of binos and scopes and select what they use based on what they want to see.

Very true. I use my 90mm Mak exclusively for lunar, while I always use one of my refractors for deep sky. And to complicate matters, I just ordered a 50mm right angle finder with that takes interchangeable EPs that I 'm going to try as a super grab-n-go.

It might help if you write down a list of preferences on price, size, weight, set-up time, targets, and so on as an aid to the decision process. Or not.

[Ylem]

Binoculars are a great way to start, but after 50+ years of observing they are still my favourite way to observe.

I personally like my 7x50 since my hands are not that steady.

I also have a pair of 9x63 that I usually mount on a tripod.

Bins give that wide lost in space feel

[ewomack]

Thanks for the responses, everyone! That was a ton of great information to process. After reading through everything above, I decided that I probably need to get some basics down, so I'm currently making my way through the 10th edition of "The Monthly Sky Guide," which looks deceptively like a small book, since it packs a ton of information into only 70-some large pages. It also generally recommends beginning with binoculars, if not with just the naked eye. The directions to find one's way around each season's sky has illuminated a lot for me, so thank you for recommending that book. Once I have the info in that book down, I think I'm ready to get some smaller binoculars and begin trying to find some things way up there.

My wife also told me that her father had a pair of HUGE binoculars for viewing the sky that weighed about 5 pounds and she couldn't ever keep them steady. It sounds like he didn't have a tripod for them, so that adds to the votes against starting with something as huge as a 20X80. A 10X50 sounds like a saner path to follow. I also picked up Collins "2022 Guide to the Night Sky" just to read another book similar to "The Monthly Sky Guide" for reinforcement. Can anyone recommend a good place to go after those books? Are there any "step up" books after those? Or does one just get observing?

Thanks again!

[Lady Fraktor]

Phil Harrington is one of the biggest binocular enthusiasts, he has a few books and atlases published as well as a monthly column.
You can check it out here: https://m.astronomy.com/magazine/phil-harrington

[ARock]

I use a pair of Celestron 15x70 on a monopod. A monopod is not as stable as a tripod but much easier t maneuver to acquire a target.

You might also look into a lightweight 80mm F/5 refractor like the Orion ShortTube 80 (not the 80ST which has a plastic focuser) or the Skywatcher StarTravel 80. These are light enough to put on photo tripod/Alt Az mount or an entry level EQ mount (my preference).

[Baurice]

I'd say, yes, binoculars, are not only a good start but also something you will keep using. They are great and portable but have their limitations. I would go for 10x50s or 12x50s to start with but I use 15x70s. One use I get from them is observing sunspots, WITH THE AID OF SUITABLE FILTERS. I have seen rather strange "appendages" to Saturn and have seen Titan a few times.

Where they do well is on is large bright deep sky objects, such as the Pleaides and Beehive.

[pakarinen]

I have two of Harrington's books - one bino and one deepsky. They're pretty good IMO. For bino observing, there's also Sironek's book (Sky and Tel) and web site and Sir Patrick Moore's book.

And there's this: https://binocularsky.com/ for a monthly newsletter.

All the major magazines publish monthly or weekly observing guides, but I like the format of this one: https://cosmicpursuits.com/night-sky-this-month/. Seems like a cleaner layout to me.

[Gfamily]

Lots of good advice here.

I can also recommend the Binocular Sky website, run by Steve Tonkin, a regular contributor to the leading UK magazines about binoculars and their use.
http://binocularsky.com/
Every month he produces a newsletter of what to look for with binoculars - he's just published the May 2022 edition.

He has lots of binocular reviews as well.

As has been said, starting with 'astronomical' binoculars can be off-putting as their weight is a problem for use across a long evening.

MrsG uses binoculars far more than me, and probably sees far more of an evening than I would.

Her preferred kit is a pair of 10x50s on a tripod with a Manfrotto 222 trigger grip head.

For seeing the rings of Saturn, I would say that 20x magnification is marginal anyway; you'll get a hint, which is pretty enough, but I'd say you want to be looking at 30x to be sure, and the downside of weight and possible inferior optics from a starter binoculars are problems.

I have a cheap spotting scope with a zoom eyepiece that shows the rings at higher mags, but that's half the size of the binoculars that would show them.

[Gfamily]

Steve Tonkin has written some comprehensive books on Binocular Observing
A good start
Discover the Night Sky through Binoculars

[Baurice]

I will add that the objects Steve mentions are also good targets for a DSLR and zoom lens.