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Last week I talked about Purchasing Your First Telescope. Before purchasing a telescope, I recommend starting with a pair of binoculars. You can find a good pair of binoculars that will let your nerd explore the skies for under $100. There are three main reasons to start with binoculars:
- Initial Investment
- Ease of Use
- Portability
In addition to the reasons to start with binoculars there is also some terminology that you should know including:
- Objecting Lens
- Coating
- ISB
- Field of View
- Depth of Field
- Waterproofing
Initial Investment
The initial investment will be much less than purchasing a telescope and it will give your budding astronomer the chance to see the stars and make sure they want to pursue astronomy. Because binoculars are less expensive you can purchase several and turn stargazing into a family event.
The Celestron Cometron 7×50 Binoculars
Ease of Use
First-time telescope users often find themselves completely overwhelmed by the difficulty of using a telescope. Combine this with learning to navigate the stars for the first time and many will step away, never to return. Binoculars make the process easier to understand and get started.
An ordinary pair of binoculars can give beginning astronomers the experience they are looking for. One major advantage of binoculars is that people, especially kids, are more comfortable using both eyes when looking up into the skies. As a result, binoculars are far more appealing for longer sessions of stargazing.
Unlike telescopes that focus on a singular object, binoculars give a wider view and a better sense of patterns in the sky, or how objects lie in reference to one another. This means that viewers are much more likely to easily spot celestial objects of interest.
If you are looking for a step up from beginner binoculars, I recommend the Nikon ACULON A211 10×50 Binoculars
Portability
You don’t want to buy a huge pair of binoculars to start with. Something small and portable is the way to go. Binoculars that are easy to pack and bring along for use on short weekends away or trips to your backyard also have the advantage of serving more than one purpose. You will be able to use them for rocket launches to see where your rocket has landed, or for bird watching or other outdoor activities. With larger, heavier binoculars you will want to invest in a tripod.
Both the Celestron Cometron and the Nikon Aculon A211 are great choices for portable, kid-friendly binoculars.
If you are looking for a larger, more substantial pair of binoculars, I would recommend the Celestron SkyMaster 25X100 Binoculars
Features
Now that you have decided to buy a pair of binoculars, what features should you look for? A good pair of binoculars will let you see more than you might expect. On a clear night, you can see Jupiter and its moons and possibly the Orion Nebula and distant galaxies.
Objective Lens
The most important thing to consider when choosing a pair of binoculars for stargazing is the size of the front lens which determines how much light enters the binoculars.
Measurements for binoculars are written as 7X50 or 25X100. The first number is the magnification above the naked eye, and the second number is the diameter of the large lens at the front of the binoculars in millimeters, also called the objective lens. So, a 7X50 binocular provides 7 times the magnification of the object viewed by the naked eye and achieves this with a front lens that is 50 millimeters in diameter. The wider the objective lens, the more light the binoculars will take in making the image brighter.
For backyard astronomy, we recommend at least a 7×50 or 10×50 pair of binoculars.
Coating
Another feature you may want to look at is coating. Coating helps decrease the amount of light that is lost due to reflection and glare. Manufacturers can deposit a thin chemical coating on the lens surface to help reduce reflection loss and improve light transmission to the binoculars. Without coding a lens may lose up to 5% of the light that passes through. Putting a coating on your lens can reduce light loss to tenths of a percent. there are several types of coating to consider.
Coated. This is a thin coating that is applied to one or more of the lens surfaces.
Fully coated. This means that at least one thin coating has been applied to both sides of the objective lens and both sides of the ocular lens. The ocular lens is also called your eyepiece.
Multi-coated. This is when multiple layers of coating are applied to one or more of the lens surfaces.
Fully Multi-coated. This is when multiple layers of coating are applied on all lens surfaces. This is normally done on very high-end binoculars.
ISB
The term ISB stands for ‘image stabilized binoculars’. These binoculars are much more expensive, but the added value is that they compensate for any movement of your hands and create a more stable image without additional effort form you and without using a tripod.
Field of View
Field of view refers to the width of the panoramic view that you see when you look through the binoculars. Normally higher magnification binoculars have a smaller field of view.
Depth of Field
When you focus on one object through your binoculars another object in your field of view will also be in focus at the same time. Depth of field refers to the distance that two objects will be in focus at the same time. As with the field of view, the higher the magnification means that you will have a smaller depth of field.
Waterproofing
A final thing to consider is whether you get a lot of rain where you will be stargazing. waterproof binoculars have been sealed and normally filled with nitrogen so no water or moisture will be able to get inside. If you live in a part of the country that gets a lot of rain it is worthwhile to have your binoculars waterproof to protect your investment.
Purchasing binoculars before a telescope can be a great way to get your nerd interested in astronomy or to feed their interest. With a little research, you can find the perfect pair to fit your family’s needs. A great piece of additional advice is to join a local astronomy club. To find a club near you check out the directory on the Sky & Telescope website.
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