Do not close one eye while setting the diopter. It screws your vision for a moment. Instead put a lens cap on the diopter side, adjust the focus. then swap the cap to the non diopter side and only adjust the diopter not the main focus ring.
Binos for me are more effective in stargazing, night sky observation, studying constellations as well than telescopes. I have the 7x50s, 10x42 and 10x50s and very effective while i lay on my gravity or camping chair.Clear skies and great video presentation very informative!
I am completely new to stargazing but I have been surprised at how much I can see with my 8X42 binoculars, which I use for bird watching. I have seen some amazing details of craters on the moon, as well as more distant objects.
If you start with the bino you will learn faster... How the stars move, the constellations and how to star hope... The learning process with a telescope could be more expensive and slow. Some people sell their telescope because they cant find anything.
To set diopter correction with normal binoculars (or to focus binoculars which require focussing the eyepieces individually) the best method is as follows... Look through the binoculars at a subject, close one eye and focus that eyepiece. Then open both eyes and focus the other eyepiece [with diopter correction] until the image is clear.
Interesting you use the close one eye method as stated in the video The common methods seems to be dont close one eye but cover one lens using your hand or lens cap. Focus one lens then do the the other . cover each lens respectively each time .
Excellent video. I am a beginner and starting star gazing as a hobby at the age of 45 years, and juat ordered a celestron 7x50 binocular to start with. This video is really helpful for me.
On night while scanning the night sky with my 7x50 binoculars, I kept passing by a mysterious "Bright patch" of the sky. Later on, inside, consulting my Star Atlas, I discovered that "Bright Patch" was the Andromeda Galaxy !!!!! Gave me a real thrill to have seen it. I was far from any Town, there was no Moon, and my eyes were fully dark adapted. Or I'd have never even saw it .
Another reason people start with telescopes is lack of knowledge. The moon is an easy target and so are bright planets. Both are ok in a telescope and take little knowledge of the night sky. Give someone binoculars and they won't know what to look for. Sure they can see craters on the moon but a lot wouldn't even think that they could do that. What else can be seen with binoculars? Lots but you need knowledge to do so.
A telescope is a lot more fun than binoculars on a parallelogram mount? Listen, bub; I've been using all kinds of great telescopes since 1995, but few of them are as much fun as my 25x100 binoculars on a gigantic solid oak parallelogram mount and old CGEM tripod with accompanying zero gravity chair. Like floating weightless and looking out a window into space. Utterly incredible experience.
Please post a video about that! We’d love to see it. Over 80% of North Americans live in cities, and it’s rare we ever get to see dark enough skies. When it comes to dark skies, a lot of people live vicariously through TH-cam.
@@LearnToStargazeWe just recently got some 15x70 binoculars (what we can afford right now) & are wowed by what we can see. We saw Jupiter's moons last night omg. Going camping this weekend to a Bortle 2 & are so excited!
I have four very good telescopes anywhere from lightweight portable the one that I could barely move. my binoculars I have four very good telescopes anywhere I go these days I end up taking binoculars I've got about six or seven sets of binoculars and I find them so much more enjoyable because instead of thinking about the equipment I think about the xky
If anyone ever asks me for recommendations for their first scope I'll tell them to get 7x50 or 10x50 binos ing instead. Much better way to learn and experience the sky. Then they come in handy for spotting targets if you do decide to get a scope!
@@SimplyKaleen I like the lower magnification because you get a wider field of view and the shaking isn't as bad. For closer viewing I'd get a bigger objective lens and a tripod mount.
I always think monoculars are the most neglected optical aid especially if you travel a lot which I have done.Half the size of an equivalent binocular.I saw some amazing southern sky object using a 8x25 monocular from New Zealand and Australia and I couldn't have packed anything much bigger due to travelling hand luggage only(after Air France lost my hold luggage enroute from Paris to Cairo once,'never again!'i only take hand luggage!). Although I am a great fan of super wide field low power binoculars and have a pair of Helios 2.5x40 which give amazing views of the milky way, noculuicent clouds and ideal for spying Mercury just after sunset.
With binoculars I can step out and do some quick observations when I get a chance. You’ll still be cooling down your scope by the time I’ve stepped back inside and made myself a cup of tea. I love my star field low magnification binos, can see so much.
I've had a pretty decent 7x50 marine binocular for almost 20 years, but never used it for the sky. I rarely even used it the last 13 years since we moved to Colorado (just to identify new birds). While I had a cheap telescope when I was a kid, it didn't offer decent views to any of my family, so it went into a closet. Last October (2022), a friend who's moving offered an Orion 4.5EQ to my wife for $100. With views from it, I found a new hobby. I quickly also bought an Orion XT8 for more aperture, then a Celestron FirstScope 76mm for grab and dash on partly cloudy winter nights. In the meantime, I started reading and watching videos, bringing me back to binoculars. My wife likes the views of Pleiades better with binoculars over any telescope, and I understand why. The thing about my old binoculars is that over the years, something went wrong inside, and it's difficult to get the left eye to focus. I had cataract surgery last year, so both eyes are very good. As evidence, I can clearly view through the telescopes using either eye, and my wife has the same viewing issues looking through them. It's the binoculars. Views through the right eye are great (but...!). That said, she wanted to buy me a new pair for my birthday this month, and found the Celestron SkyMaster 15x70. I wasn't sold on binos that would require a tripod, but that's what she bought. They get here early next week, and I'll see how well they work. I ordered a camera tripod rated for about three times it's weight, and a sturdy metal tripod adapter so we'll see. I guess this was a long explanation that I started amateur astronomy with a telescope, but am using binoculars as well.
@@libEluLLah, they work well, but I did have to collimate them. It was easy. I don't remember the size of the allen wrench, but it was small. A set of metric and SAE are cheap at Harbor Freight, and will be useful for many tasks over the years. These binos are best for objects closer to the horizon (as opposed to at zenith) because getting on the ground under the tripod is challenging to an old guy like me. Getting back off the ground is more challenging, if I've been there a while. I usually have one leg either more extended or retracted than the others, so azimuth pivot isn't vertical and I'm on the low side. It makes it easier to get under for targets high in the sky. Just don't have it leaning to the point it's unstable. I prefer to not have the tripod legs completely extended, and I don't crank up the center post much. Extending everything introduces wobble because this amazon tripod is not a $150 or $200 thing, even rated at over twice the weight capacity. Plus, it's easier to be seated under the rig than to lean over for periods of time. None of that is on the binos. They work fine. Being 15s, images do move around some if hand holding, so I'd recommend a tripod, and inexpensive metal adapter. The plastic one included is pretty useless. because it wobbles under the weight of the binos. I've had some luck hand holding and stabilizing by leaning on a deck post, or corner of the house. Like other decent enough binoculars, it gets amazing images of open clusters (better than the 8" dob IMO, because it keeps entire clusters in the field of view). It's useful for just scanning the Milky Way, or spotting. It's not all that good for globulars at 15x (you could pick up a few, without much detail), and only just acquires even Andromeda galaxy- pretty much useless for smaller ones other than spotting them. I spotted Bode's with them, but no luck (for me) with Pinwheel or Whirlpool. Those are just too small and dim. The few nebulae these acquire will be faint fuzzies, but without an UHC or Olll filter, that's what even the 8" scope gets. M42 Orion Nebula will be easily visible because it's big and bright. Don't expect to see color in nebulae through these or most home sized telescopes (without stacking photo images), but you can see the amazing shape. They easily pick up color in doubles like Albireo, although again, at 15x the image won't be large. I don't know if they'd pick out Saturn's rings since I've never tried. I got great views of both Saturn and Jupiter this morning before 5am using the 8" dob with 9mm eyepiece- but that's 133x. Adding a 2x Barlow to the mix really brought them out. The 28mm doesn't get much detail at about 43x, so It's unlikely 15x would pick up anything other than maybe Jupiter's four major moons (?)... but again, I haven't tried. They offer very nice (and clear) views of the moon. I can't say I have any complaints. They're another tool to view the night sky, and at the price point I'd recommend them. ...edited to add: sorry this reply was so long. I just wanted to be thorough (and I talk a lot). Clear skies!
It's interesting, I've been stargazing for quite some time through a telescope, but now I'm looking into binoculars instead. I can see other amateur astronomers doing the same for various reasons. Mainly, I've been having trouble with my Meade AudioStar Controller. I find myself turning that off and star hopping to find DSO instead. So following that logic, if I'm finding things manually anyways, I might as well just get a good pair of binoculars that are easier to set up, transport, and operate anyways. I'm looking for a 15x70mm or better within the $150-$200 range. I will probably purchase them in the next month or so and give an update. Thanks for the video 👍
When you start viewing with two eyes it’s very hard to go back to cyclops mode. I ended up selling a Nexstar 8SE and replacing it with a 100 mm Binocular telescope from Oberwerk. Best of both words….Binoculars with interchangeable eyepieces.
@@exsuspalp5078 OP here, late reply. Going great thanks. I almost exclusively view through my Celestron 15x70mm binoculars now. There is nothing like pointing them up towards the zenith while laying back on a zero gravity chair. Literally thousands of stars easily in view.
@@AAE-cg1il OP here, that’s great. I’m really happy to hear that is working out for you. Telescopes are no doubt great, but they can be finicky and clunky to use. Binoculars are just so ergonomic and intuitive to use. Personally, I’ve found that star clusters are my favorite objects to view and binoculars happen to be perfect for them! I would like to look into a pair like you have, along with a solid tripod and mount that is strong enough for these heavier binoculars.
I'm amazed at how well my 10x50 binoculars do. Especially because I can take them to Utah dark skies so easily. The pleiedies (can't spell) are incredible.
What do you advise ppl in urban areas who look like they're creeping around? lol. One thing puts me off stargazing (especially with binocs) is if the neighbours seen me in the garden they'd probably think i'm a pervert lol. I have a lot of houses that can look into my garden. I thought about driving out to a carpark but that also seems a bit weird with binocs. I honestly think thats a big reason why ppl buy telescopes
If you’re in an urban area, binocular aren’t a good choice anyway because of the light pollution. If you can afford it, start with a Celestron Nexstar 6se (or similar), and for the first while, set it up on the street and let the neighbours and anyone else who’s passing by take a look at the Moon or whatever. They’ll quickly realize you’re an astronomer and will be used to seeing you with a telescope. I live in a row of row of houses, with neighbours on all sides. There is lots to see in the small patch of sky between the houses with a telescope, and not a whole lot that I’d be able to see with binoculars.
@@LearnToStargaze yeah i was tempted to buy an 8 inch dobsonian, i might actually skip the binocs and get this. Its looks much less suspicious too! Unless someone thinks i'm launching mortars (not a plus in northern ireland lol)
@@TheGavranatar Yes! I love my dobsonians. I have an 8 and a 12. But I find I don't use them as often because of their size. These days, I use my C8 the most at home, and a 90mm mak while traveling.
i'm here learning how to use my new binocoulars and i belly laughed out loud when you showed the pictures of you in the chair! because that is me! 1lb binoculars are HEAVY! and i can't keep still!
What a wonderful video a lot great tips. I first took some time and learn the sky with the naked eye. I can find a few dozen of constellations and asterisms. I then went to a telescope, but didn’t like the lack of the field of view. I then went to the binoculars, best thing I could have done. Thank you
For me, I have used 8x56 mm for years and even decades !! Now, I have 10/30x50 mm, which are quite good, at least til 20x. Saturn's ring observable !! And 15x 70 mm, what fantastic views of the Pleiades, the Beehive ( cancer) and Perseus double cluster. Up to about 1,000 stars can be seen in colour !! Up to Mg 5 . In a 6th mg sky ( naked eye ), you get to mg 11. ! Seeing galaxies and nebulae in great number ! Some famous double stars also show their colour ... !
@@LearnToStargaze 😀 Really like your channel. You’re entertaining and you know your stuff. Thank you for getting me hooked on astronomy. Keep up the good work! Clear skies
I live in a suburb with alot of light pollution. Would i be able to star gaze with a telescope still, or do i have to go to a place thats completely dark
I live downtown in a city. There are lots of things to see. The Moon, planets, and about half of the the 110 Messier objects are well within reach, as well as double stars, bright comets, and more.
I don't take my glasses off when using binoculars because it's too hard to cycle them on and off as I hunt for deep-sky objects, looking at the sky with my eyes to locate the object, then raising the binoculars to my eyes, and repeating this action. Having to also put on/remove my glasses slows me down enough that I lose track of where the object was.
The real reason is that a telescope is more versatile than binoculars. You can upgrade without having to buy again from scratch. So your hobby is more likely to develop and last a lifetime.
I had a friend who thought he couldn't use binoculars because he saw one circle instead of the view portrayed on TV. I thought I couldn't use them because I inherited a pair that was out of collimation. I later bought 10x50 tasco binoculars to take to a college astronomy lab class dark sky field trip. Wow I can use binoculars. This was still several years before I got the bug to start getting my own gear and decided to start with 15x70. I also stumbled across collimation in my research, and actually fixed that 7x35 pair I had inherited
Nice video, very informative. What about 15x70? I'm about to buy bresser spezial astro sf 15x70 gonna buy a tripod also. Should I go for a smaller binos? Thanks in advance!
Both have their uses. 10X50 are more useful overall, but i like x50s to see more constelations as a whole, and telescopes or giant bins to see more detail. The problem is that tripods get a while to be set up so hand helds like the 10X50 or 7X50 get more use.
I would assume small binoculars would be best for football, try 10x25 sports binoculars by Nikon. What's the BEST lens (telescope) for astronomy? Like, best ever? The Gran Telescopio Canarias is pretty cool, worth a google anyway. The BEST all round personal telescope is probably an SCT telescope, as big as you can afford.
I got some old 10X 28 Bausch and Lomb elites, for hiking, casual viewing. but, probablyI would got a 7X28mm military Fujinons next time for. 10X are to shaky and not enough field of view, also sport autofocus (individual eye focusing) can be better to following fast moving players. A 7x35 wide view also might be be great for sports.
I had one, nice lightweight and easy to use. A bit dark for stargazing but I have used it when traveling both day and night. Sold to a friend who was into hicking. I use mainly Nikon Actions Extreme 10Xr50s and Fujinon Sx 7x50 this days. And when traveling my fave birding bins this days are Leicas 10XX42s, and they get used at night too. Dreaming about a Telescope....
Agreed. The misunderstanding is that astronomy folks seem to think that people want to buy a telescope to "learn to night sky." That's simply not true. People buy telescopes to see cool stuff. For absolute beginners, this is primarily the rings of Saturn, and close-up views of the Moon.
Hahaha, a $13.99 telescope from Rite Aid pharmacy. It only worked on Saturn and the Moon but it got me hooked. I think there is a video of my using it, called “Lcross” from around 2009.
A few times per year. I don’t enjoy it much though, hard to keep the image steady. I occasionally use my friend’s image stabilized binoculars, which is always a treat, but nothing is better than the images through my Dobsonian telescope from dark skies.
Hi there, thanks for the video! Although it is 3 years ago 😂 but I will ask for an advice for my 5 years old child. What binoculars I should go for star gazing? The kids marketed binoculars are horrible and expensive. Do you think Celestron Upclose G2 can work?
Estou a pensar comprar uns Pentax Júpiter 16×50. É uma boa compra ??? Qual a sua opinião ??? Já tenho Celestron Skymaster 15×70, e também Levenhuk Sherman Base 12×50. 🤔🧐🙄🥸
I have not used Pentax binoculars, but these seem heavy enough that you may want to mount it to a tripod with one of these: www.amazon.com/BARSKA-AF10546-Binocular-Tripod-Adaptor/dp/B000BYH8EQ
@@LearnToStargaze I'm a beginner and looking to buy my first binoculars. Which will you recommend - celestron 8x40 or celestron 10x50 ? I read on the web that 8x40 gives an immersive view of the sky as it has an 8° field of view and for viewing Orion nebulae like things 10x50 is needed. Will I miss many objects if I opt for 8x40 ? Please suggest. Thanks
So our 15 yr old has been going outside to view the moon with our 10x25 binoculars that we had laying around the house. For Christmas, she wants something better. I can''t spend too much, as she has other things on her wishlist, LOL, so I was thinking of upgrading to better binoculars like 10x50, or buy the zhumell 100 telescope. We all have zero experience with astronomy and telescopes, so I was thinking the binoculars with a good book, might be a better start for learning. I have been researching for days. We are on the east coast, with some pollution. Advice??
You should see if your local Costco has the Omni AZ 102. Sometimes it’s 1/3 the price in store as it is online. 15 year olds like things a bit more high tech than the Z100, which is more for young kids. 10x50 would be an improvement though. I’m working on a binocular book, it’s with the editor, and won’t be out before Christmas, but the content is similar to 50 Things to See with a Telescope.
Thanks ! I guess my concern is I am not sure if this is temporary hobby as she just started looking at the moon a few weeks ago, and knows nothing about finding star constellations, etc...Thats why I was thinking maybe binoculars better for now. And Im sure you agree 10x25 not a great pair may not be good enough. We just had in the house from years ago. @@LearnToStargaze
@@LearnToStargaze We recently launched an exciting new product-a pair of high-performance binoculars designed for both amateur and professional use-and we believe that your channel would be an ideal platform to showcase its features and capabilities. Please let us know if you are interested in this collaboration.
@@LearnToStargaze ha, yeah I know...I would love to ditch my finance/accounting career too - just sub'd...looking forward to catching up with your stuff (I bought your 100 objects/small scope book recently too)
Does anyone know the reason the term "binoculars" is spelled with a final "s," and yet all other English words with the prefix "bi" do not? For example, "bicycle" and not "bicycles" when referring to a single bicycle. The following English words represent further evidence to me that when referring to a single "binoculars," it should be spelled as "binocular." Examples: biped, biceps, bicentennial, bifocal, etc. This question has stumped me for years. Perhaps the spelling of "binoculars" (when referencing only one pair) was misused so often that it has become the norm. Furthermore, if the current usage of "binoculars" refers to one pair, what would be the plural form when referring to two pairs? All the English dictionaries that I checked spells the term as "binoculars" and not "binocular." BTW, I enjoyed your video. I am an avid user of my binocular.
Respect for your video, but I think it's a little over complicated. Binos are not complicated at all. Telescopes are the pains but they can be fantastic. All in all I enjoyed the video though you mentioned very useful thing's .
I just got a pair of celestron 12x60 binoculars and a tripod mount...gonna start off with these guys before going up in magnification would absolutely love a pair of APM binoculars to graduate to.
My binoculars say 60x60. What does that mean? They are night vision and have coated optics. My vision is poor thus binoculars. But frankly I can't see any stars. All I can see are drones. 8mFT AT160000M. What do these numbers mean? I bought these $90 on the internet to help me stargaze. Not seeing much prob cause I'm a newbie. Help? Anyone?
Hi Sherry. 60x60 means that the binoculars magnify 60 times ( the first number) and that the objective lens in the front is 60mm in diameter. The bigger the objective lens, the more brighter the image and the more fainter you can see
That magnification needs a mount. If you are extremely nearsighted or have astigmatism, wear your glasses and fold back the eye cups so you are close enough. I hope you have solved the problem.
Yes, I've got the same problem binoculars 60X60 their magnitude is not 60 as described but just 10X and I buy it more 20$ from Aliexpress it is not good especially for astronomy
Hmm I havent had anyone call the police on me, but Ill take that into account. But if they do show up, Ill just explain im trying to see something in the nightsky.
Do not close one eye while setting the diopter. It screws your vision for a moment. Instead put a lens cap on the diopter side, adjust the focus. then swap the cap to the non diopter side and only adjust the diopter not the main focus ring.
Correct.
Yup. On point bro👍
I agree that does mess with your vision but like you mentioned just for a moment. But that’s exactly what I did with the lens cup and problem solved 👍
Yeap. Closing one eye puts strain on the other. By losing that bi-optic concept, the brain gets fooled. Something like that🧐
What if the lens caps are missing? lol
Binos for me are more effective in stargazing, night sky observation, studying constellations as well than telescopes. I have the 7x50s, 10x42 and 10x50s and very effective while i lay on my gravity or camping chair.Clear skies and great video presentation very informative!
I am completely new to stargazing but I have been surprised at how much I can see with my 8X42 binoculars, which I use for bird watching. I have seen some amazing details of craters on the moon, as well as more distant objects.
If you start with the bino you will learn faster... How the stars move, the constellations and how to star hope... The learning process with a telescope could be more expensive and slow. Some people sell their telescope because they cant find anything.
I must have found something I have 12 telescopes.
To set diopter correction with normal binoculars (or to focus binoculars which require focussing the eyepieces individually) the best method is as follows...
Look through the binoculars at a subject, close one eye and focus that eyepiece. Then open both eyes and focus the other eyepiece [with diopter correction] until the image is clear.
Interesting you use the close one eye method as stated in the video
The common methods seems to be dont close one eye but cover one lens using your hand or lens cap. Focus one lens then do the the other . cover each lens respectively each time .
Excellent video. I am a beginner and starting star gazing as a hobby at the age of 45 years, and juat ordered a celestron 7x50 binocular to start with. This video is really helpful for me.
On night while scanning the night sky with my 7x50 binoculars, I kept passing by a mysterious "Bright patch" of the sky. Later on, inside, consulting my Star Atlas, I discovered that "Bright Patch" was the Andromeda Galaxy !!!!!
Gave me a real thrill to have seen it. I was far from any Town, there was no Moon, and my eyes were fully dark adapted. Or I'd have never even saw it .
Awesome!
Can i see something like that with 10x50❓
The best video for beginners 🤩
Another reason people start with telescopes is lack of knowledge. The moon is an easy target and so are bright planets. Both are ok in a telescope and take little knowledge of the night sky. Give someone binoculars and they won't know what to look for. Sure they can see craters on the moon but a lot wouldn't even think that they could do that. What else can be seen with binoculars? Lots but you need knowledge to do so.
A telescope is a lot more fun than binoculars on a parallelogram mount?
Listen, bub; I've been using all kinds of great telescopes since 1995, but few of them are as much fun as my 25x100 binoculars on a gigantic solid oak parallelogram mount and old CGEM tripod with accompanying zero gravity chair. Like floating weightless and looking out a window into space. Utterly incredible experience.
Please post a video about that! We’d love to see it. Over 80% of North Americans live in cities, and it’s rare we ever get to see dark enough skies. When it comes to dark skies, a lot of people live vicariously through TH-cam.
@@LearnToStargazeWe just recently got some 15x70 binoculars (what we can afford right now) & are wowed by what we can see. We saw Jupiter's moons last night omg.
Going camping this weekend to a Bortle 2 & are so excited!
Great video. Getting started with 10x50 binoculars myself before I get a telescope.
I just got a pair of 10x42 binoculars hoping to upgrade to a nice telescope in the future
I have four very good telescopes anywhere from lightweight portable the one that I could barely move. my binoculars I have four very good telescopes anywhere I go these days I end up taking binoculars I've got about six or seven sets of binoculars and I find them so much more enjoyable because instead of thinking about the equipment I think about the xky
If anyone ever asks me for recommendations for their first scope I'll tell them to get 7x50 or 10x50 binos ing instead. Much better way to learn and experience the sky. Then they come in handy for spotting targets if you do decide to get a scope!
@@spamcan9208 is a 10x50 good for spotting stars in close range
@@SimplyKaleen I like the lower magnification because you get a wider field of view and the shaking isn't as bad.
For closer viewing I'd get a bigger objective lens and a tripod mount.
What a great video, thank you!
I always think monoculars are the most neglected optical aid especially if you travel a lot which I have done.Half the size of an equivalent binocular.I saw some amazing southern sky object using a 8x25 monocular from New Zealand and Australia and I couldn't have packed anything much bigger due to travelling hand luggage only(after Air France lost my hold luggage enroute from Paris to Cairo once,'never again!'i only take hand luggage!). Although I am a great fan of super wide field low power binoculars and have a pair of Helios 2.5x40 which give amazing views of the milky way, noculuicent clouds and ideal for spying Mercury just after sunset.
Just bought a pair of Celestron 20x80. Hopefully get me started
Mine has a tripod and I attached a gun red dot finder
I buy 20x50
@@exonysis8252 can u use 20x50 for ⭐star gazing?
With binoculars I can step out and do some quick observations when I get a chance. You’ll still be cooling down your scope by the time I’ve stepped back inside and made myself a cup of tea. I love my star field low magnification binos, can see so much.
Binoculars are far more versatile, when is the last time anyone took a large telescope hiking, hunting or on a safari?
The better dark sky are in beaches, deserts of mountains, and you will not have a telescope with you in most cases.
I've had a pretty decent 7x50 marine binocular for almost 20 years, but never used it for the sky. I rarely even used it the last 13 years since we moved to Colorado (just to identify new birds). While I had a cheap telescope when I was a kid, it didn't offer decent views to any of my family, so it went into a closet. Last October (2022), a friend who's moving offered an Orion 4.5EQ to my wife for $100. With views from it, I found a new hobby. I quickly also bought an Orion XT8 for more aperture, then a Celestron FirstScope 76mm for grab and dash on partly cloudy winter nights. In the meantime, I started reading and watching videos, bringing me back to binoculars. My wife likes the views of Pleiades better with binoculars over any telescope, and I understand why. The thing about my old binoculars is that over the years, something went wrong inside, and it's difficult to get the left eye to focus. I had cataract surgery last year, so both eyes are very good. As evidence, I can clearly view through the telescopes using either eye, and my wife has the same viewing issues looking through them. It's the binoculars. Views through the right eye are great (but...!). That said, she wanted to buy me a new pair for my birthday this month, and found the Celestron SkyMaster 15x70. I wasn't sold on binos that would require a tripod, but that's what she bought. They get here early next week, and I'll see how well they work. I ordered a camera tripod rated for about three times it's weight, and a sturdy metal tripod adapter so we'll see. I guess this was a long explanation that I started amateur astronomy with a telescope, but am using binoculars as well.
Thanks for sharing!
dynamite deal, dynamite wife.
how are they?
@@libEluLLah, they work well, but I did have to collimate them. It was easy. I don't remember the size of the allen wrench, but it was small. A set of metric and SAE are cheap at Harbor Freight, and will be useful for many tasks over the years. These binos are best for objects closer to the horizon (as opposed to at zenith) because getting on the ground under the tripod is challenging to an old guy like me. Getting back off the ground is more challenging, if I've been there a while. I usually have one leg either more extended or retracted than the others, so azimuth pivot isn't vertical and I'm on the low side. It makes it easier to get under for targets high in the sky. Just don't have it leaning to the point it's unstable. I prefer to not have the tripod legs completely extended, and I don't crank up the center post much. Extending everything introduces wobble because this amazon tripod is not a $150 or $200 thing, even rated at over twice the weight capacity. Plus, it's easier to be seated under the rig than to lean over for periods of time. None of that is on the binos. They work fine. Being 15s, images do move around some if hand holding, so I'd recommend a tripod, and inexpensive metal adapter. The plastic one included is pretty useless. because it wobbles under the weight of the binos. I've had some luck hand holding and stabilizing by leaning on a deck post, or corner of the house. Like other decent enough binoculars, it gets amazing images of open clusters (better than the 8" dob IMO, because it keeps entire clusters in the field of view). It's useful for just scanning the Milky Way, or spotting. It's not all that good for globulars at 15x (you could pick up a few, without much detail), and only just acquires even Andromeda galaxy- pretty much useless for smaller ones other than spotting them. I spotted Bode's with them, but no luck (for me) with Pinwheel or Whirlpool. Those are just too small and dim. The few nebulae these acquire will be faint fuzzies, but without an UHC or Olll filter, that's what even the 8" scope gets. M42 Orion Nebula will be easily visible because it's big and bright. Don't expect to see color in nebulae through these or most home sized telescopes (without stacking photo images), but you can see the amazing shape. They easily pick up color in doubles like Albireo, although again, at 15x the image won't be large. I don't know if they'd pick out Saturn's rings since I've never tried. I got great views of both Saturn and Jupiter this morning before 5am using the 8" dob with 9mm eyepiece- but that's 133x. Adding a 2x Barlow to the mix really brought them out. The 28mm doesn't get much detail at about 43x, so It's unlikely 15x would pick up anything other than maybe Jupiter's four major moons (?)... but again, I haven't tried. They offer very nice (and clear) views of the moon. I can't say I have any complaints. They're another tool to view the night sky, and at the price point I'd recommend them. ...edited to add: sorry this reply was so long. I just wanted to be thorough (and I talk a lot). Clear skies!
@@petset77 this reply was amazing, thank you for writing such a long and elaborate answer!
It's interesting, I've been stargazing for quite some time through a telescope, but now I'm looking into binoculars instead. I can see other amateur astronomers doing the same for various reasons. Mainly, I've been having trouble with my Meade AudioStar Controller. I find myself turning that off and star hopping to find DSO instead. So following that logic, if I'm finding things manually anyways, I might as well just get a good pair of binoculars that are easier to set up, transport, and operate anyways. I'm looking for a 15x70mm or better within the $150-$200 range. I will probably purchase them in the next month or so and give an update. Thanks for the video 👍
How’d it go?
When you start viewing with two eyes it’s very hard to go back to cyclops mode. I ended up selling a Nexstar 8SE and replacing it with a 100 mm Binocular telescope from Oberwerk. Best of both words….Binoculars with interchangeable eyepieces.
@@exsuspalp5078 OP here, late reply. Going great thanks. I almost exclusively view through my Celestron 15x70mm binoculars now. There is nothing like pointing them up towards the zenith while laying back on a zero gravity chair. Literally thousands of stars easily in view.
@@AAE-cg1il OP here, that’s great. I’m really happy to hear that is working out for you. Telescopes are no doubt great, but they can be finicky and clunky to use. Binoculars are just so ergonomic and intuitive to use. Personally, I’ve found that star clusters are my favorite objects to view and binoculars happen to be perfect for them! I would like to look into a pair like you have, along with a solid tripod and mount that is strong enough for these heavier binoculars.
Can I use 10x50 binoculars for stargazing
Absolutely! I personally started with a 7x50 and it works great to see lots of stuff! Go for it! Clean skies 🌌
They are perfect for that job. Get ones with a tripod adapter. They can be used handheld but a tripod can be used to share views.
I'm amazed at how well my 10x50 binoculars do. Especially because I can take them to Utah dark skies so easily. The pleiedies (can't spell) are incredible.
Have you tried the alpha persied cluster to the left of the Pleiades? It’s like the Pleiades supercharged in binoculars!
@@LearnToStargaze I will give it a try on the next clear night!
What brand u have ❓
@@vanrajsindha9918 Bushnell. I got them for wildlife before I got Into astronomy
What do you advise ppl in urban areas who look like they're creeping around? lol. One thing puts me off stargazing (especially with binocs) is if the neighbours seen me in the garden they'd probably think i'm a pervert lol. I have a lot of houses that can look into my garden.
I thought about driving out to a carpark but that also seems a bit weird with binocs. I honestly think thats a big reason why ppl buy telescopes
If you’re in an urban area, binocular aren’t a good choice anyway because of the light pollution. If you can afford it, start with a Celestron Nexstar 6se (or similar), and for the first while, set it up on the street and let the neighbours and anyone else who’s passing by take a look at the Moon or whatever. They’ll quickly realize you’re an astronomer and will be used to seeing you with a telescope. I live in a row of row of houses, with neighbours on all sides. There is lots to see in the small patch of sky between the houses with a telescope, and not a whole lot that I’d be able to see with binoculars.
@@LearnToStargaze yeah i was tempted to buy an 8 inch dobsonian, i might actually skip the binocs and get this. Its looks much less suspicious too! Unless someone thinks i'm launching mortars (not a plus in northern ireland lol)
@@TheGavranatar Yes! I love my dobsonians. I have an 8 and a 12. But I find I don't use them as often because of their size. These days, I use my C8 the most at home, and a 90mm mak while traveling.
i'm here learning how to use my new binocoulars and i belly laughed out loud when you showed the pictures of you in the chair! because that is me! 1lb binoculars are HEAVY! and i can't keep still!
What a wonderful video a lot great tips. I first took some time and learn the sky with the naked eye. I can find a few dozen of constellations and asterisms. I then went to a telescope, but didn’t like the lack of the field of view. I then went to the binoculars, best thing I could have done.
Thank you
‘If you stand on the corner of the sidewalk with your binoculars to see m22 someone’s gonna call the cops’ 😂😂😂😂💀
is it Against the law to do that ? What will they say to cops?
It's so good tbh
Will have to break out the Leica 8X42 BN's now
Leicas are great.
For me, I have used 8x56 mm for years and even decades !!
Now, I have 10/30x50 mm, which are quite good, at least til 20x.
Saturn's ring observable !!
And 15x 70 mm, what fantastic views of the Pleiades, the Beehive ( cancer) and Perseus double cluster.
Up to about 1,000 stars can be seen in colour !! Up to Mg 5 .
In a 6th mg sky ( naked eye ), you get to mg 11. !
Seeing galaxies and nebulae in great number !
Some famous double stars also show their colour ... !
Yes! Galaxies easily pop into my 10/20x50 at about 15x in Bortle 1 skies. I have a book about this coming out soon.
*Guy takes off glasses*
Me: Huh ... Well I’ll be ... John Cusack is a stargazer!
I'll take it! Usually I get Wil Wheaton.
@@LearnToStargaze 😀 Really like your channel. You’re entertaining and you know your stuff. Thank you for getting me hooked on astronomy. Keep up the good work!
Clear skies
@@Jakke101 Thanks for the wonderful feedback!
I live in a suburb with alot of light pollution. Would i be able to star gaze with a telescope still, or do i have to go to a place thats completely dark
I live downtown in a city. There are lots of things to see. The Moon, planets, and about half of the the 110 Messier objects are well within reach, as well as double stars, bright comets, and more.
Currently using celestron skymaster 25x100 binoculars on a decent tripod
how are they?
I could not make it all the way through this otherwise great video because of that music playing in a loop.
Yeah, I need to remake this one.
I don't take my glasses off when using binoculars because it's too hard to cycle them on and off as I hunt for deep-sky objects, looking at the sky with my eyes to locate the object, then raising the binoculars to my eyes, and repeating this action. Having to also put on/remove my glasses slows me down enough that I lose track of where the object was.
The real reason is that a telescope is more versatile than binoculars. You can upgrade without having to buy again from scratch. So your hobby is more likely to develop and last a lifetime.
I had a friend who thought he couldn't use binoculars because he saw one circle instead of the view portrayed on TV.
I thought I couldn't use them because I inherited a pair that was out of collimation. I later bought 10x50 tasco binoculars to take to a college astronomy lab class dark sky field trip. Wow I can use binoculars. This was still several years before I got the bug to start getting my own gear and decided to start with 15x70. I also stumbled across collimation in my research, and actually fixed that 7x35 pair I had inherited
"I had a friend who thought he couldn't use binoculars because he saw one circle instead of the view portrayed on TV."
😂🤣😂
I’m using a 15x70 sky master
How do you like them? Cuz im about to buy a pair of 15x70 but Bresser
@@bojidardimitrov4361 ?
@@bojidardimitrov4361 they pretty good for a starter like to see the moon or bird or other stuff
@@0lv1nTorres wot bout Orion nebula?
Nice video, very informative.
What about 15x70? I'm about to buy bresser spezial astro sf 15x70 gonna buy a tripod also. Should I go for a smaller binos? Thanks in advance!
Both have their uses. 10X50 are more useful overall, but i like x50s to see more constelations as a whole, and telescopes or giant bins to see more detail. The problem is that tripods get a while to be set up so hand helds like the 10X50 or 7X50 get more use.
1:21
Good video and good book! Recently purchased your book, John. 👍
What's a diopter?
Is a wheel around the oculars to focus the lenses.
Are binoculars use less if you already own a telescope???
Are feet useless if you own a car?
What are the best lens for regular viewing like a football match ? And what are the best lens for Astronomy?
I would assume small binoculars would be best for football, try 10x25 sports binoculars by Nikon. What's the BEST lens (telescope) for astronomy? Like, best ever? The Gran Telescopio Canarias is pretty cool, worth a google anyway. The BEST all round personal telescope is probably an SCT telescope, as big as you can afford.
I got some old 10X 28 Bausch and Lomb elites, for hiking, casual viewing. but, probablyI would got a 7X28mm military Fujinons next time for. 10X are to shaky and not enough field of view, also sport autofocus (individual eye focusing) can be better to following fast moving players. A 7x35 wide view also might be be great for sports.
Thinking of it, a good 7x35 (like the Nikon AE) or 8x42 (lots of choises) could be good for both jobs.
I have a binocular, it's a Nikon prostaff p511 "8×42 6.3" is this a good binoculars?
Yes, nice and easy to use.
I had one, nice lightweight and easy to use. A bit dark for stargazing but I have used it when traveling both day and night. Sold to a friend who was into hicking. I use mainly Nikon Actions Extreme 10Xr50s and Fujinon Sx 7x50 this days. And when traveling my fave birding bins this days are Leicas 10XX42s, and they get used at night too. Dreaming about a Telescope....
I've always thought recommending binoculars when someone asks about telescopes is like recommending bicycles when someone asks about motorcycles.
Agreed. The misunderstanding is that astronomy folks seem to think that people want to buy a telescope to "learn to night sky." That's simply not true. People buy telescopes to see cool stuff. For absolute beginners, this is primarily the rings of Saturn, and close-up views of the Moon.
John, what was your first telescope??
Hahaha, a $13.99 telescope from Rite Aid pharmacy. It only worked on Saturn and the Moon but it got me hooked. I think there is a video of my using it, called “Lcross” from around 2009.
@@LearnToStargaze Well I guess it did its job getting you interested. What was your first real telescope? ine was a 10 inch Zhumell dob.
@@lornaz1975 12 inch Zhummel Dob :-)
@@LearnToStargaze You got me by two inches. I have often wondered if I should have gone with the 12.
0:26 woah, that light pollyted and you can cleary see the milky way?
It’s not light polluted. Those were 3 houses. And the image was a long exposure.
I just brought some Simmons Prosport 10x50 hoping to see something cool
Do you still use binoculars for astronomy
A few times per year. I don’t enjoy it much though, hard to keep the image steady. I occasionally use my friend’s image stabilized binoculars, which is always a treat, but nothing is better than the images through my Dobsonian telescope from dark skies.
Hi there, thanks for the video! Although it is 3 years ago 😂 but I will ask for an advice for my 5 years old child.
What binoculars I should go for star gazing?
The kids marketed binoculars are horrible and expensive.
Do you think Celestron Upclose G2 can work?
I’m not even sure my 10 year old is mature enough to Stargaze with binoculars. My two older kids like the Z100 (Orion Skyscanner 100mm).
Estou a pensar comprar uns Pentax Júpiter 16×50. É uma boa compra ??? Qual a sua opinião ??? Já tenho Celestron Skymaster 15×70, e também Levenhuk Sherman Base 12×50. 🤔🧐🙄🥸
I have not used Pentax binoculars, but these seem heavy enough that you may want to mount it to a tripod with one of these: www.amazon.com/BARSKA-AF10546-Binocular-Tripod-Adaptor/dp/B000BYH8EQ
Great video thankyou very much!
bro, minutes into the video and all we have is your biography!!!!!
Is 8x21 ok for star gazing? I see stars but bigger :)
Stars should appear as points of light. Not large splotches. I prefer 7x50s.
@@LearnToStargaze ohhh ok thanks I thought I was doing something wrong.
@@LearnToStargaze How about 10*50?
It would able to see jupiter's moon, wouldn't it?
@@kugelblitz-zx9un Yes but in my opinion they look best with a telescope.
@@LearnToStargaze I'm a beginner and looking to buy my first binoculars. Which will you recommend - celestron 8x40 or celestron 10x50 ? I read on the web that 8x40 gives an immersive view of the sky as it has an 8° field of view and for viewing Orion nebulae like things 10x50 is needed. Will I miss many objects if I opt for 8x40 ? Please suggest. Thanks
So our 15 yr old has been going outside to view the moon with our 10x25 binoculars that we had laying around the house. For Christmas, she wants something better. I can''t spend too much, as she has other things on her wishlist, LOL, so I was thinking of upgrading to better binoculars like 10x50, or buy the zhumell 100 telescope. We all have zero experience with astronomy and telescopes, so I was thinking the binoculars with a good book, might be a better start for learning. I have been researching for days. We are on the east coast, with some pollution. Advice??
You should see if your local Costco has the Omni AZ 102. Sometimes it’s 1/3 the price in store as it is online. 15 year olds like things a bit more high tech than the Z100, which is more for young kids. 10x50 would be an improvement though. I’m working on a binocular book, it’s with the editor, and won’t be out before Christmas, but the content is similar to 50 Things to See with a Telescope.
Thank you !
Thanks ! I guess my concern is I am not sure if this is temporary hobby as she just started looking at the moon a few weeks ago, and knows nothing about finding star constellations, etc...Thats why I was thinking maybe binoculars better for now. And Im sure you agree 10x25 not a great pair may not be good enough. We just had in the house from years ago. @@LearnToStargaze
Hi, would you be interested in testing a binocular?
I don't understand the question.
@@LearnToStargaze We recently launched an exciting new product-a pair of high-performance binoculars designed for both amateur and professional use-and we believe that your channel would be an ideal platform to showcase its features and capabilities.
Please let us know if you are interested in this collaboration.
@@AOTRUTII If they are image stabilizing, let me know.
lol - why would you want to give up finance and accounting ???? (coming from a finance/accounting guy, btw)
Because astrophysics!
@@LearnToStargaze ha, yeah I know...I would love to ditch my finance/accounting career too - just sub'd...looking forward to catching up with your stuff (I bought your 100 objects/small scope book recently too)
#4 Binoculars don't have a GoTo mount, my Telescope does.
(But I did Just order 10 x 50 Binoculars, for the Ultimate in Grab And Go viewing)
Does anyone know the reason the term "binoculars" is spelled with a final "s," and yet all other English words with the prefix "bi" do not? For example, "bicycle" and not "bicycles" when referring to a single bicycle. The following English words represent further evidence to me that when referring to a single "binoculars," it should be spelled as "binocular." Examples: biped, biceps, bicentennial, bifocal, etc. This question has stumped me for years. Perhaps the spelling of "binoculars" (when referencing only one pair) was misused so often that it has become the norm. Furthermore, if the current usage of "binoculars" refers to one pair, what would be the plural form when referring to two pairs? All the English dictionaries that I checked spells the term as "binoculars" and not "binocular." BTW, I enjoyed your video. I am an avid user of my binocular.
Respect for your video, but I think it's a little over complicated. Binos are not complicated at all. Telescopes are the pains but they can be fantastic. All in all I enjoyed the video though you mentioned very useful thing's .
I just got a pair of celestron 12x60 binoculars and a tripod mount...gonna start off with these guys before going up in magnification would absolutely love a pair of APM binoculars to graduate to.
Update? What have you been able to see?
@@CaptainYellow2085 he's dead
thank you
💖💖💖💖 lovely 🎁🎁🎁
My binoculars say 60x60. What does that mean? They are night vision and have coated optics. My vision is poor thus binoculars. But frankly I can't see any stars. All I can see are drones. 8mFT AT160000M. What do these numbers mean? I bought these $90 on the internet to help me stargaze. Not seeing much prob cause I'm a newbie. Help? Anyone?
Hi Sherry. 60x60 means that the binoculars magnify 60 times ( the first number) and that the objective lens in the front is 60mm in diameter. The bigger the objective lens, the more brighter the image and the more fainter you can see
That magnification needs a mount. If you are extremely nearsighted or have astigmatism, wear your glasses and fold back the eye cups so you are close enough. I hope you have solved the problem.
Yes, I've got the same problem binoculars 60X60 their magnitude is not 60 as described but just 10X and I buy it more 20$ from Aliexpress it is not good especially for astronomy
Or if your like me use s regular tripod that I have for photography, no need to spend a bundle on a tripod with counterweight.
Which one is better for stargazing..? Nikon aculon a211 7×50 or celestron cometron 7×50 or some other 10 x50 binoculars...?
I like less magnification. I have not used the Nikon or the Cometron, but my guess is that the Nikon would be higher quality (and more expensive).
What did you buy?
I don’t have a telescope I wish I had one
A little rushed and maybe not quite concise but I made it most of the way through.
YOU CAN STAR GAZE WITHOUT BINO'S AT HOLLYWOOD & VINE, OR SO I'M TOLD ??
Tell us more about where you can stargaze!
Use a microphone to improve your voice
Cool vid,but your sound is too low. Gonna give it a like anyways
Thanks, this is really helpful!
Even using a tripod, the shaking is unbearable to me (25x70 celestron)
Have you tried hanging a grocery bag with rocks in it from the tripod?
3 years past huh
I find my arms still getting tired or achey onna lawn chair and im laid comfortably but still lol
Hmm I havent had anyone call the police on me, but Ill take that into account. But if they do show up, Ill just explain im trying to see something in the nightsky.
👍👍👍👍
Simple telescope sees more . Planets esp . Showpieces
True.
Darkened skies 😍 💖
I want to be your 1k sub
Now's your change, we're at 999 :-)
Too much talking about....
Yeah, that’s what my wife says.