Best Binoculars for Astronomy, Stargazing & Skywatching

Have you really made up your mind to get a pair of binoculars for the upcoming astronomy tour and skywalk? Great!

To ensure that your binoculars serve you well when you’re wanting to look up at the night sky, every little feature that contributes to the quality and experience has been explained in the following buying guide.

So while researching for the best binoculars for astronomy you can always choose the right specifications according to your needs.

Best Binoculars For Astronomy Magnification Power 

The number with x (e.g. 10x) written on the binoculars defines the magnification power which tells the object in focus will be magnified 10 times once viewed through the binocular.

The magnification factor is an important aspect but its ideal range depends upon the purpose of its usage. Though magnification is not the only thing you should consider.

The larger the number with x, the higher the magnification power. Binoculars with higher magnification not only bring objects closer but also a higher resolution for clearer image details.

Those who love watching celestial objects that are far away, then go for the high power, high magnification binoculars.

Keep in mind high magnification needs steady hands to experience the best results, hence if going for high magnification for viewing the rings of Jupiter or the Orion nebula, invest in good tripods to have stress-free and burdenless sessions.

Objective Lens Diameter

The number that appears after “x” on the binocular tells the aperture of the objective lenses. The diameter of the outer lens i.e. the objective lens is measured in mm and it is the same as the size of the aperture. For example, in a 10×42 binocular the 42 mm is the diameter of the objective lens.

Higher the diameter of the objective lens higher the image quality. As the wide objective lens has an expanded area, a large number of light rays can enter the device hence illuminating the field and contributing to an enhanced quality image.

If you want bright and sharper images even in low-light situations, binoculars with a large objective lens diameter are the best option.

Field of View

The field of view ( FOV) of a binocular is the area that is viewable from the eyepiece of your binoculars. Binoculars state FOV in two different ways:

1) In terms of feet or meters per at 1000yards, say, 373 ft. @ 1,000 yards. 2) in terms of angle of view (AOV). say, 4.4°.

With a wide field of view, binocular can cover a larger area. This is a much-appreciated feature for hunters and gamer watchers, as with a wide field of view, it’s easy to observe fast-moving objects.

Magnification power and field of view are inversely proportional to each other. Higher magnification means a small area will be covered by the binoculars.

If you are interested in having a magnified image of highly faraway objects such as celestial objects then you must get binoculars with a higher magnification factor.  Choose a wider field of view over higher magnification power in case you are going for the relatively closer objects.

Lens Coating

The coating of the lens ensures improved contrast and image sharpness by reduced reflections. Single coated to multiple coated and then to the fully multicoated technologies exists.

For outstanding performance choose binoculars with FMC- Fully multi-coated lenses, that coat all the lenses with anti-reflection compounds for zero loss of light.

Prism

There are two types of prisms: a Porro prism and a Roof Prism. Their task is to manipulate entering light, increasing magnification.

Porro prisms are the most effective for astronomy, cheap, producing highly visible sharp images with better contrast.
While the compact size of most of the high-end binoculars is because of the roof prisms being utilized in their construction.

Eye Relief

Eye relief is the most important factor for eyeglass wearers. As eye relief is the distance between the focused image and the eyepiece of the binoculars.

Eye wearers always look for either long eye relief or adjustable eyecups. Stargazers would be using binoculars for a longer period of time hence enough eye relief is important to experience high quality and clear images.

15 mm or above is an appropriate eye relief distance. Anything less than 15 mm would strain the eye muscles while viewing images from a binocular.

Focus and Eyepiece Adjustment

Handheld devices tend to go out of focus very quickly due to the shake and jerks. The Focus system is much more important as you don’t want blurry images.

The central focus knob controls both eyepieces while the diopter knob adjusts the differences between your eyes. The most user-friendly binoculars include built-in stabilizers that can handle every unexpected focusing issue.

Build Quality

Matters a lot as binoculars are supposed to be used outdoors in mild or severe weather conditions. Fog-proof, waterproof, and shockproof binoculars tend to have a high-quality build with metal and rubber. Such binoculars keep the internal optics intact even in the most rugged situations.

Size and Weight

The non-neglectable factor is the weight of your new gear. Every material involved in the construction of a pair of binoculars, exterior or interior adds to the final weight of the product.

Heavyweight binoculars can easily strain the arms and eventually, you will need a tripod stand for longer activities. While lightweight binoculars are more portable, easy to carry around, providing a quick view without waiting to set them up on the tripod stand.

Cost

With all the new technologies coming in every day, the competitors are more inclined towards manufacturing quality products at really affordable prices. While going for inexpensive binoculars you definitely need to compromise at a few points.

In any case, low-priced binoculars cannot beat the quality and results of high-priced binoculars. Getting pricey optics would never dishearten you as they survive for years and years, generations after generations If taken care of and maintained properly.

Whenever going for high-tag binoculars go with the companies offering a warranty, to secure your investment.