what binoculars are recommended for astronomy (planet-watching)?

Question

They need to be powerful enough that I can see planets and Jupiter's big 4 moons. any suggestions of a brand/make/model/spec? ideally i want them to be fairly lightweight, available from argos or similar and not too expensive. will I be able to see enough to tell a planet from a star, e.g. a clear disc.? (obviously I don't expect to be able to see mega-detail like red spot on Jupiter or Olympus Mons on Mars)

Answer 1

For astronomy, you want to get the largest objective lenses you can comfortably handle. Larger objectives let in more light and so will show you fainter stars and other things. For hand-held use, something in the 40 to 50mm range usually works best. Avoid binoculars with "ruby" or other heavy coatings; they dim the light. You will see more with any binocular if you mount it on a tripod or stand, but beyond about 10x some kind of mount or stabilization is essential for a clear view. In a reclining position, you may be able to use binoculars as big as 16x70 by stabilizing them against your eye sockets.

You should be able to see the four moons of Jupiter even at 7x. It takes around 30x or so to make out the rings of Saturn, though you may note an oval shape at lower powers.

Answer 2

I use binocs as a spotter scope. I live close to a pretty dark area, so I go out with my telescope and just some cheapy binoculars I got for about $40. They work fine to find the planets, I can see four moons of Jupiter (just as stars around a disk) and most importantly, I can use them to find the "fuzzies" of nebulae and galaxies. Basically, I can't see any detail, I just look for stars that are fuzzy to hone in on with the telescope. It's been the best investment for improving my sky gazing since the telescope itself. Mine are from Bushnell, but Celestron makes good ones as well.

Answer 3

7x50 are the best for that. This is the type of binoculars the military is using (including when needed at night) but they are great for general astronomical observation as well. They are relatively light, magnification is good and aperture is great for your task (the bigger the aperture the more light they collect, the crispier the image you get). And they are mainstream, so you'll be able to find this type of binoculars among several known brands. Try eBay, you can get a brand-new pair for 10 to 15 pounds (plus p&p). Good luck!

Answer 4

Hi. A large objective lens, like 50 mm or more, and a moderate magnification like 10 to 15 power. If you have a tripod you can use even larger objective lenses and higher power because 'shake' is minimized. The best optics are not cheap. Good luck! http://www.uvaa.org/BinocularResources.htm

Answer 5

These might do the trick:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00008Y0VN/ref=nosim/203-9338484-3266364?tag=jdcouk-astro-21&linkCode=sb1&camp=2378&creative=8430
(£70)..... though you'll also need a tripod to hold the damn things steady enough to be actually able to see something, like this one http://www.telescopehouse.co.uk/page.aspx?pointerid=2BD66EC0E13C4123990448DC72BE56C5&thelang=001lngdef

But as I noticed someone else saying, Binoculars ain't all that good for planet watching (except for this one we're already standing on)..... all I ever saw of Jupiter in my 10x50's was like a big star with 4 little stars round it.... so I'd suggest a telescope like this one:
http://www.telescopehouse.co.uk/page.aspx?theLang=001lngdef&pointerid=CD358BCF63584ACFA7E11025C65D565E&action=lnk (£389 for the 8")
Or this
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000051TN3/ref=nosim/203-9338484-3266364?tag=jdcouk-astro-21&linkCode=sb1&camp=2378&creative=8430 (£119)

Answer 6

The above answers are good, but binoculars are really not the right tool for planets. Use them for clusters, galaxies and nebulae. For planets you need a real telescope.

Answer 7

I don't know if they sill make them, but I have a pair of Celestron 10 x 70's that were only a little over a hundred bucks. Don't forget to get a tripod also.

Answer 8

the factor in chosing the binoculars will be the size of the object glass.the larger they are the more light will enter to be magnified by the eye pieces.
in short the largest pair possible.