Best Binoculars for Stargazing & Astronomy (Overall, Budget, and Most Powerful Picks)

[@skiesandscopes]

You can also read the article with more detail here 🙂>> skiesandscopes.com/astronomy-binoculars/

[@AmericanMastodon2.0]

Hi, skies, I bought a 20x70 mini binocular from ebay. But I noticed that it has double visions. I looked for a binocular repairer in my area but nothing. What do I do with it?

[@skiesandscopes]

@@AmericanMastodon2.0 Hi, i'm sorry I don't really have any expertise here. Maybe search around on KZbin for "how to repair binoculars" and see if there are any tutorials you can follow. Good luck!

[@AmericanMastodon2.0]

@@skiesandscopes Thanks

[@skiesandscopes]

@@AmericanMastodon2.0 you're welcome. all the best

[@markwilkinson4316]

Note the 20 X 80s are rather heavy, so the tripod needs to be of a sturdy construction. I have several photographic tripods that I've tried, but found the binocular mount moves about the rubber / plastic mating surface of the tripod. Also the portrait / landscape flip hinges move enough during operation & ruin any stability. Have ended up buying the Celestron Trail Seeker fluid Pan tripod specifically for it, & it seems to provide a more stable platform. The Celestron 20 X 80 Bin's have got me back into astronomy again, & are ideal for those of us who need a quick, mobile, "Go to" solution that allows us to get away from our limited view & light polluted home locations.

[@skiesandscopes]

Thanks Mark, great comment!

[@dark_antihero]

Thanks for the recommendations. I've seen so many astronomy binocular reviews and recommendations but yours is the most straight forwards

[@skiesandscopes]

Thanks man! 🙂

[@lynzistringer]

Just found your channel! Instant sub. I’ve been looking for a good telescope but only today did it dawn on me that I should also look into binoculars. I really just want to see Saturn with my own eyes. I know it probably seems silly to make such a purchase JUST to see Saturn, but… I don’t care. I want to see Saturn 😂

[@skiesandscopes]

Thanks for the kind words - I hope you see Saturn soon!

[@lynzistringer]

@ thank you!!

[@davidaaaa4611]

I tried my 25 x 70 on a heavy duty tripod and it was difficult for me to use. I switched to a small telescope and it was so much easier to find deep sky objects. Thanks for the video.

[@skiesandscopes]

That's cool. What sort of telescope was it?

[@davidaaaa4611]

@@skiesandscopes An 80mm Stellarvue. But sometimes I use a C5 Celestron on that tripod.

[@davidaaaa4611]

I have a pair of Celestron 15 x 70 I keep in my Tahoe to view barges and boats at the river. The 15 x 70 are great.i would not sell them for 5 times what I paid for them.

[@skiesandscopes]

@@davidaaaa4611 Nice!

[@skiesandscopes]

@@davidaaaa4611 Some good telescopes/spotting scopes 🙂

[@GrnXnham]

I've been using binoculars for astronomy for several decades now. My favorites right now are my Orion 20x80 ED binos. They must be mounted to get a steady view but they are not so large that they need a huge expensive mount to hold them. I have them on an old Bogen 3040 tripod with the Manfrotto 502 video head. This keeps them steady. One alternative that I like are my 12x50 ED Oberwerk binos. I lay back on a zero gravity chair and scan the sky.

[@skiesandscopes]

Thanks - it's a shame that Orion went bust. Great input re tripods and chairs!

[@rakitakhan]

I need to get one of those chairs !

[@skiesandscopes]

@@rakitakhan Yeah, sounds like a great solution over a tripod

[@kleedhamhobby]

A couple of comments / corrections. The Skymaster Pro ED binoculars do NOT 'remove' chromatic aberration - they reduce it, but, from all I have seen, they still show substantial chromatic aberration, especially on bright targets such as the moon. Secondly, I have seen a lot of complaints of collimation errors with the larger Celestron binoculars - that's a quality control issue, but it is a serious one, as there is no real way to recollimate the sealed binoculars, so if you get a pair with bad collimation, all you can do is return them.

[@skiesandscopes]

Thanks, that's really useful

[@gregorymckenna6609]

Great advice. You covered it all.

[@skiesandscopes]

Thanks!

[@СергейЖуков-с7ю]

For astronomical observations I have Bresser Spezial Astro 25x70 binoculars.

[@rakitakhan]

I have the Celestron 15x70's and a pair of Pentax 10x50 PCF III's. The view is great with both but I prefer the 10x50's and use them more often. The Celestrons require a tripod and that's a pain when I'm in a hurry to get out. Great video ! Sorry to be critical, but it's 7 BY 50 or 20 BY 80, not times. It's not a multiplier.

[@skiesandscopes]

Yes, smaller grab-and-go options can be really convenient. And you're totally right about the naming convention, that's just how I have it in my head!

[@marccarroll2803]

Brilliant!! Thansk for this !!

[@skiesandscopes]

You're welcome!

[@tschieding]

I have been using a pair of 11X50 binoculars from Orion. They're called "Little Giant II". A big step up from 10X50 binos, but still light enough to be hand-held. You can, of course; mount them on a tripod, but as you mentioned, that can be awkward for observing things high up. I am currently using them to monitor the variations in brightness of Delta Cephei. The field of view is wide enough to encompass the variable star and its two comparison stars. Perfect!.

[@skiesandscopes]

Sounds awesome! 😊

[@in_10z]

Great review but there are so many horrible reviews on Celestron's site about the quality of the binoculars. It's scary. Any other manufacturers you can recommend?

[@skiesandscopes]

Really? Celestron binoculars are generally pretty well rated and, I think, provide a good value. The Pro/Pro ED ranges are higher quality at a higher price. There are other good binocular brands - Fujinon, Explore Scientific, APM, Leica, Swarovski, Omegon, Canon, Nikon, Oberwerk, Barksa - many of these are more premium (i.e. expensive) and not necessarily designed with astronomy in mind. Cheers!

[@duthegee]

I tried the Celestron 25x70 but the eye relief on that thing is horrible. People with glasses won't be able to use it. Does the 20x80 also suffer from the common collimation issue? Is the 20x80 much better quality or the same?

[@skiesandscopes]

Eye relief is 13mm on the 25x70 and 18mm on the 20x80 - so the 20x80 would be better for glasses wearers 🙂 Not aware of any collimation issues on the 20x80s...

[@RR-vg5hg]

The best video for beginners thanks very much

[@skiesandscopes]

Thank you so much!

[@FineasStan]

Whats the most important feature of a telescope to prioritise if you want to mainly view the moon?

[@skiesandscopes]

Hi, it depends on how close in you want to get. If you want to view the different craters and seas close up then a big dobsonian or a Celestron SCT with high focal length are probably best. Does that help? Cheers

[@FineasStan]

@ Thanks for the quick response. So in terms of binoculars should I prioritise aperture or magnification?

[@skiesandscopes]

@FineasStan If solely for viewing the moon, then magnification is more important. Something like 25x70 would be good 🙂

[@FineasStan]

@ Thanks so much just bought the 25x70 sky master😁

[@skiesandscopes]

@FineasStan Great! Let us know how they work out for you. Good luck

[@Lurch_P4radox5]

can a 7 or 8 x 50 good to view saturn and jupiter? and what attachment can one buy to use such binocular to photograph the moon, saturn and jupiter? an online auction of Orion/meade and coronado will be held on the 9th of January 2025, is star blaster table top mode a good one?

[@skiesandscopes]

7 or 8 x 50 will be more for handheld stargazing and not really enough for viewing the planets. You'd need something like 20x80 at a minimum. You can buy a smartphone adapter for binoculars for photography. Celestron have good models but there are plenty of other options on Amazon or at astronomy retailers.

[@Lurch_P4radox5]

@@skiesandscopes thanks, on a binocular, no need to put any extender or extra eye piece right? just the phone adapter? will star blaster be good enough ? dobsonian or equatorial ? thanks again . spotting scope is for bird right ?

[@skiesandscopes]

@@Lurch_P4radox5 No need for extra eyepieces on astronomy binoculars. I think the Orion Starblast was a good telescope - the higher the aperture the better it will be. Dobsonian mount will be easier to use, equatorial mounts are harder to use but more tailored for advanced astrophotography. Spotting Scopes are basically telescopes for terrestrial use, like bird-watching etc, but can be used for astronomy. Hope that helps!

[@demej00]

Hard to see objects high in the sky without a dedicated binocular tripod. You really need binocs with 90 degree diagonals - like a telescope. I love my Canon IS 10x30s.

[@skiesandscopes]

That's interesting. You use those for astronomy?

[@demej00]

@@skiesandscopes Yes, I did. I could make out the moons of Jupiter easily - the IS combined with excellent glass. Unfortunately I don't have access to them anymore - I own them but they are far, far away.

[@e4ff00]

Good video 👍 Question, what if you invest that money in a Dobsonian telescope for 350-500€ instead on expensive binoculars? Spending more than 150€ on binoculars I think it is a waste of money for the performance you get.

[@skiesandscopes]

There's pros and cons to each. As you say, you'd have much better astronomy capabilities with a 6 or 8-inch dobsonian, but the main downside is the size as not everyone has space for a big telescope. With binoculars they are obviously much smaller and easier to "grab-and-go" and store when not in use, plus for beginners you don't have to think about eyepieces etc. Cheers!

[@e4ff00]

​@skiesandscopes True. Personally I still cannot make up my mind if I go with binoculars or dobsonian telescope. If I get binoculars, shortly after I know, I will want more. And I will end up with two things. Greetings.

[@skiesandscopes]

@@e4ff00 I'd say if you've got the space at home to store and use a dobsonian then that probably makes sense. It's just obviously much less portable than a pair of binoculars. Good luck!

[@skiesandscopes]

Check out these Black Friday 2024 offers on some of the Astronomy Binoculars mentioned in this video: Celestron SkyMaster 20×80 - geni.us/SkyMaster20x80 (24% off) Celestron SkyMaster Pro 20×80 - geni.us/SkyMaster20x80Pro (23% off) Celestron SkyMaster Pro ED 15×70 - amzn.to/4hMXJUZ (19% off) Celestron SkyMaster Pro ED 7×50 - amzn.to/4eqOG9m (15% off) Celestron SkyMaster 25×100 - geni.us/Skymaster25x100 (22% off) Celestron SkyMaster 25×70 - geni.us/SkyMaster25x70 (15% off)

[@TrueOppenheimer]

cool!

[@skiesandscopes]

Thanks!

[@wrighty338]

Celestron are garbage

[@skiesandscopes]

Why do you think that? Always been reliable for me 🙂