Binoculars for Stargazing & Astronomy

If you are interested in stargazing or astronomy, a right pair of binocular is a must-have in order to truly enjoy these activities.

With so many different types of binoculars available in the market, how do we distinguish which are the ones best suited for the job? Here are some key features that you should consider when shopping for stargazing or astronomy binoculars:

1. Objective lens size. Unknown to many, when it comes to stargazing, objective lens size is the most critical factor to consider when choosing a binocular. As bigger objective lens allows the binocular to gather more light and thus providing a clearer viewing even under poor lighting conditions, it allows you to be able to view dimmer stars that will otherwise be tough to spot. And in this case, you will definitely want to go with a pair of binocular that has a bigger objective lens (usually at least a 50mm type unless you are using a binocular very high magnification along with image stabilizer function).
2. Magnification power. The stars are quite a distance away from us and it definitely helps to have pair of binocular that have high magnification power. Typically, you will need a pair of binocular with at least 7x magnification to do the job reasonably well.
3. Type of Lens coating. Good coatings increase the transmission of light through the glass and reduce the amount of scattered light hazing the view thus providing you with even sharper view. For stargazing purpose, you will definitely want to look out for binoculars that has Phase-correction coating, Multi-coating or even better still, Electronic Beam Coating (EBC).
4. Can be mounted onto a tripod. When you are stargazing, you’ll likely to be holding the binoculars for an extended period of time and most people hands will start to wobble, causing the view to be shaky. If you are using a high powered binocular, eg a 10×70 piece, you are not going to enjoy the shaky view. Hence, do check if the binocular is tripod mountable or if it has a compatible tripod adapter to allow it to be mounted onto a tripod.
5. Image Stabilization function. When using a high magnification handheld binocular (without tripod), it can be quite challenging to keep a steady view. This is when binoculars with image stabilization function comes in handy – these binoculars will help to calm down the shakiness and hence help you maintain a steady view no matter how shaky your hands are.

Check out below for some of the best binoculars for astronomy and stargazing that is favored by astrophiles throughout the world: