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Binoculars? Bushnell? Barska?

Throckmorton

Throckmorton

Lifer
I want to get some binoculars for viewing astronomical objects. I think I know what some good ones are in the <$100 price range at online stores, but I want something now to view the Perseid meteor shower. I want to get 10x50.
Is it worth it to buy cheap $20 Barska X-Trail binoculars at Gander Mountain or are they total crap and useless for astro? What about Bushnells? There are some $60 units that I can't remember the name of. REI has Nikon Action 10x50 that are probably good, but they cost $110 and I don't know if they're better than Bushnell.
 
Binoculars are good for gathering light, and most amateur astronomers use them in conjunction with a telescope because they have their own benefits. You can even see Andromeda with binoculars. Celestron has $80 binoculars that are well known as being good for astronomy, but I don't have time to wait.
 
Originally posted by: SSSnail
Somehow I think binoculars and astronomy don't belong in the same sentence.
Click to expand...

Originally posted by: Quiksilver
A Telescope.
Click to expand...

You guys have it wrong. I used to be big into amateur astronomy. Sold my telescope when I went to college, but the stuff I learned still applies.

Unless you can spend a fair bit of money on a telescope ($400 is really the minimum), that money is better spent on binoculars. You would be amazed at what you can see with a good pair of binoculars and a dark sky far from a city.

I might also recommend a pair of 7x50 binoculars. I have a pair of them by Celestron. They provide a wider field of view than 10x50s, so it's easier to locate things, and they also shake less. If you're planning on mounting the binoculars on a tripod or something, then there are better options than 10x50s anyway, like 12x63s or 15x70s. 7x50s also provide a very bright view because of the wide exit pupil (determined by the ratio of the aperture to the magnification, in this case 50/7 = 7.14 mm).

Once you want to get more into astronomy, I'd recommend an 80mm short-tube refracting telescope with two eyepieces (25mm and 10mm or something in that range; these are often included with the telescope), a red dot sight, and a simple but sturdy alt-azimuth mount.
 
I've been using Nikon 7x35 binoculars for years, still work great. Much clearer than cheapies. My brother has the 10x50 which are also excellent.
I think Pentax is also supposed to make good ones.
 
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