Into Astronomy?  Consider Using Binoculars for Star Gazing

Typically, amateur astronomers rely on telescopes to view the skies.  However, it's possible to view stars with a quality set of binoculars.  As a matter of fact, some star gazers prefer using binoculars because they offer some advantages over telescopes.  Some of the benefits of using binoculars for star gazing are listed below.

Binoculars are More Portable Than Telescopes

For the avid astronomer, there's nothing more frustrating than driving along a scenic highway and unexpectedly finding a perfect star gazing spot, only to discover that you don't have adequate equipment to take advantage of the view.  Binoculars can easily be carried in a handbag or stored in your car's glove box or trunk.  If you happen to discover a great site, all you have to do is pull out the binoculars and you're in business.  A telescope may offer a more precise view, but it requires transportation and set up, which can take a considerable amount of time. 

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Binoculars Offer Ease of Use for the Novice Astronomer

For people who are not accustomed to setting up and using a telescope, it can be frustrating to locate specific objects in the sky.  Finding the moon is fairly easy, but trying to focus on Saturn or another planet can be a time-consuming and futile experience.  This is because the viewing field of telescopes is quite small and the telescope user needs to have some skill in order to accurately locate a star or planet.  On the other hand, a novice star gazer may have a better experience with binoculars because the binoculars can be trained on the star or planet with little difficulty.  A quality set of binoculars offers a larger viewing area than a telescope and will not require as much precision and adjustment to spot a particular planetary body.

Cost of Binoculars

Finally, a good pair of binoculars for star gazing will cost less than a telescope.  For the beginner, quality binoculars can be purchased at online auctions for a fraction of the cost of a telescope or new set of binoculars.  Once you have decided that star gazing is something that you want to seriously pursue, you will probably want to purchase more expensive binoculars and a telescope.  Join an amateur astronomy club for tips from seasoned star gazers on the equipment that will best suit your needs.

"Into Astronomy?  Consider Using Binoculars for Star Gazing," contributed by Jon C. Christianson