We all know what binoculars and telescopes are used for but do we know exactly what they are?
Well for one, binoculars are instruments that will give you a magnified view of products that are at a distance, binoculars are known as optical instruments and so are telescopes; however, telescopes are devices that give you a direct view and will record photographic objects that are also at a distance.
A telescope is a device that is used to transmit, reflect, and release visible radiation. The major difference between a telescope and a binocular is that with binoculars it is more comfortable to view distant objects because you are using both eyes and with telescopes, you are only able to look through one eye.
It is also proven that when you use both eyes, your viewing capabilities are optimized by 40% as the color and overall contrasts of the objects are enhanced. You are also able to view objects longer on the binocular as opposed to the telescope because you are inadvertently using both eyes. Being created with stereo vision, using binoculars will get rid of eye fatigue, unlike the telescope which uses a single barrel and a tunnel vision.
Telescopes as well as other optical instruments such as binoculars, alignment telescope, autocollimator, interferometer, software, camera test pattern, and camera testing are highly used in the field of scientific study on a day to day basis.
Now that we know what they are and know some of their uses, let us look into the history of both the telescopes and the binoculars.
The very first telescope came into effect and was created by Hans Lippershey; however, after Lippershey’s paten was refused, Galileo redesigned the original telescope that was known as the looking glass and he is now known as the original creator of the telescope. The device created by Galileo was the first that showed humans the craters on the moon from earth.
The telescope is designed with both convex and concave lenses that has been improved throughout the years as technology developed by inventors such as Johannes Kepler, Prince Frederick Sesi, and even the very popular Issac Newton contributed to the development of the telescope that we have using today and the telescopes that are being used in observatories was first created by William Herschel in 1789; this was a 40 feet long telescope.
Telescopes and binoculars have been created by our ancestors for our comfort and for scientific purposes and through the advent of time, these telescopes have been designed and transformed into the unique and exceptional designs that we now know and love.
Binoculars are actually two little refractors mounted side by side that use particular prisms to “fold” the optical path of the light and also make the device quite short. Two numbers, the initial giving the magnification as well as the second giving the diameter of the principal objective lenses describe them.
Binoculars may be used to see many more stars in relation to the eye can, showing even several galaxies, nebulae, and many dim star clusters. For binoculars will also be accessible, camera tripod mounts, plus they help make the perspective more steady and much more comfy during seeing sessions that are longer.
For work that is astronomy, we propose the 7 x 50 wide angle binoculars readily available for as low as $90. Binoculars can not reveal you as much but they’re an outstanding method to get your feet wet in the hobby of amateur astronomy.
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Celestron SkyMaster Giant 15×70 Binoculars
These binoculars are a great value, and have some excellent optics for the price point.
Their larger aperture is ideal for low-light skygazing. Details can be discerned in several planets, the Orion nebula, and the Andromeda galaxy.
Bushnell Elite E2 7 x 26 Custom Compact Binocular
From our favorite Binocular Distributors is the Bushnell with their custom compact binoculars. This is because they deliver big performance in a small package without compromising quality.
They provide a brilliant image and produce outstanding color resolution. They easily fit into a pocket or small handbag and have fold-down eyecups and long eye relief for a full field-of-view when wearing eyeglasses or sunglasses.
We selected a high quality pair for you to view, however you will find several options to choose from.
There are many manufacturers of fantastic viewers, such as high quality fujinon binoculars. Whether you are a bird lover, outdoor sportsman, or spectator everyone needs a quality set that are easy to handle and have the power factor suitable to your needs. There are specific things to look for when shopping to ensure that you are happy and satisfied for years to come with your purchase.
When you are looking check out the weight because this is a major factor for viewing ease. You want to be able to hold your arm steady. Also, how is the all around comfort? How do they feel in your hands and how is the size of the binocular in comparison to your hands? A good feeling binocular that is easy to hold will help you capture your image and Bushnell or Fujinon are excellent choices.
Also, how does the binocular adjust? Do both sides adjust enough to suit your vision? Be sure that the visual fields fit your eye spacing and that the image is easy to adjust so that you have a sharp and bright edge-to-edge image. The main focus control should be easy to work with while holding the binocular comfortably.
Focusing is another factor. When you have a duel focus pair they are a bit more difficult to keep focused. This is because you first have to focus each eye with one control. Then after that you use another control to focus the image. Central focusing models are much easier to work with and to ensure that you capture what you want to see before it moves from your field of sight.
The lower powered compact binoculars are usually very lightweight and easy to handle. An 8×40 pair is a good all-around choice. Expect to pay between $100 to $300 or else you will most likely be spending your money on a novelty item.
The higher the power to the binocular the heavier the weight. A heavy pair can give you range but they are often cumbersome and can be hard to hold steady. The older ones where much heavier than the zoom binoculars available today. So as you can see (no pun intended) through a little investigating and shopping you will most likely find something perfect for your preferences.
For Fujinon, Bushnell Compacts, our favorite binocular distributor carries a full inventory of different styles, plus a large selection from other high quality manufacturers.
Click Here To See What Others Are Saying About The Bushnell Elite E2 Compact Binocular
Celestron SkyMaster 20×80 Binoculars
The one of the great untold stories of amateur astronomy is that a good pair of binoculars will do just as good a job as a medium telescope, and be much more portable into the bargain, as well as easier to use.
There are lots of people who do not want a large telescope cluttering up a corner of a room or garage, and even the most basic telescope will require a certain amount of setting up. With binoculars, you can just store them away in a drawer when you don’t need them, and when conditions are right, you just take them out, and point them at whatever you want to see.
The best pair of binoculars for our purposes, and at a reasonable price, are without doubt the Celestron SkyMaster 20×80 Binoculars, which are simply huge, and more than powerful enough to see Jupiter’s Moons and the disk of Saturn’s rings.
The one thing that you must note with large binoculars is that they will be heavy, and so if you are going to be viewing for more than a few minutes, you really need a tripod.
Luckily, the Celestron 20 x 80 Skymasters come with a tripod attachment, and Amazon sell a range of suitable tripods for about $30 or so, which can be bought at a later date if you find you want one.
Looking at these binoculars, the first thing you will notice is the long, flared body. This is to make the aperture as big as possible for collecting the maximum light, and the length increases the focal distance, which in turn increases magnification.
Feature
– Bak-4 prisms, which are of high quality, focusing images into the eyepieces and requiring little or no adjustment.
– Multi coated optics for sharp images and long life. Quality lenses are the vital ingredient for quality binoculars, and Celestron always provide coated lenses.
– An easy focus adjuster between the barrels, which can be turned with your thumb as you look at an object.
– A tough, waterproof body, making these ideal to take anywhere.
– Collimation screws. These adjust the lenses if needed to give you pin sharp images all the time.
– Tripod attachment, which attaches to standard camera tripods.
Final Thoughts
Overall, customer reviews give these binoculars 4.5 out of 5 stars, a very impressive result, with the main comment being the fact that the supplied carry case is quite thin, but many people re-use the foam padding that they are supplied in. Here are some sample I found while researching these binoculars.
Binocular Astronomy
Binoculars are two small telescopes, sealed into one package. The majority of binoculars use Galilean optics, or a convex objective and a concave eyepiece lens. Binoculars offer low light levels and small magnification, which can make it useful to amateur astronomers whom are just seeking a casual perusal of the sky. The large view field of binoculars is useful when watching large deep sky objects such as the Milky way, nebula and galaxies though one will likely be unable to view asteroids or moons.
Because telescopes and binoculars are similar in design, many of the companies which product telescopes already manufacture binoculars. In fact, several popular telescope companies gained their start by making binoculars for outdoors and sports optics. Binoculars are used in many areas of the world from the high class operas (opera glasses) to the military with their night-vision goggles and eye-wear fitted with laser beam filters.
The major difference between binoculars and telescopes is the binoculars’ exit pupil and eye relief. The eye relief in a pair of binoculars is the distance from the rear eyepiece lens to where the image is formed while the exit pupil is where the objective lens gathers light and focuses into a beam. The most important consideration with binoculars is the optical coating. Since binoculars have 16 points on their surface where light is lost a lower quality product will have a blurred image. Lens coatings serve to help the light from getting lost in order to create a more crisp image for the viewer. There are four different levels of coatings to consider:
- Coated opitcs which is simply where one or more of the lens surfaces are coated.
- Fully coated which means all the air-to-glass is coated.
- Multi-coated where one or more surfaces have more than one coatings on them.
- Fully multi-coated which means that all the air-to-glass surfaces are covered with more than one coating.
Be careful when looking at binoculars as any product which claims it has plastic lenses does not provide any coating.
Binoculars have two different types of focus abilities. One is referred to as independent and the other central. Independent means that each tube must be adjusted separately from the other. This type of focus is usually found on more heavy-duty binocular models. The latter type, central, means that both tubes are adjusted at the same time. This is the more common type. There are focus-free models, also referred to as fixed-focus, but these types of binoculars lack adaptability and the range of view is not as precise.
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