Planetary Observing
“What magnification do I need for planets?” is the question I get more than any other, and the honest answer…
Planetary Observing
There is a moment, the first time someone sees Saturn through a telescope, when they pull back from the eyepiece…
Planetary Observing
Jupiter is the planet I send every new observer to first, because it’s the one that pays off fastest. Even…
Planetary Observing
Ask ten beginners what they want to see through their first telescope and nine of them say “the planets.” Then…
Binoculars for Astronomy
For most beginners, binoculars beat a telescope as a first instrument. A quality 10×50 costs less, needs zero setup, and…
Binoculars for Astronomy
Giant binoculars — 20×80, 25×100, and beyond — turn the binocular format into a genuine two-eyed deep-sky telescope. With 80mm…
Binoculars for Astronomy
Image-stabilized binoculars use an internal gyro or lens-shift system to cancel hand shake electronically, letting you hold 14x or even…
Binoculars for Astronomy
The best things to see with binoculars are large, bright objects that a telescope crops or overpowers: the Moon, the…
Binoculars for Astronomy
Mounting your astronomy binoculars is the single cheapest upgrade you can make to the view — a steady 15×70 reveals…
Binoculars for Astronomy
For astronomy, 10×50 binoculars are the best handheld all-rounder, 15×70 is the reach upgrade that needs a mount, and 20×80…