Upgrading my 10x50 binoculars

The_B_Man

Hi,
I've a pair of binos I got in Aldi a few years ago. They're 10x50.

Last night, meself and me mother were looking at Jupiter and it was just a white dot. Can anyone point me in the direction of some binoculars or a telescope that would let me see some more detail? Like on a clear night being able to see one of its moons or something. No idea what the budget would be, maybe a few hundred? If it was any more then I'd just buy it as a xmas present for me ma.

PS, I'm by no means an expert. Quite the opposite. So I'm not sure if that's an easy thing to see. I just get bored looking at the moon!

Thanks.

ollie103

I use a 15 x 70 pair of binoculars by Celestron - details here (from Astronomy Ireland) - sorry if posting a link to a 'commercial' website ain't allowed:

http://astronomy.ie/skymasterbinocs.html

Your'll be looking at a cost of around € 80/90 for a set such as these. If you go higher in size (and you can!), note that they become very difficult to use without a tripod. And being honest, the 15 x 70's can be heavy after a while (but they are managable and a good compromise between optical quality, magnification and mobility/ease of use).

Hope that helps.

The_B_Man

Thanks for the link.

Good point about the tripod. My hands were shaking terribly outside. Would it be better to go for a nice little telescope then? I've an attic windows that might suit one perfectly.

Beekay

How about a well priced 130mm?

http://www.ktectelescopes.ie/Skywatcher-Heritage-130P-FlexTube-Dobsonian-Telescope.html

emo72

The_B_Man wrote: »

Thanks for the link.

Good point about the tripod. My hands were shaking terribly outside. Would it be better to go for a nice little telescope then? I've an attic windows that might suit one perfectly.

Attic windows aren't really great for observing. The heat in the house will rise to there and cause ripples and distortion. And then you could only view where your window was pointing.

I've stopped using telescopes and find binos handier. But a tripod is essential.

The_B_Man

I'm just thinking now, I might splash out and buy something as a christmas present for the mother.

Would I get more bang for me buck spending on a good pair of binos, with a tripod, or going for a good telescope?

Also, how does a 15x70 set of binos compare to a 130mm telescope? The conversions are confusing me.

ollie103

I think it all depends on how much you'll use the binos/scope? Personally, I'd get the 10 x 50s and really get to know the night sky with them rather than 'jump' in and go for a starter telescope.

If you really like the binos and want to upgrade, then I'd go for a decent mid-range (as opposed to a starter) telescope. Personally, I find that viewing in a pair of decent binos is as good as a starter scope (but thats my opinion - others may disagree). And its so easy to get the binos out at very short notice.

I'd also recommend getting a good guide to the night sky. A good one is 'Turn Left At Orion' but you could also go for a binoculars guide (as turn Left At Orion has some telescope objects which won't be as good without a scope).

The_B_Man

They'd be used once a week, I'd say. We usually go out and have a look whenever there's a bright planet, and we go out to watch the ISS often enough. Don't know what frequency we'll be going out now in the winter, with the cloudier nights.

The thing that's putting me off getting some binoculars is the fact that the good ones linked to above are around 4kg so would require a little tripod to mount them on. So if they're on a tripod, I'd have to bend me neck, or get down on me knees to look through it, unless I get some mad 6ft tall tripod (or is that the norm?)!!

Whats the standard stuff you can see through a decent telescope anyway? Craters and mountains on the moon? Details on the ISS and other satellites? Moons orbiting other planets?

Thanks.

Glebee

ollie103 wrote: »

I use a 15 x 70 pair of binoculars by Celestron - details here (from Astronomy Ireland) - sorry if posting a link to a 'commercial' website ain't allowed:

http://astronomy.ie/skymasterbinocs.html

Your'll be looking at a cost of around € 80/90 for a set such as these. If you go higher in size (and you can!), note that they become very difficult to use without a tripod. And being honest, the 15 x 70's can be heavy after a while (but they are managable and a good compromise between optical quality, magnification and mobility/ease of use).

Hope that helps.

Sorry to hijack thread guys, but what tripod would I need to get to suit these , will any came tripod work. I have an adaptor that came with the binoculars...

rccaulfield

Tip-Hold the binos right at the large end rest your elbows on something, you shoulkd have them steady as a rock that way! 10x50s are perfect tbh and you will see the 4 big moons of jupiter as points of light with them no problem, mine were 30 quid on ebay!
Don't forget the 50 means a 50mm aperature so thats your light gathering power, so if getting a starter scope(which i'd recommend) you'd want to start with about 150mm(6 inch) aperature/primary mirror, but if i were you i'd spend a few euros more and get an 8 inch, thats with the reflector type scopes the other types(refractor and scmit cassegrain) are not my speciality so check out the sticky on them! The 10 stands for magnification on the binos, the mag with the scope can be changed with the different eyepieces!

ollie103

I agree that the 10 x 50 are fine to use without a tripod if you hold them at the end of the 'tubes' (and not at the eyepieces - as most people tend to do) or rest your elbows on something (such as the roof of a car if your out and about).

You can get a 'tall' tripod to avoid bending down to use the binos but the tripod may cost as much as the binoculars! Also tripods are to actual guarantee of a totally stable image - they ain't perfect!

Re getting a scope vs upgrading the binoculars, I'd pop into Astronomy Ireland's shop in Airside (Swords) if you can: I think you need to actually see the size and scale (+ price!) of your options before you make a call on what you want to go for. I think their 'starter' range can be viewed at the link below:

http://www.astronomy.ie/astromasterseries.html

hope this helps.

Manoffeeling

Is the Skymaster 15 * 70 suitable for a beginner? I don't really know much about them. Will I see much more than the 10 * 50? Also, are they suitable for viewing landscapes and wildlife?

Thanks for help.

Manoffeeling

All I want to know is the 15x70 suitable for bird watching as well as space? I have a daughter of 5 and want to introduce her to this kind of stuff. I'm not asking ye for money!

ollie103

For basic (but enjoyable!!) astronomy, the 10 X 50s are fine. I have used the 15 X 70s and they are heavier and you will find it hard to usee for long (or even short) periods of time. Being honest, I can't see how you would be able to use the 15 X 70 with out a tripod and the total cost of that kit may be equal to a basic (and good) telescope.

Go into Astronomy Ireland's shop in Airside (Swords) and ask to try both - then make your choice. For the record I have no connection to the shop! ;-)

As for wildlife - the 10 x 50s should be ok (but I've never used these for that purpsoe so can't really comment).

endacl

An upside-down brush is a great elbow steadier in the absence of a tripod!

On Jupiter's moons. Through binos, you should be able to make out up to 4 bright points spread along either side of the planet. Upgrade all you like, binos or scope, and bright points they shall remain! They're just too small and far away.

If you want to track the orbits of the dots (good old fashioned nerdy fun) 'where is io' is a handy little free Android app that tells you which is which.

endacl

Manoffeeling wrote: »

All I want to know is the 15x70 suitable for bird watching as well as space? I have a daughter of 5 and want to introduce her to this kind of stuff. I'm not asking ye for money!

.
I'd say those might be a wee bit on the heavy side for a child of 5 to hold steady. Even 10x50's would be a little unweildy.
Have you thought about picking her up a little set of 8x42's. Cheap as chips, and she'll have binos of her very own. Important to little girls!

Manoffeeling

I see where you are coming from. The big fear I have is of her looking at the sun through them. I think a tripod would be a right job for us as novice amateurs!

On a different note, can binoculars be used for photography?

endacl

Manoffeeling wrote: »

I see where you are coming from. The big fear I have is of her looking at the sun through them. I think a tripod would be a right job for us as novice amateurs!

On a different note, can binoculars be used for photography?

Yes they can, at prime focus.....theoretically. This is when you simply hold the camera to the eyepiece. The results would most likely be somewhat less than satisfying though. A telescope would be a better tool for photos. You can get a cheap adapter to attach an iphone or similar, or a DSLR if you have one. After that, you get results to match your budget!

The_B_Man

BTW, if anyone was wondering, in the end I upgraded my binos to a Skywatcher Heritage 130p.
Great scope with little or no maintenance, and gives good views of the Moon and Jupiter (can see the cloud bands and a few moons).