The 7x50 binocular has been the classic
astronomy binocular long before binocular astronomy became popular and moved onto the current passion for
giant binoculars. In days past, the 7x50 binocular was standard equipment alongside many telescopes and was the preferred instrument for scanning the star fields of the Milky Way and for framing large, extended open clusters and nebulae. A good 7x50
binocular still excels for that application, but binocular astronomy has moved onto applications where a higher magnification is preferred. Still, there will always be a soft spot in my heart for a classic 7x50. Binocular astronomy would not be the same without them.