BinocularsBlog – Advice on Digital, Waterproof, & Compact Binoculars for Bird Watching, Sports, Astronomy, Night Vision, & more!

Okay, I know it may be the woman in me that wants a Swarovski Crystal compact binocular, but why not? A Swarovski Crystal pocket binocular is still a fantastic compact binocular under all that beautiful Swarovski crystal and Swarovski Crystal is a girl's best friend (or close). Who says a gal can't make a fashion statement and go birding at the same time? Lookout runway, here comes Joanie modeling the latest.

I like one-handed binoculars. This is not an official or standard way to describe birding bincoulars or hunting binoculars, so don't waste time searching for that product description. For those of us burdened with a lot of other gear out in the field, such as a tripod/spotting scope or a rifle, a one hand binocular is a real life saver. To qualify as a one-handed binocular, you must have a binocular that is small enough and light enough to steady with one hand, but, most importantly, it must also be a binocular that can focus smoothly with only one finger. For me, that has translated into a good roof prism, typically a compact roof prism binocular, but even some 8x32 models, but all with a large, easily accessed focusing knob with butter smooth focusing. If you can't focus the binocular with one finger, it is not a one-handed binocular.

Spring for an amateur astronomer, even a binocular astronomer, is galaxy hunting time. With Leo and Virgo up in the sky, how could you not seek out galaxies? In years past, observing from a dark sky location, this was a given. Now that I am trapped in the big city, old familiar targets like M65 and M66 are well beyond the reach of even my excellent Nikon 10x70 Astroluxe binocular. That's the bad news. The good news is that I can put these same astronomy binoculars in a pack and ride my bike to a darker location. Okay, that may be a long (very long) bike ride, but anyone who is crazy enough to ride a bike in Chicago in the winter is just crazy enough to try.

Most of my bike trails remain buried under snow and more snow is on the way. Even the local lakes remain frozen. With all this winter stubbornly maintaining its grip, I haven't been able to get the binoculars out for much birding. In a normal year, my binoculars would be seeing a lot of action on migrating waterfowl, by now. That's the bird group that usually starts off my spring birding season. The good news, of course, is that all this snow will make for some great water conditions, later on, when it melts. My favorite marshes should be up and spilling over in another month. Have binoculars and will travel (with my bike, of course).

My prayer for a clear sky last night was answered. The lunar eclipse was all I could have wanted. Through my tripod mounted Nikon 10x70 binocular, the moon at totality appeared to be a big peach colored beach ball and it was exquisitely sharp in the Nikon, though I am sure that any binocular would have enhanced the already impressive view. The color during this eclipse wasn't as red as some I have seen, but it was quite lovely against a backdrop of my snow covered yard and patio. I had no complaints. This was one I will remember.

Now and then I meet someone who does not own a binocular. Always amazes me there are such people. Okay, it's not like that makes them less a person, but with all the uses for a binocular, I find it hard to understand how someone can manage to go through life without owning a single binocular. To be sure, this may be more a prejudice on my part, rather than any deficiency on theirs, but still, I wonder. Guess it is my duty to get a binocular in every home. Probably why they hired me here at OpticsPlanet.

Like everyone else, I am getting ready for the total lunar eclipse, tomorrow night, and, wonder of wonders, the forecast is for clear skies in my area. Okay, what do I use for observing lunar eclipses? Well, a binocular, of course. An astronomy binocular is best, but any binocular will do. Use what you have. A good binocular not only brings the eclipse up close and personal, a good binocular will also enhance the color of the moon during an eclipse. The color is a result of light "leaking" into the shadow the earth casts on the moon as light gets bent when it passes through the earths atmosphere. It is colored since earth's atmosphere acts as a filter and some colors, mostly blues, don't make it through. Of course, this still leaves yellows, reds and browns, but as to which will predominate, no one can say for sure. Get your binocular and see for yourself.

Yesterday, we got heavy rain instead of heavy snow, though it's still going to be cold this week. To a bicycle nut and full-time bicycle commuter like me, this is progress. Soon, I will be riding my cyclocross bike through the woods to do some birding with the Zeiss Victory 8x20 compact binocular, though I may opt, now and then, for a slightly larger 8x32, such as the Nikon 8x32 SE. The key, in all bicycle adventures, is to keep weight to a minimum. How does a bike nut do astronomy, then? With a 7x50 astronomy binocular and star map tucked away in a backpack, of course. One of our local astronomy clubs meets at a nature center within bicycling distance. I'll let someone else bring the big telescopes.

They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Now I understand why I am once again, alone, on Valentine's day - I am not much for cooking. I wonder if we could tweak that saying to "the way to man's heart is through a binocular?" If so, I stand a chance of finding a sweetheart by next Valentine's Day. I do know binoculars and have some very nice ones. Anyone want to take a look?

Had a customer the other day that balked when I suggested an 8x42 as a dual purpose, birding and astronomy binocular. Like many people, she believed that an astronomy binocular was a specialized binocular, designed expressly for astronomy. I explained that some binoculars are, of course, designed with astronomy in mind, but the distinction between a conventional binocular and an astronomy binocular is largely arbitrary. In other words, there is no one feature that makes an astronomy binocular an astronomy binocular. In general we want something with good image brightness and most astronomers therefore opt for a binocular with a 4mm exit pupil (second binocular number divided by first binocular number) or larger. Most astronomers also want at least 7x magnification. Beyond that, though, any binocular has the potential to be used for astronomy, especially for a beginner, and that includes the 8x42 I suggested earlier.

What a beautiful morning! Had one inch of light fluffy snow, overnight, and had a blast riding the bicycle to work this morning. So may people are complaining about all the snow, but I am really enjoying it. This weekend, for instance, I will be out in the woods with my birding binocular. All the snow cover makes for some great winter birding - the snow cover makes it much easier to see birds as they move about and, of course, the snow cover also adds a bit of atmosphere to the experience. Other than the usual binocular and bird guide, all you need for winter birding are the right clothes, especially boots and a thermos of hot coffee or cocoa. See you in the woods.

Wind gusts to 40 mph and temps around zero do not make for a good outdoors weekend, but the sky did clear off last night for the first time in almost three weeks. Yes, I managed to work up the courage to step outside with my astronomy binoculars, just long enough to take a quick look at the Orion nebula and the Beehive. The crescent moon was also quite a sight in the Nikon 10x70, but that's about all I could manage before I began to freeze up. Ten minutes outside with my binocular to freeze up and an hour inside the apartment with a gallon of really hot chocolate to thaw. That's what winter astronomy with a binocular is all about.

A very nice customer asked me the other day how I managed to learn the night sky and all my stars so well without a computer. He seemed surprised that such a thing was even possible. I smiled and replied that he just dated himself as to his age.

Yes, Virginia, there was a time, before computers, when a youngster like me, with a passion for all things natural, managed to learn how to identify every bright star by name and, eventually, to know the location of nearly very bright deep-sky object visible in her inexpensive Tasco birding binoculars. When we do something we love, no hurdle seems too high. I have much better astronomy binoculars, today, of course, but I am still very much that same girl with the same passion for all things natural.

I am almost ready to start making sacrifices to whatever god or goddess that can promise us a clear sky at night. The situation is turning serious, here in the Chicago area, for astronomers. It has been over two weeks since I have been able to use a binocular or telescope and I begin to wonder if astronomy in this area is doomed to become extinct. Okay, okay, that is a bit gloomy, but it reading astronomy magazines and pouring over old familiar star maps can only go so far to fill an astronomer's needs. Please (insert the deity of your choice, here), give Joanie a clear sky. Her astronomy binoculars are getting, lonely. (So is she.)

The last two weeks in our area have been a series of snowstorms interspersed with cloudy skies. As an ardent amateur astronomer, then, it has not been a busy dark of the moon for me. My astronomy binoculars and I both cry out for some star time. Worse yet, this weather pattern does not bode well for the upcoming lunar eclipse on the 20th of this month. I love lunar eclipses for the reddish color of the moon during totality which, in a binocular, is quite stunning. If you are lucky enough to observe the moon during this eclipse, try observing with a binocular (any binocular, in fact). It's quite a view.

I am so ovedue for some meditative birding. This is my way of describing the type of birding I do when I just want to relax and enjoy the experience, rather than tally up a large number of species. In other words, it is more more qualitative than quantitative. All that is required, other than the usual birding binocular and bird guide, is a comfortable log, rock or grassy spot in a good bird area. After that, it's just a matter of sitting with binocular in the hand, taking in all the beauty and serenity Earth Mother gives you. A smile is sure to follow.