Astronomy binocular or telescope?

One of the reasons I so love astronomy with a binocular is that there is no computer or electronics or digital anything. No, I am not opposed to those things, but after being on a computer all day, writing and making a living, I need a break. Then, too, I have always preferred to do things, manually, without benefit of a computer or electronics, even when using a telescope or a camera.

Binoculars are a simple tool for astronomy. You supply the expertise, the navigation, the identification and, in return, you get the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment when you find a tough object in the night sky and you definitely get the sense of awe when you frame beautiful open clusters such as the Double Cluster, the Beehive or the Pleiades in your astronomy binocular.

I often get the question from beginners: telescope or astronomical binocular? The answer I give is always the same; get both, eventually. A binocular and a telescope complement each other; there is some overlap, of course, but there are some objects best seen in an astronomy binocular and some objects best seen in a telescope.

I could, of course, make a strong case for starting with the astronomy binocular. If budget is an issue, you can get a quite good astronomy binocular for the same price as a cheap telescope. That’s important, because a cheap telescope can frustrate as much as encourage you when you start in astronomy. Nor do you have to buy a model specifically labeled “astronomy binocular”. Many a happy binocular astronomer uses a common 10x50, such as the Nikon Action Extreme 10x50 and, if you need to get the most for your money, a 10x50 binocular can also be used by day for a great many other binocular uses. No, you don’t need a giant binocular (as in my pic), but that is always an option, too.

No matter what you choose in the way of an astronomical binoculars, though, it will teach you the basics of the night sky and when you do buy that telescope, you will make better progress. Make no mistake, though: astronomy with a binocular is a rewarding and unique way to enjoy the night sky in its own right.