Welcome to our round-up of 2022’s top stargazing binoculars!
Even someone who’s not experienced at astronomy might find it a fascinating field of study. After all, imagine — having the ability to see actual images of celestial objects that are unimaginably far away! Seeing them in real life is not only a possibility — but it’s even easier than you might think! For instance, what if we told you that you could do all the stargazing you want, even without a telescope?
If this seems like a piece of equipment that’s too complex for you as a beginner; or you simply don’t want to invest that much money into your astronomy gear — don’t worry! There are ways to observe larger celestial objects, like star clusters and galaxies, even if you don’t own a telescope.
With the best binoculars for stargazing by your side, you’ll have everything you need to make your dream a reality! Besides this small device, the only thing you’ll need is a reasonably clear sky — and you’re off to the races!
- Celestron 20×80 SkyMaster Pro (Best Under $300)
- Gosky 10×42 Roof Prism (Best Under $100)
- SkyGenius 10×50 (Best Value
- Celestron SkyMaster Giant (Best Value Upgrade)
- Celestron Cometron 7×50 (Best Cheap Option)
Celestron 20×80 SkyMaster Pro
Naturally, if you’re willing to part with a sizable sum of money — you can get an awesome value for your cash out of the right pair of binoculars. For instance, there’s the Celestron SkyMaster Pro. Bear in mind that this is one of the most powerful binoculars you can find well below the $300 mark (as of publication) while simultaneously getting a quality product.
As you might expect, you can see all kinds of objects with this, both on the ground and above. The lenses are simply huge, at 80mm. There’s truly no match to this product when it comes to gathering light effectively.
Importantly enough, low-light conditions won’t impair you in your quest to stargaze; meaning that this is the perfect piece of equipment for you!
Pros:
- Top value for money
- High-quality construction
- Tackles low-light conditions with ease
Cons:
- Not for everyone’s budget
Gosky 10×42 Roof Prism
Of course, being under a tight budget doesn’t mean you have to give up hope of solid stargazing binoculars. In fact, even with a frugal limit of a hundred bucks, there are some rock-solid choices.
Of them all, we’d happily buy the Gosky Roof Prism binoculars. They’re more than adequate for all kinds of observation activities: celestial objects, of course, but also concerts, wildlife, and so forth.
Though this isn’t as important for stargazing, you’ll find this model has a large lens size that allows you to easily view fast-moving objects with incredible clarity. The prisms within these binoculars are more than adequate when it comes to producing high-resolution imagery for your eyes.
And these lenses are more than big — they are also made with anti-reflective coating, allowing you to eliminate any potential light glare. So, you can easily utilize them for night activities as well; such as stargazing.
Pros:
- A lot of versatility
- Eyecups that you can twist
- Lifetime warranty
Cons:
- Flimsy carrying case
SkyGenius 10×50
Our first pick is a pair of binoculars that offer immense magnification and a lot of versatility. Namely, we’re talking about the SkyGenius binocular for adults. This is a piece of equipment that can serve many different uses, from observing sporting events to bird hunting and stargazing.
First of all, you should know that these binoculars give you an image that boasts excellent quality, awesome contrast, and adjustable brightness. The SkyGenius model will adapt to any kind of lighting conditions, meaning that you can observe things in the night sky as well. For someone that wants to expand their astronomical arsenal, it’s a perfect piece of equipment!
If you’re wondering if they’re usable for beginners, have no fear! Their Dipter system will prove to be quite handy when it comes to imbalance adjustments for your eyes. Plus, there’s a central wheel for adjustments on image clarity, that anyone can use to effortlessly fine-tune their vision.
Plus, we should mention that these binoculars are also great for people who wear glasses — there’s a pair of rubber cups that you can push up and down to adjust to your glasses. The binoculars are also fairly durable and you won’t find them slipping easily.
Pros:
- Clear image view
- Anti-slipping rubber
- Powerful magnification
Cons:
- Somewhat bulky
Celestron SkyMaster Giant
Next up, we’ve got another pair of binoculars that provide a lot of assistance when it comes to viewing objects both celestial and terrestrial — the Celestron SkyMaster Giant! There are plenty of activities you can undertake with this, including stargazing and bird watching. The lenses on this model have a sizable diameter of 70mm.
But these lenses aren’t just big — they also have immense magnifying power, allowing you to zoom up to 15X. Obviously, this is not only impressive for a pair of binoculars — but it’s also an important feature if you’re choosing the best binoculars for stargazing. And on top of all that; this model isn’t too pricey at all!
We should point out that these binoculars are more than adequate at transmitting any object that you’re viewing with unmatched clarity. And, once again important for astronomy — these binoculars work great in low-light conditions!
Pros:
- Convenient carrying case
- Soft rubber for comfort
- Water-resistant and durable
Cons:
- The center focusing could use some improvement
Celestron Cometron 7×50
For our next pick, we’re going to talk about the best binoculars for stargazing if you’re looking to save some money on your purchase. Know that the Celestron Cometron model is laughably inexpensive. However, it can still perform more than admirably, especially if you’re a beginner who’s not looking for the most intricate model out there. The lenses on these binoculars have a diameter of 50mm, allowing for some impressive capabilities in terms of image quality.
The magnification isn’t the biggest out there, set at 7X — but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to use them for observing all kinds of terrestrial and celestial objects. It doesn’t matter if you want to see stars or birds — you’ll be able to do it without breaking the bank with this Celestron model!
Pros:
- Multi-coated optics
- Image contrast and sharpness
- Quite affordable
Cons:
- Not the best magnification power
Also consider: monoculars and telescopes
Obviously, binoculars are far from your only choice when it comes to the equipment used for stargazing. Most people who obtain a certain amount of experience with astronomy and binoculars eventually move to telescopes. After all, while these devices are more complex — they are simply unrivaled when it comes to stargazing capabilities.
However, there’s also another, less obvious pick — monoculars. If you’re heavily into this stuff, you might not have even heard of monoculars. However, they are still available on the market for stargazing products; they’re just not as popular as binoculars and telescopes. However, while they are less powerful than either of these devices — it’s important to note that they’re also quite handy simply because of their incredibly compact size. If you’re going on a trip where there will be clear skies and you want to do some stargazing, but without lugging along heavier equipment; this is an excellent choice.
Zhumell Z100 Portable Altazimuth Reflector Telescope (Best Cheap Telescope)
If you want to pick a usable telescope for the price of binoculars, then the Zhumell Z100 Portable Azimuth Reflector is not a bad idea—particularly for beginners. You can use it to take a look at all kinds of celestial objects, from brighter galaxies to some larger planets in the Solar system.
This piece of equipment also comes with handy Starry Night built-in software. In essence, this means that you’ll be able to easily pinpoint celestial targets found across the night sky. There are two different eyepieces in the packaging. As you might assume, these provide you with different magnification options — from 40X to 20X.
This telescope is the perfect solution for people who need something more powerful than a pair of binoculars, but they want a hefty piece of equipment. Still, even as a beginner’s telescope, you will see that it brings an amazing level of contrast and clarity. If you want to flawlessly observe the rings around Saturn and the lunar surface, this piece of equipment will more than suffice.
Pros:
- Compact
- Sharp imagery
Cons:
- No tripod in some versions
Wingspan Optics Titan (Best Value Monocular)
If you’re looking for a monocular that’s going to aid you in stargazing — we definitely have to recommend the Wingspan Optics Titan High Powered Monocular. This is one of the most popular monoculars on the market, and for a good reason — no model will bring you more value for such a modest price.
The magnification power of this monocular is better compared to most of its peers — you can expect 12x magnification out of its 50mm lens. All in all — this is one impressive device. You can definitely expect clear and bright images with all the focus on central objects that you want.
Plus, and this will be important for all fans of hiking and stargazing out there — this is certainly a rugged piece of equipment. Not only is it powerful, but it’s one that doesn’t easily get damaged. Its durability is definitely one of its key selling points. Plus, the monocular is waterproof, and its lens contains an anti-fogging coating. You can use it with one hand without any difficulties.
Pros:
- Excellent magnification
- Hand strap for ease of use
- Microfiber cleaning cloth
Cons:
- Can’t fit in a pocket
- Narrow FoV
5 other uses for your stargazing binoculars
Apart from stargazing, you should know that there are plenty of other uses for binoculars; the versatility of these optic devices is what makes them such a great investment. After all, you can’t use telescopes for a lot of things besides astronomy.
But for instance, many people use binoculars for bird watching. In fact, this is one of their primary uses. If you get a high-quality pair of binoculars, you’ll be able to see birds in great detail from afar and observe how they live without human interruption in nature.
On the other hand, binoculars are also used for events where you’re placed far away as the viewer, but you still want to spot details. For instance, concerts in huge arenas or soccer matches are this type of event.
Apart from that, people also tend to use binoculars while traveling. If you’re out in the wilderness having a long hike and sightseeing, you may appreciate the ability to see your surroundings in more detail. And we’re not just talking about beautiful aesthetics either; binoculars can be a necessity for proper geographical orientation and for spotting landmark locations and objects that are far away. Also, you should know that there is a long tradition of binoculars being used in the military and the navy.
Why use binoculars for stargazing?
When people start learning about astronomy, they tend to overlook binoculars as an option. However, you’ll find that the most experienced celestial observers tend to have a pair at hand. Naturally, there are pros and cons to using binoculars compared to a classic telescope. For instance, binoculars are obviously far smaller, providing you with a much lower level of magnification.
On the other hand, they’re far easier to set up absolutely anywhere and move around; not to mention the fact that they’re far lighter and not nearly as expensive. Plus, they’re great for spotting because they give you a much wider angle than any amateur telescope would; meaning that you can find the precise night sky object that you want more easily.
Plus, the fact that you can use both of your eyes means that you’ll have the most natural view possible. And we should also mention the fact that binoculars don’t give you any mirror or reversed images; you’ll see everything just like it is in nature!
Apart from this, binoculars have another huge plus that we haven’t exactly talked about — the fact that you might even have a pair somewhere around the house already. And if you don’t, there’s no need to worry — we’ll give you an overview of the best binoculars for stargazing right here!
FAQ: How to choose & enjoy astronomy binoculars
Can you really use binoculars for stargazing?
Yes, with the right binoculars, you can easily do some stargazing without additional equipment.
Are stargazing binoculars good for birdwatching, too?
One of the things that make binoculars good for stargazing in high levels of magnification; this is what you want in your birdwatching model as well, so yes.
Should I use a tripod with my binoculars? If so, how?
Some of the more expensive binocular models come with tripods that you can easily attach to the bottom of the device; the mechanism is usually simple to snap into place.
