Why Are Binoculars Important Astronomical Tools?

By Richard

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Telescopes, indeed, are a perfect tool for astronomy and stargazing. Many people around the world have special love and excitement about the galaxies, stars, and moon. But binoculars are a good replacement for telescopes due to their affordable prices. We are going to give you in-depth knowledge and answer all your queries about binos that are good replacements for telescopes. So, are you ready to know: Why are binoculars important astronomical tools?

Binoculars are lightweight, easy to use, and practical tools with optimal magnification power. Their two ocular lens make it really easy for you to see the stars comfortably. The lower prices of binos further make them good tools to be used for astronomy.

It was a brief introductory answer but we have got you covered. In this guide, we will dig deeper and tell you all about binoculars and why they are a good replacement for astronomy.

Related Article: Can You See the Planets with Binoculars?

4 Reasons Why Binoculars Are Important Astronomical Tools?

We admit the fact that binoculars are not as good as telescopes are but still you can get a decent viewing experience from binoculars. We have identified four factors that make binoculars nearly as good as telescopes for observing stars and galaxies as they are, if not better.

1- Prices

Telescopes are very expensive and if you have a tight budget you won’t be able to afford them. But binoculars, on the other hand, are very much affordable and everyone from poor to rich can buy them with ease. 

Celestron is a famous brand that usually produces binoculars for stargazing. Their average product falls in the price range of 100 to 150 dollars which is not too high when compared with telescopes. 

On average, a good telescope will cost you around 200 to 300 dollars which is way higher than the price of an average product. But those telescopes that fall in this budget category are not very strong and you will feel that you have compromised optics. 

If you want a top-notch telescope you will have to spend more than 400 dollars whereas the best quality binos require 250 dollars. It is obvious that binoculars have a slight edge over telescopes due to their affordable pricing.

Also Read: Why Are Binoculars Filled With Nitrogen?

2- Easy to Use

Those who have used telescopes in their life know well that they are very tough to use. In fact, fitting them in one place requires special skills and expertise. If you’re new to telescopes then there is a big possibility that you won’t be able to fit them in one place before using them. 

But this is not the case with binoculars. All you have to do is to unpack or unbox and start using them by holding them in your hands. There is no special technique or rocket science to use them. In terms of ease of usability, binoculars are definitely better than telescopes. 

3- Magnification Power

Although the telescope has exceptional magnification power, no other optical devices can match their standard in terms of giving magnified images. In the past, binoculars had very limited magnification power and users had to compromise.

But modern binoculars come with a variety of magnification power and some binos have magnifying power up to 100x which is incredibly amazing. Still, we don’t say that binoculars are the winner but definitely up for the competition. In terms of magnification power, It is a draw or tie between both telescope and binoculars.

4- Better Field of View

First of all, it is important to understand the field of view. It is the area that you see through the binoculars. It is usually observed that those optics that have higher magnification power offer less and a shorter field of view. 

Telescopes usually offer higher magnifying power as compared to binoculars so you will get a shorter field of view. But binoculars don’t provide you with higher magnification power so it is more likely to provide you with a wider field of view.  

Conclusion

Without a doubt, both telescopes and binoculars do a pretty good job of giving you a better view of galaxies and stars. But have you ever thought about which one is a more practical option for stargazing? We have done complete research to guide you about why binoculars are important astronomical tools.

In fact, all those factors that make binoculars a useful option for astronomy have been discussed in this guide. We hope that our efforts will bring knowledge to mind – hence adding value to your life. 

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