Stargazers Monocular

[Jimmcb]

Looking for recommendations and advice for a small portable monocular to star gaze or spot of an evening walking the dog.

Anyone recommend a particular unit as thinking a 20x50 device.

Jim

[murkeywaters]

20x magnification will be hard to handhold due to shake, 10x would be more suitable plus you’ll let in more light with less mag.

Probably better looking at small binoculars 8x30 type size but for night sky viewing you need aperture aperture aperture to let in as much light as possible..

[Jimmcb]

Thanks guys. Good info. I had feared shake would become the issue.

All the best!

Jim

[dkpw]

Monopod or light weight (carbon fibre) tripod, bino clamp and bins of your choice. That's a great way for lightweight star and moon gazing, without wobble or shaking.

I use such a setup when out and about or when I cannot be bothered to take the Dobsonian in the car.

[Jimmcb]

Monopod or light weight (carbon fibre) tripod, bino clamp and bins of your choice. That's a great way for lightweight star and moon gazing, without wobble or shaking.

I use such a setup when out and about or when I cannot be bothered to take the Dobsonian in the car.

Thanks for that and I’m sure you’re right. It’s a tad too much to carry and monitor a 40kg black lab in the dark though. I’m just trying to do some star gazing on the fly without it becoming too cumbersome with carrying kit - those days are gone!

Jim

[oldoakknives]

[Jimmcb]

A fine fellow who brought stars and planets into our living rooms.

[oldoakknives]

A fine fellow who brought stars and planets into our living rooms.

Indeed.

[JonRA]

Maybe consider a decent set of binos and a chest harness for carrying them? I have this arrangement with my 25 kilo but very excitable Staffie cross. I can only manage 8x magnification without something to rest on though binos with image stabilization could make a big difference. I've got a monocular but TBH it's nowhere near the usefulness of the binos - a harness makes a big difference in utility.

ATB

Jon

Sent from my moto e5 play using Tapatalk

[Jimmcb]

Thanks Jon. That might end up being the way forward.

Jim

[sundial]

A pocketable 6x mag or a 'round yer neck' 8x PORRO PRISM binocular would be ideal for astro observing whilst dog walking ... a high power bino or monocular is not necessary when 'walkabout' observing. I lend out vintage 6x mag. porro prism binoculars to the public at local star parties and they are amazed at the views . My British 6x porros are over 70 years young. Modern porro prism binos are usually superior to modern roof prism binoculars for astro observing. Nikon, Fuji and Swarovski continue to design and make high-end porro prism binos ... there is a demand for them. Some observers assume that roof prism binos are better than porro prism designs .. and that porros are 'old fashioned' ... those "observers" likely know SFA about binoculars are incorrect in their assumptions. Far more 'bang for buck' with porro prism binos .. and because porros do not require expensive 'phase coating' on their prisms they are usually cheaper than the equivalent roof prism models. This s/h Russian 8x30 porro could be a good buy if in collimation and if the focus is not stiff https://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Used/Misc...se_286872.html

I'll be listing my Docter Optic Aspectem 40x80 porro prism binocular on TZ UK SC within the next two weeks if anyone is looking for a pro level ultra-high mag. porro prism observation binocular ... complete with wooden tripod

dunk

[sundial]

This ultra wide field 2x bino is well worth considering as a pocketable walkabout astro binocular:

http://www.opticalvision.co.uk/all-h...binocular.html ... also see the review in this month's (November) 'Astronomy Now' magazine

The equivalent Vixen bino is more expensive https://www.tringastro.co.uk/vixen-s...ars-4369-p.asp

Orion also offer similar https://uk.telescope.com/mobileProdu...ars/132438.uts

... but please note this type of bino is not suitable for observers wearing glasses

dunk

[mr noble]

Maybe one of these is what you’re after, OP?

I find a monocular easier to handle than binos as I have one eye with spot on vision and one not so. Can never seem to get a good parallel view with binoculars.

I’ve no idea if any of these are good with night skies. May have to add the zoom one to my list for Santa.


https://uk.telescope.com/Binoculars/.../1310/1428.uts

[magirus]

Monopod or light weight (carbon fibre) tripod, bino clamp and bins of your choice. That's a great way for lightweight star and moon gazing, without wobble or shaking.

I use such a setup when out and about or when I cannot be bothered to take the Dobsonian in the car.

Yet again I innocently open a thread and leave "needing" something. ;-)

[Jimmcb]

Thanks for all the advice latterly in the thread guys.

Jim

[dkpw]

Yet again I innocently open a thread and leave "needing" something. ;-)

Sorry. :)

[JGJG]

aperture aperture aperture to let in as much light as possible..

Agreed - it’s the old adage if there being no replacement for displacement.

However, in my experience the quality end of Leica (Ultravid and above) seem to perform as if their objective lenses were about two sizes bigger....

[sundial]

Maybe one of these is what you’re after, OP?

I find a monocular easier to handle than binos as I have one eye with spot on vision and one not so. Can never seem to get a good parallel view with binoculars.

I’ve no idea if any of these are good with night skies. May have to add the zoom one to my list for Santa.


https://uk.telescope.com/Binoculars/.../1310/1428.uts

Maybe you are not setting up your binoculars optimally? Several 'adjustments' are required to optimise the view for each eye ... only then will a clear, 'round', 3D view be possible. The types of adjustments depend on a binocular's focusing method ... centre focus or individual eyepiece (ocular) focusing. The primary adjustment is always the inter-ocular distance ... followed by eye relief adjustment (via the eyecups) to optimise the FOV (field of view) ... and followed by focusing and (if necessary) diopter adjustment. The adjustments are well documented on You Tube but some demos are better than others ... so check several.

Once learnt, the adjustments take only a few seconds ... and the instrument's adjustments can be 'marked' via self adhesive lifting tape markers. However, two observers sharing the same binocular will likely require different adjustments to suit their particular eyes' 'seeings'.

The purpose of using binoculars is to obtain a clear 3D view... which is not possible with a monocular or a telescope... Our eyes see separate images as do the two 'telescopes' in a binocular ... and our brain combines them into a 3D image. If one or both of the 'telescopes' in a binocular are not set up properly the potential 3D image will never be seen ... and the observer might assume the instrument &/or, his / her eye(s) are at fault.

Some observers never set up their expensive binoculars properly and thus end up looking through one side only ... with the other eye closed. A little time spent learning how to set up binoculars properly and optimally (especially if wearing glasses) will greatly improve the observing experience ... and will also determine whether or not the binocular purchased or intended to be purchased, has been collimated properly by the factory. Many cheap / budget price binoculars made in China are incapable of producing comfortable images because the prism collimation was not optimally adjusted by the factory ... or has 'slipped' in transit. If a binocular cannot produce a perfectly 'round' image by initially adjusting the inter-ocular distance to suit an observer's eyes (regardless of focus) then the instrument is useless and should be returned to the dealer / seller.

dunk

[mr noble]

Maybe you are not setting up your binoculars optimally? Several 'adjustments' are required to optimise the view for each eye ... only then will a clear, 'round', 3D view be possible. The types of adjustments depend on a binocular's focusing method ... centre focus or individual eyepiece (ocular) focusing. The primary adjustment is always the inter-ocular distance ... followed by eye relief adjustment (via the eyecups) to optimise the FOV (field of view) ... and followed by focusing and (if necessary) diopter adjustment. The adjustments are well documented on You Tube but some demos are better than others ... so check several.

Once learnt, the adjustments take only a few seconds ... and the instrument's adjustments can be 'marked' via self adhesive lifting tape markers. However, two observers sharing the same binocular will likely require different adjustments to suit their particular eyes' 'seeings'.

The purpose of using binoculars is to obtain a clear 3D view... which is not possible with a monocular or a telescope... Our eyes see separate images as do the two 'telescopes' in a binocular ... and our brain combines them into a 3D image. If one or both of the 'telescopes' in a binocular are not set up properly the potential 3D image will never be seen ... and the observer might assume the instrument &/or, his / her eye(s) are at fault.

Some observers never set up their expensive binoculars properly and thus end up looking through one side only ... with the other eye closed. A little time spent learning how to set up binoculars properly and optimally (especially if wearing glasses) will greatly improve the observing experience ... and will also determine whether or not the binocular purchased or intended to be purchased, has been collimated properly by the factory. Many cheap / budget price binoculars made in China are incapable of producing comfortable images because the prism collimation was not optimally adjusted by the factory ... or has 'slipped' in transit. If a binocular cannot produce a perfectly 'round' image by initially adjusting the inter-ocular distance to suit an observer's eyes (regardless of focus) then the instrument is useless and should be returned to the dealer / seller.

dunk

Great post dunk.

In my case, I just have one dodgy eye, I can see fine, don’t need glasses, but have an area of poor light pick up in my receptors. There’s nothing I can do about it. The binos are great for ground based viewing and looking at the moon, and are easy to focus individually. But for stargazing, I can never get a good sharp round image with binos. I just prefer a monocular for stargazing, which isn’t really 3D anyway.

[sundial]

Great post dunk.

In my case, I just have one dodgy eye, I can see fine, don’t need glasses, but have an area of poor light pick up in my receptors. There’s nothing I can do about it. The binos are great for ground based viewing and looking at the moon, and are easy to focus individually. But for stargazing, I can never get a good sharp round image with binos. I just prefer a monocular for stargazing, which isn’t really 3D anyway.

If the bino images 'overlap' and impossible to adjust the inter-ocular distance to bring the overlapping images together ... into one circular image ... that is indicative of the prisms being out of collimation. Collimation can be adjusted but requires expert adjustment using the proper tools / target.

dunk