Telescope or Binoculars?

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 2:08 am

Source: Straits Times, 28 June 2010, Page A12.

"A student (above) using BINOCULARS to look at the partial moon eclipse in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, last Saturday." (Emphasis mine)

I think my young nephews can tell the difference without a degree in journalism.

cloud_cover · Post by **cloud_cover** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 12:31 am

Hahaha!
Actually if you look carefully there is a student using binos, just not the main subject ( see highlighted area)
Someone didn't vet the photo/description before publishing!

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 1:42 am

Haha. Initially when I saw the photo on the newspaper, I thought so. But the more I look at it the more I am inclined to believe she is not holding a binoculars with both hands. Firstly, why would anyone hold/use a binoculars directly behind a telescope? Secondly, if it is binoculars, the grip also looks funny. Her left hand looks like it is resting on the side of the tube with an open palm rather than gripping one side of the binoculars. My speculation is that she is looking at the Moon through the finderscope and placing her hands in that position perhaps for balance and/or to prevent her face from moving too close and hitting the backend of the tube.

The actual AP preview version of this photo can be found here:
http://www.apimages.com/OneUp.aspx?st=k ... e=1&xslt=1

You can zoom in and draw conclusions for yourselves.