Bino

[klutz]

Hi, was wondering which is the best Bino (not scope, dun think I can afford one now) for star watching? Any recommendation for a Bino, a dealer or a web site? Average price...?

Actually, how much does an average scope cost? I was about to buy the telescope from Carrefour when someone mentioned it's not worth the $$...

Thanks in advance!

[neoterryjoe]

Hi!
You can check out the dealers like Mcgill
http://www.mcgill.com.sg/shop/ or with vendors(nickname coded in pink) here.

HAND

[kayheem]

Check with Starfinder (Gavin). He may have a couple of good deals for you.

Kay Heem

[klutz]

Thanks Orange! Thanks Heem!

[starfinder]

Check with Starfinder (Gavin). He may have a couple of good deals for you.

Kay Heem

Hi hi. I don't have any binos for sale now. The one which I have just sold to Jeremy was one which I got from China a few years back. Its a good one.


As a first optical instrument, I would suggest getting a small portable bino such as a 7x50 or 10x50, or 8x42 or 10x42. I think you can get one of these in ordinary Singapore shops for about $200, e.g. Nikon, Pentax, Minolta, etc.

Small binos are hand-holdable, carry-anywhere, wide field instruments that can show a lot, especially if held steadily.

For a 2nd bino (to complement the 50mm bino) with more resolving power (aperture) and magnification, a good budget choice would be the 20x80 multicoated triplet bino now sold by Grand Eye Scientific Company in Hong Kong for about S$220 inclusive of shipping by courier to Singapore:
http://www.grandeye.com.hk/pc_bino.htm

(I'm not sure if they have stock. They also sell 42mm, 50mm, 70mm and 100mm binos. Payment is by bank draft or wire transfer.)

At that price, I think the 20x80 is very good value for money. It's essentially a twin 3-inch triplet refractor with 2 eyepieces and 4 prisms thrown in, all in a nice case. However, as it weighs 5 pounds, you will need a solid alta-azimuth mount for it, such as the Manfrotto/Bogen 410 geared head, and a good tripod. (The key to using big binos is to have a good steady mount, just like telescopes).


I have looked at the Southern Cross region with it in town in Singapore: could resolve most of the individual stars of the Jewel Box and many in the superb open cluster NGC3532. Not too bad.

Some of my most enjoyable experiences at dark sky sites was through large binoculars: the Milky Way clouds and dust lanes, and the star fields near the Milky Way, e.g at Puppis, Carina, Orion, Cygnus.


However, almost all binos have a limitation in that
the maximum magnification of even "giant" binos is usually about 25 or 40x, with apertures of at most 4 to 6 inches.

For galaxies and globular clusters and planets, the bigger the aperture the better, and you will want a magnification of at least 80x (200x at least for the planets). For example, from my experience at Mersing, the great globular cluster Omega Centauri as seen in an 8 inch scope is a quantum leap over that seen in a 4 or 5 inch scope.


So, like footwear, one optical instrument alone is not enough for everything. Different objects and different times require different instruments. However, a small hand-holdable 42 or 50mm bino is a good start.

[klutz]

Suddenly a bit low morale... My poor eyesight and slight nite blindness etc, I dun even think I can see anything in the night sky with those Binos. Really envy you ppl. Wonder how you guys can find those stars with naked eyes, while I can only see clouds, a few bright stars plus dark patches...

The one and only time I managed to see millions of stars was when me and my friends got lost in Kota Tinggi... That was really magnificent. It had me rooted to the ground.

Back to the topic. I was thinking of getting the McGill Beginner Stargazer Package earlier, and now perhaps the 20x80 multicoated triplet Bino. Where do I get a tripod then? From Grand Eye too? Everything needs $$... really really have to start saving for a scope now.

[ariefm71]

klutz, nice avatar you have there. you can use any photo tripod with the bino, make sure you get the L-bracket with the bino to attach to the tripod head.

[Canopus Lim]

Perhaps u can join obbing with singastro people in the east. You will learn more and will probably get to know what is the best buy for your case. There are hundreds of different scopes and binos out there. It is important to know what to buy and that really depends on what is your interest. Some people are visual only, some people are imaging and some people are half half. Others specialized in double stars, some deep sky, some planets. All these requires years of astronomy before one decides on 'what path to take' or in which area of astronomy that one is most interested in.

[weixing]

Hi,

My poor eyesight and slight nite blindness etc,

Hmm.. is this just a remark or you do have night blindness?? Anyway, I think the problem for most people is that they don't know where to look and what to look for.

As you start observing, your eye and brain will start to learn what to look for and it'll be easier when you got more experience.

Hope to see you on saturday night.

Have a nice day.

[neoterryjoe]

Well, poor eyesight and night blindness should not be a barrier in the pursuit of this hobby. Like you, i was really amazed at those people who could immediately aim a scope at emptiness in the sky and yet a deep sky object could show up in the scope. But i believe this could be trained w more experience. Just get oriented with the sky using a starchart or planetarium now and slowly you will start to locate objects you might not believe you can now. (One thing good about the bad skies in Singapore is that it trains you to identify stars in specific period of time and location in contrast to normal practices where people would identify constellations first, then individual stars.. )