If you want to introduce your child to astronomy and the wonders of star-gazing, the first thing you need to do is buy him/her binoculars. The world has come a long way since the first telescope that was built- Galileo. These days, there are many binoculars available that are much more advanced and much more powerful.
Best Binoculars for Kids
Before you buy your kid a telescope, let your child play with binoculars. It is the first step for introducing your child to astronomy and also the cheapest way to do so. With a moderately powerful pair of binoculars, your child can identify most features on the moon and can even check-out some other parts of the sky.
When looking for a kid’s binocular, please bear in mind that a binocular for a three-year-old should ideally have better shock-proofing, compact size, and vibrant color. However, if you have a 10-year old child, consider getting something that is more functional and has better magnification. Magnification is what makes the objects appear closer. For kids, binoculars with magnification between 2x and 8x should be fine.
- Hontry Binocular for Adults and Kids: 10 magnification with 25mm objective lens
- Celestron SkyMaster 25×70 Binocular: 25x magnification with 70mm Objective Lens
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Kids Binoculars: Buying Guide
Binocular Power
If you are planning on buying a binocular, you should know about binocular power.
A binocular power is designated by 2 numbers, the magnification power and the diameter.
A magnification power can be best explained with this example- 7 x X means it magnifies 7 times.
The diameter of the larger, objective, lens in millimeters can be similarly explained with the following example a 7 x 50, or 7 50 means the magnification is 7 times and the diameter of the objective lens is 50 millimeters.
You can opt for 7 or 8x50s which is the best for common astronomy usage. However, the highest magnification for hand held astronomy is 10 x 50, but that could be a bit shaky.
A higher magnification will need a tripod to eliminate the shaking. Plus, anything above Xx50 becomes more expensive.
Tips When Purchasing Binoculars for Astronomy
Before you buy a binocular for astronomy, keep the following points in mind.
- When you focus on a distant object, it should be a sharp view without double images and true to color across the whole field . In other words, the sharpness should extend over the entire view.
- When viewing stars, the stars on the edge may become distorted. This won’t show up when using in the daytime.
- Ideally, the tubes should be parallel to provide single view field. If the binoculars can’t give one field that means the tubes aren’t parallel. You can check for alignment by placing the binoculars on a flat object and look through each lens individually. The object should be in the same place in both lenses.
- There shouldn’t be any rainbow edges while viewing objects.
- If your binoculars has red, blue or green optics, don’t use it for astronomy, as it colors what you’re observing.
- If you can move your eye from the eyepiece without losing much of the view field, it means you have a good eyepiece.
- You know you have purchased a good binoculars if it is illuminated evenly when looking down eyepieces at a distance. Cheaper prisms cause the image to square.
The above points will help you during your purchase of a good binocular. If the intent of buying one is for common use, you can ignore some imperfections. However, if you invest in a higher quality binocular, it will be great to use during the day and night as well.
How to Use Binoculars For Stargazing
If you thought you could watch the moon and other elements in the sky only with a telescope, you are wrong. A good high quality binocular is a great tool for general stargazing. You can easily view the moon, constellations and other sky-bound objects. What you see through your binocular also depends on its power. A high power binocular will let you or your child to see more details in the sky.
For additional help on what to see and where to turn your binocular, you can refer to books with a focus on using binoculars for astronomy. These books usually give lists of constellations and other sites to turn your binoculars to. Some are quite detailed and a good way to learn the sky.
Before jumping into buying a telescope, buying a binocular always is a good option. It is cheaper and ideal for an amateur or a professional, both alike. You can also take it on your star gazing field trips.
A binoculars is a good start if you or your child is interested in astronomy. It is like a first step before graduating to a telescope. Start your child on astronomy at a young age and slowly, he/ she can learn more as they grow up.
Funtoyworld is a family-managed website with me (Ben), and my wife doing most of the work. We are proud parents of two wonderful kids and love reviewing toys. We have a firm but friendly “democratic parenting” style and offer several practical suggestions backed by extensive research. Our own experience with raising two children prompted us to share our knowledge. Read more.
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