Telescope binoculars, variously called bino-telescopes or binocular style telescopes are perhaps the highest end optics you can buy as a consumer. Most telescope binoculars will have objective lenses in the range of 100 mm or more.

Introduction to astronomy Many people use binoculars as a basic introduction to astronomy. Even basic binoculars will bring the moon’s features into full view. Some more high powered binoculars can be used to pick out the moons of Jupiter or to distinguish planets. Once you demand more, you may want to graduate to a fine telescope or a pair of telescope binoculars.

Basic features Telescope binoculars should have durable all metal construction, top of the line prisms (BaK4’s) and waterproofing.

Choosing telescope binoculars When choosing telescope binoculars, you need to find a compromise between cost and features. We can’t help you decide how much to pay, but we can tell you some of the features you might look for in a fine pair of bino-telescopes.

• Light gathering is the key to a good pair of telescope binoculars. This mainly relies on the size of the objective lens.
• Zoom is also a strong feature of telescope binoculars. You should at least have 20x zoom, though 40x zoom or higher is preferable.
• Image stabilization is a good feature for those who want to hold on a distant star or planet and do not have the steady hand to do so on their own. The only disadvantage to this is that in all but the most expensive models this will likely compromise your image clarity.

Some telescope binoculars Tasco makes a 25x30 specialty scope that can provide a fine introduction to the skies for the budding astronomer, and these can be found online for less than $50.

Of course, you can use any standard bino-telescope to get your first taste of astronomy. Many people use a simple pair of Magnicon 10x40s to bring the moon closer or to get a good look at the latest comet. They work all right.

Of course, to get a really good look at the stars, you’ll likely have to spend over $1,000. Nikon’s 18x70 AstroLuxe XL binoculars are everything you could want in astronomy binoculars: all metal construction, individual eye focus, extra-low dispersion glass that cuts down significantly on refraction that can hamper backyard astronomy. These are listed at over $2,000 but can be found online for much less.

Barska’s telescope binoculars are 20x or 40x100. These are also listed at over $2,000, can also be found online for much less, and they are a fine pair of telescope binoculars.

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