Finally got to use 15x70s on a Dark night!

I've been way up north deer hunting for the past 2 weeks so I have not been able to post any messages. (Got a nice buck with my pistol but that is not my big news) I finally got to get my 15x70s out at deer camp on a very dark night many many miles from any light pollution. WOW WOW W O W !!!!

M31 is awesome. M33 was just there! I just pointed the binos and poof - There is was bright and clear! I never had a view of M33 like that in my telescope. Star clusters were fantastic. I am really digging these binos. Now my wife is saying why didn't we just buy the binos and save the money we spent on the telescope. I told here the same reason I own a dozen different fly rods - No such thing as an all around tool. But I am becoming a big fan of binos for astronomy. Now I just need one of those moterized chairs with the joy stick control.......Hmmm...

Daryl

Daryl,
Welcome to the wonderful world of binocular astronomy! While some folks regard binocular astronomy as a novice form of the pursuit, others of us know it for the addictive spectacular views that it really is. I've been really hooked into binocular astronomy as a means unto itself ever since I first tried it. These days, with the affordability of really good large binoculars, it ought to be far more popular than monoscope astronomy.

At the recent Mid Atlantic Star Party I had both Fujinon 16x70 binoculars and a pair of scopes set up for personal sale, and for use by anybody that wanted to try them. A couple of funny things happened. One; nobody much wanted to even try the 4" Mak & 6" Mak-Cass after using the 16x70 binos on a Unimount. Two: I decided that I couldn't part with the large binos and mount, despite the fact that I was ostensibly there to sell those off to buy another telescope. So it goes. This is the second time I've made that same rediscovery and subsequent decision about these particular binoculars and mount.

Even though I had a really decent view of Saturn in the Intes Micro Alter M603, what people wanted to see and use was the 16x70 binoculars on the Unimount. The Boy Scouts that came through were particularly fascinated by the binos. That's been my experience at the last 3 star parties.

I would encourage you to either buy or make a good paralellogram mount for your binoculars and enjoy them often.

Mike Swaim