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Choosing a Telescope

Recommendation 7: Consider a Binocular instead of a Telescope
For someone starting out, a binocular can be the perfect stargazing aid and may even be better than a telescope. Here’s why:

Binoculars are easier to use being small and lightweight.
Binoculars offer richer views because they allow use by both eyes.
Binoculars are better for exploring large targets like constellations and large clusters.
Binoculars seem more natural because they offer correct-image views. In contrast, most telescopes flip left and right, and many also flip up and down.
Good binoculars are usually less expensive than good telescopes.

Some things to consider when choosing a binocular:

We recommend binoculars that are fully multicoated — both words are important. This means that every lens element has been coated multiple times to offer the brightest views.
We recommend 10x50mm binoculars. This means a magnification of 10 and a front lens size of 50mm. This gives the largest and brightest views in a binocular that can still be hand held.
We’ve tried lots of binoculars… here’s one that we can easily recommend because it offers a great combination of views and value: Orion UltraView 10x50 Wide Angle Binoculars.

 
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