Anyone who has used a binocular telescope or even wide-field binoculars to look at the night sky will know just how breathtakingly beautiful the view can be when you observe with both eyes.
Observing galaxies and nebulae with ‘regular’ prismatic binoculars is just a beginning. Binocular eyepieces and adapters can be added to almost any commercially-made astronomical telescope, and of course specialized astronomical binoculars can be assembled or purchased complete. These range from modest instruments to giants that are basically two large telescopes mounted together.
Binocular Astronomy contains everything you’ll need to know about this exciting branch of astronomical observing.
Understanding the physics and physiology of binocular visual astronomy is followed by an in-depth description of how to choose, test, and buy the best equipment. Details of care and maintenance, mounting, and using binocular telescopes follow. Finally, Steve Tonkin presents introductory lists of some of the most exciting objects for 2-inch (50mm) and 4-inch (100mm) binoculars, complete with finder charts.
Begin your own journey into binocular astronomy here!
This book contains everything an astronomer needs to know about binocular observing. The book takes an in-depth look at the instruments themselves. It has sections on evaluating and buying binoculars and binocular telescopes, their care, mounting, and accessories.
The advantages of using both eyes for astronomical observing are many and considerable, largely because of the way the human brain processes visual information.
Binoculars – the usual kinds – are incredibly useful for wide-field observing, but "binocular astronomy" is much more than that, including binocular eyepieces that can be fitted to normal astronomical telescopes, and even giant binocular telescopes that are effectively two astronomical telescopes working in tandem.
Here is everything an astronomer needs to know about binocular observing. The book takes an in-depth look at the instruments themselves, and has sections on evaluating and buying binoculars and binocular telescopes, their care, mounting, and accessories. In addition there is a selection of fine objects to be seen with 50mm and 100mm binoculars.
Deals with all aspects of binocular astronomy
Provides an in-depth discussion of the available instruments
Covers care, mountings, and accessories for binoculars and binocular telescopes
This book contains everything an astronomer needs to know about binocular observing. The book takes an in-depth look at the instruments themselves. It has sections on evaluating and buying binoculars and binocular telescopes, their care, mounting, and accessories. In addition there is a selection of fifty fine objects to be seen with 50mm and 100mm binoculars.
The advantages of using both eyes for astronomical observing are many and considerable, largely because of the way the human brain processes visual information. This book enables the astronomer to maximize those advantages.
Stephen Tonkin
Binoculars Equipment Observational astronomy instruments observing techniques
From the reviews:
"Binoculars are an often-overlooked lower-cost alternative for introductory astronomy students and beginning amateur astronomers. … The detailed information on buying and maintaining binoculars will be particularly useful for those who have always used telescopes. … Photographs and drawings are excellent and enhance the usefulness of the book; the appendixes contain additional information to enable proper selection and expert use of binoculars in astronomy. An excellent addition to the well-regarded Practical Astronomy series. Summing Up: Highly Recommended. General reader; lower-division undergraduates; faculty/professionals." (D. H. Gifford, CHOICE, Vol. 44 (11), August, 2007)