Are you interested in astronomy but find telescopes intimidating? You are not alone. In fact, the cost and complexity of telescopes have put off many potential astronomers over the years. The good news is, there is a little known alternative to telescopes that can help ease you into astronomy or serve as a more portable and low maintenance option. That is the option to use astronomy binoculars.
If you have never considered binoculars as an astronomy tool, you are missing out. They are a perfect starting point for the new astronomer. If you are looking for more information about binocular astronomy, make sure to check out our comprehensive astronomy binoculars guide which you can find here.
If you thought that Celestron was only in the market for making telescopes, think again. They have a whole range of quality optics that include their Skymaster Giant Binoculars.
Specs
- Magnification: 15x
- Field of view: 4.4°
- Field of view in feet at 1000 yards: 231
- Lens coatings: Multi-coated
- Prism material: BaK4
- Close focus distance: 43’
Using their years of experience and optical excellence, Celestron has crafted a pair of lightweight binoculars that can be used by the amateur astronomer and the intrepid explorer alike.
Check Latest PriceCelestron Quality Optics
The main upside to getting the Celestron Skymaster Giant 15X70 Binoculars is that you are getting a pair of low light binoculars with Celestron optics. Celestron has been making dozens of best selling telescopes for years and they have the design experience to craft some truly special optics for their products. These binoculars are no different.
The glass is all multi-coated with the best coatings in the industry. That means you will not run into blurry lights, aberrations, or other deficiencies in the view. The result is clear images in low light and darkness that especially highlight bright night sky objects.
Things such as the Pleides star cluster or the moon come into greater detail. Focusing your images is easy with the use of the included, large, diopter knob which allows you to dial into whatever object you are trying to see.
The large aperture, 70mm, means the binoculars have ample space to gather as much light as possible. This is one of the biggest upsides over other pairs of binoculars when it comes to astronomy. Other binoculars have small apertures that do not let much light in meaning they struggle during low light use except when trying to look at something like the full moon.
The combination of the large apertures, the multi-coated glass, long focal length, and Celestron’s experience means you get a beefy pair of binoculars that excel at night sky viewing. The image quality is great, and save for a couple of hiccups, the entire setup is fabulous.
Extras and Addons
These Celestron Skymaster Giant 15X70 Binoculars come with everything you need to maintain them right out of the box. They have caps for the apertures and the eyepieces, a comfortable strap, a case as well as a tripod adapter. The tripod adapter is nice because these binoculars, even with the heavy strap, can be a chore to hold up to your eyes for long periods of time.
If you are going to be using them for astronomy, some kind of tripod or base is going to be necessary so it is good that these come prepared for that eventuality. They also have one with a smartphone adapter so you can record or photograph whatever you are seeing through the binoculars.
No matter how you plan on using these binoculars, Celestron has you covered. From maintenance to long tripod assisted viewing sessions to quality smartphone pictures of your favorite views, there are options, extras, and upgrades for every kind of user.
Drawbacks
There are a few relatively minor drawbacks to this pair of binoculars. First, the large aperture and “giant” size is great for low light and evening use but might not appeal to a broader audience. If you want to use your binoculars during the day more than at night, you probably don’t need a pair with such large apertures and long focal length.
Then, there have been reports of some quality control issues with this line. No company is perfect and these have obviously been mass produced. With over four thousand verified reviews and an Amazon’s Choice label, you can bet there have been tens of thousands of these things produced. That is not to excuse the quality control issues but, with a mass produced product, sometimes they happen.
The most common reported issue is with double vision meaning something is out of alignment inside the binoculars causing vision problems. This could be something that happens during shipping or manufacturing. Others reported diopter knobs that would not work properly. Luckily, via Amazon or Celestron, it should be an easy swap and fix but it could be an issue that comes up during your purchase.
These issues are definitely only present in a minority of cases but I would be remiss if I did not mention them in my review as they are noticeable enough to be mentioned.
Verdict
If you are looking for a pair of binoculars specifically for stargazing, why not go with a pair from a company that does stargazing? Many binoculars can be used at night to see the sky and the stars but if you want a pair that is going to excel at that particular goal, this is the line that you want to take into account.
They’re light, affordable, easy to use, have a great pedigree, give good quality views of bright objects in the sky. They have everything you want and need out of a pair of stargazing binoculars.
If you are looking for an all-around pair of binoculars for hunting, fishing, or spotting as well as night time activities, you might want to look into a more well-rounded pair than these. If the night sky is an afterthought, you can probably safely pass these by. But if the night sky is your focus, there are few better options than the Celestron Skymaster Giant 15X70 Binoculars.
If you want something a little smaller we have reviewed the Celestron Skymaster 12×60 Binoculars.
