Simple Star Gazing with Binoculars

You should know a few things;in regards to choosing binoculars for observing the stars during your camping trip. Every pair has a two number designation for magnification and aperture( the diameter of the front lense in millimeters). The higher the magnification the less your field of view will be. So, 10 for magnification is sufficient and will not limit your field of vision; an important thing to consider when trying to pick out constellations and viewing the tail of a comet. A higher magnification will also amplify the effect of shaky hands. A telescope with a tripod would take care of this problem but for our purposes a pair of binoculars is often more convenient for camping and backpacking trips. You can get image stabilized binoculars for a higher price. The higher the aperture the more light you collect which is important for star gazing ( not as important for bird watching during the day) So, the larger the front lense the better for gazing. When all is said and done, 8 x 50 is a nice choice for astronomy and Binoculars.

A few useful links:

JackStarGazer.com - the web site for a PBS television series dedicated to star gazing. The show and site mainly focus on astronomy with the unaided eye ( useful for binocular viewing as well). Weather Underground - View a star map for your zipcode StarDate.com - Features a star gazing tip of the day and an online radio program with helpful tips for beginners. Todd Gross's Binocular Evaluation a list and review of binoculars good for star gazing. Stargazing For Beginners - Amazon Books Star Maps For Beginners - Amazon Books

Science @ NASA Space Station Marathon  -  The International Space Station (ISS) is about to make a remarkable series of flybys over the United States. Beginning this 4th of July weekend, the station will appear once, twice, and sometimes three times a day for many days in a row. Space Station Room With a View  -  Astronauts are looking forward to an unprecedented view of the cosmos when the largest window ever built for space is installed on the International Space Station. Satellites Guide Relief to Earthquake Victims  -  In the aftermath of a recent, deadly earthquake, the NASA-led SERVIR program orchestrated use of satellite data to show Honduran disaster officials where help was needed most. Mystery of the Missing Sunspots, Solved?  -  Where have all the sunspots gone? Scientists studying a jet stream deep inside the sun may have found the answer. Running Out of This World  -  With NASA poised to launch the world's most famous treadmill (COLBERT) to the International Space Station, an astronaut describes what it's like to run in space where sweat floats and there is no gravity to hold your feet to the ground.