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70+ Binoculars Ranked — The Best For Astronomy

Rank & ratings last updated on

Skymaster 8x56 DX and Bushnell Legacy WP 10x50, two of our recommended best binoculars
Skymaster 8x56 DX and Bushnell Legacy WP 10x50, two of our recommended binoculars. Pic by Zane Landers
For those who don’t have a lot to spend or aren’t sure whether they’re interested in astronomy, I believe binoculars are a great choice.
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Even if you already have a telescope, a good pair of binoculars can be a useful addition. A pair of 40–60 mm binoculars will offer a wide field of view, can be set up quickly, and are capable of showing open star clusters, bright nebulae, and galaxies. Smaller handheld binoculars can be used as a reference or for practice when trying to locate new objects in your telescope. All at a cost less than most telescope eyepieces.
Some prefer tripod-mounted, larger binoculars over telescopes because they are more comfortable to look through with two eyes and are 75% brighter than an equivalent aperture telescope. This factor is also why a pair of binoculars is superior to a cheap telescope with a small aperture and poor features for beginners, as a pair of bargain 7x50 or 10x50 binoculars will have superior image brightness to a 2-3” telescope.
Unlike cheap telescopes, you won’t have to worry about bad optics, a wobbly tripod, or low-quality, uncomfortable eyepieces with even the cheapest acceptable binoculars in our rankings.

Tips on Choosing Best Astronomical Binoculars

The second number in a pair of binoculars refers to its aperture in millimeters—e.g., 42 mm, 50 mm, 63 mm, etc.

The astronomy binoculars range from 35 mm to as large as 152 mm in aperture, though usually, they are between 35 mm and 80 mm. While larger is better for light-gathering power, anything larger than 100 mm resembles a pair of telescopes more than binoculars, often has interchangeable eyepieces, and will be very expensive. Also, a too-large pair means we're unable to hold them steady.

In general, I consider 42 mm to be the minimum for astronomical viewing for adults. 35mm will suffice, but in general, 42mm or larger is better, and anything smaller than 35mm is really for watching birds or sports teams—not astronomy.

For astronomical purposes without a tripod, the upper limit for handheld binoculars is probably 63 mm of aperture or less. Some people can hand-hold 10x or 11x70 binoculars. But it is not easy to do, and I would not recommend doing so without having a tripod in the event that there’s too much to handle.

50 mm of an aperture is a good general-purpose size. I find them large enough for basically anyone to use them handheld but small enough to be portable and still easy to manage.

The first number in a pair of binoculars’ specifications—e.g., 7x50 or 8x42—refers to the magnification, in this case, 7x or 8x.

In general, astronomy binoculars should have a magnification between 7x and 25x in order to provide a good balance between image detail, stability, sharpness, and field of view.

At higher magnifications, the view through binoculars appears larger, but the field of view will be narrower. This can make it more difficult to locate and observe celestial objects, as we'll see less of the sky at once. Additionally, higher magnifications generally belong to the domain of telescopes, as they are more sensitive to shaking from our hands or an inadequate mounting and bring out flaws in optical quality with many binoculars.

I consider 8x to be the limit for most children to hand-hold steadily, and 10x or 11x to be the limit for most adults. I've also seen people handling 12x, or even 15x or 16x binoculars, but in practice, it is usually hard to hold them steady.

For terrestrial use, you can amp up the magnification a little more, since daytime things are generally near the horizon (easier to hold steady) and are brighter and more familiar (thus taking less work for your eyes to see even if the image is jiggly).

Binoculars typically have eyepieces with apparent fields of view of 50 degrees (similar to a Plossl or Kellner telescope eyepiece) or greater. Wide-angle eyepieces can be more immersive but are harder to manufacture to a high standard of quality.

The apparent field of binoculars combined with their magnification dictates the true field of view, as with a telescope. A good pair of 7x or 10x binoculars has a true field of view of 6.5 degrees or greater. I've found that Binoculars with a true field of less than 4 degrees are very hard to aim.

Porro prisms and roof prisms are the two different designs used in binoculars to invert the image so that it is right-side-up and left-to-right correct.

Porro prisms are a traditional design that uses two prisms arranged at a right angle to each other to deflect and invert the image. They are named after the Italian optician Ignazio Porro, who patented the design in the 19th century. Porro prism binoculars are characterized by a distinctive zig-zag shape, with the objective lenses offset from the eyepieces.

Roof prisms, on the other hand, use a single prism with a roof-shaped cross-section to invert the image. They are generally more compact and lightweight than Porro prism binoculars and are often used in compact or travel-sized binoculars.

One advantage of Porro prisms for astronomy binoculars is that they tend to have a wider field of view compared to roof prisms of the same magnification and objective lens size. This makes them more convenient for observing celestial objects, as they allow us to see more of the sky at once. Additionally, Porro prisms may offer better image quality and contrast due to their less complex optical design, especially when comparing two binoculars at the same price point.

However, I'm not saying that the choice between Porro and roof prisms in binoculars is always a simple matter of one being inherently better than the other. Both designs have their own strengths and weaknesses, and the best choice, if you ask me, depends on your specific needs and preferences.

BK-7 (soda-lime glass) and BaK-4 (barium crown) are the two commonly seen types of glass used in the prisms of binoculars. 

BK-7 glass is a type of borosilicate crown glass that is commonly used in the prisms of lower-cost binoculars. It is relatively inexpensive and has good transmission properties, but it is not as dense as some other types of glass and may not offer the same level of performance in terms of image quality and clarity. BaK-4 glass, on the other hand, is a higher-quality glass that is denser and more optically pure than BK-7 glass. It is often used in the prisms of higher-end binoculars because it offers better image quality and clarity.

In astronomy binoculars, the quality of the prisms can be an important factor because it affects the overall image quality and clarity of the instrument. BaK-4 prisms are what I recommend as a better choice for astronomy binoculars because they offer better image quality and clarity compared to BK-7 prisms. Many cheap binoculars use BK-7 prisms, which are also undersized and vignette the aperture of the objective lenses, bringing down performance.

ED glass is sometimes used in binoculars to provide additional chromatic aberration control, similar to a high-quality apochromatic refractor telescope. However, at the low and usually fixed magnifications offered by all but the largest astronomy binoculars, I believe you are unlikely to benefit much from spending additional money on ED glass alone; other features are more important.

Binoculars I'd Recommend Avoiding

Zoom binoculars tend to have lower image quality compared to fixed-magnification binoculars. This is because the additional moving parts and lenses required for the zoom feature can introduce distortions and aberrations into the image.

Additionally, zoom binoculars often have a narrower field of view and less light-gathering ability than fixed-magnification binoculars, which can make it more difficult to locate and observe objects. The high magnifications offered are rarely of any use, being too shaky to use handheld, and if you’re bothering with a steady mount and tripod, a telescope is a better choice.

Another issue with zoom binoculars is that they are generally less durable and more prone to failure than fixed-magnification binoculars. The additional moving parts in zoom binoculars can be prone to wear and tear and may require more frequent repairs or maintenance.

“Ruby-coated lenses” are often used to block out certain wavelengths of light to hide shoddy optical quality in binoculars. This reduces light-gathering ability and is also a general indication of a low-quality unit to begin with. Avoid any binoculars with such claims, even for non-astronomical use.

“Perma focus,” “insta-focus,” and other similarly advertised binoculars are an attempt to sell low-quality units that lack a focus mechanism as somehow advantageous. They are essentially a scam; avoid them. Look for binoculars with center-focusing and diopters for maximum ease of focus.

Around and Under $50

Cheapest
Celestron Cometron 7×50
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Rank 1
4.2/5
Celestron’s Cometron 7x50s with cheap BK7 prisms and a 6.8-degree true field of view are surprisingly affordable and one of the best astronomy binoculars for the money, and in fact, the first pair of binoculars I ever owned.

Obviously, for less than the price of a somewhat-decent telescope eyepiece or a Telrad, you can’t expect perfection. The cheap BK-7 prisms vignette the aperture somewhat, and the coatings are simple (also reducing the effective aperture), making them more like a 40 mm pair. Also, the edge of the field of view isn’t the sharpest.

The field of view is also slightly narrower at 6.8 degrees, meaning the eyepieces only have a 47-degree apparent field. The eyepieces can also “rock” out of alignment for whatever reason if you press your eyes up against them, which is annoying but easily fixed.

The binoculars are also not entirely waterproof—not much of an issue for astronomy, but it may be an inconvenience if you plan on using them for other things. They do, however, have a decent rubber coating on the housing, which makes them at least water-resistant.

All the drawbacks become nonexistent when you look at how cheap this astronomical binocular is.

Lastly, there’s a chance your binoculars may be delivered out of collimation (i.e., the prisms are knocked out of alignment), which is very difficult to fix. Thankfully, Celestron will quickly and easily replace your binoculars free of charge if this is a problem.

All this being said, the Cometron 7x50s deliver about 75% of the views that a really expensive pair will, for next to nothing. I highly recommend them even if you buy another pair of binoculars since they’re so cheap that they can serve as a spare or backup.

Celestron UpClose G2 10×50
Rank 2
3.9/5
These are basically a 10x version of the Cometron 7x50s. If the Cometrons sound good but you want 10x magnification instead of 7x, then these are for you. Otherwise, they are literally identical, and all of my other comments apply.
  • Rank 3 : Tasco 10x50 - 3.9 stars
  • Rank 4 : Bushnell Falcon 10x50 - 3.9 stars
  • Rank 5 : Bushnell PowerView 12x50 - 3.9 stars
  • Rank 6 : Celestron UpClose G2 8x40 - 3.8 stars
  • Rank 7 : Celestron UpClose G2 7x35 - 3.8 stars
  • Rank 8 : Bushnell Falcon 7x35 - 3.8 stars
  • Rank 10: Celestron UpClose G2 20x50 - 3.4 stars
  • Rank 11 : BARSKA 10x30 WP Floatmaster - 3.3 stars
  • Rank 12 : Celestron UpClose G2 10-30x50 Zoom - 3.3 stars
  • Rank 13 : Celestron UpClose G2 10x25 - 3.1 stars
  • Rank 14 : Celestron Up-Close G2 8x21 Roof - 3.1 stars
  • Rank 15 : Celestron LandScout 10x25 Roof- 3 stars
  • Rank 16 : BARSKA 10x25 - 2.9 stars
  • Rank 17 : BARSKA X-Trail 10x50 - 2.8 stars
  • Rank 18 : BARSKA Gladiator 8-24x50 Zoom - 2.7 stars
  • Rank 19 : BARSKA Gladiator 10-30x60 Zoom - 2.5 stars
  • Rank 20 : BARSKA Gladiator 10-30x50 Zoom - 2.5 stars
  • Rank 21 : BARSKA 12x32 Lucid View - 2.5 stars
  • Rank 22 : BARSKA Lucid 16x32 - 2.5 stars
  • Rank 23 : Celestron Kids 4x30 - 2.5 stars

$50-$100 Range

Celestron SkyMaster 15x70
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Rank 1
4.4/5
The SkyMaster 15x70s are an excellent bargain for the price, though they can occasionally have prisms that often arrive misaligned, and adjustment can be annoying to remedy it. The included plastic tripod adapter also needs to be replaced, and trust me when I say that you will want to use these on a tripod.

The SkyMaster 15x70s provides a big aperture at a not-so-big price. With full multi-coatings and BAK-4 prisms, it’s a miracle that Celestron sells them for as cheap as they are.

Unfortunately, the large aperture and high magnification of the SkyMaster 15x70s pretty much mean they require a tripod unless you happen to be built like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Because of their bulk and tripod requirement, the SkyMaster 15x70s are not really great all-purpose binoculars and will take up a large portion of your bag.

Celestron supplies a tripod adapter with the SkyMasters, but it’s all-plastic and basically useless. Thankfully, you can obtain an aftermarket all-metal adapter for a minimal cost.

The other major downside is that the collimation on the SkyMaster 15x70s seems to be finicky. Some users report them arriving very far out of collimation, and the general consensus is that they lose collimation fairly easily, and realigning them is quite difficult and complicated. My own pair used to be in great collimation but has slowly drifted out of alignment (albeit not quite to the point of unusability) over time.

If you have a sturdy photo tripod and are willing to deal with having to collimate it every so often, I wholeheartedly recommend the SkyMaster 15x70s. Otherwise, stick to a smaller, less maintenance-hungry pair.

Celestron Outland X 8x42
Rank 2
4.3/5
A nice compact pair of 8x42 roof prism binoculars with BaK-4 prisms. They’re also waterproof and fogproof, have fully multi-coated optics, and have twist-up eyecups.

With only 42 mm of aperture, these binoculars are a great choice if you need the most compact pair of binoculars possible.

The main flaws of the Outland 8x42s, however, are that the narrow design means they’re harder to hold steady than a pair of Porro binoculars, and, of course, the smaller aperture leads to dimmer views than a pair of 50 mm binoculars.

If you’d like a very compact pair of binoculars and don’t mind the aperture reduction and slight loss in stability, the Celestron Outland 8x42s are a solid choice.

Celestron SkyMaster 12x60
Rank 3
4.3/5
More capable than 50mm binoculars but still able to be used handheld, the Celestron SkyMaster 12x60s provide excellent value for the money and feature high-quality BaK-4 prisms.
SVBONY SV206 10x50
Rank 4
4.3/5
A nice pair of 10x50s with BaK-4 prisms, the SV206 10x50s offer a huge 7.5-degree field of view, though they are not the most well-corrected towards the edges. 
Bushnell H2O 7x50
Rank 5
4.1/5
Heavy-duty waterproof binoculars, the H2O 7x50s provide a crisp view but weigh more and offer a narrower field than most other options.
Gosky 10x42
Rank 6
4.1/5
A nice pair of BaK4 roof prism 10x42s with a phone adapter thrown in.
Nikon 8245 ACULON A211 8x42
Rank 7
4/5
Negligibly more compact than the 50mm units, the Aculon 8x42s are decent quality if a bit expensive and bulky for what you get, since they still use Porro prisms unlike most 42mm binoculars, which have more compact roof prisms.
Nikon ACULON 10x42
Rank 8
4/5
The Aculon 10x42s are essentially identical to the Aculon 8x42s but with 10x magnification and bulky Porro prisms.
  • Rank 9 : Coleman 7x50 Signature - 3.9 stars
  • Rank 10 : Celestron SkyMaster 25x70 - 3.9 stars
  • Rank 11 : Celestron Outland X 10x42 - 3.9 stars
  • Rank 12 : Nikon 8244 ACULON A211 7x35 - 3.9 stars
  • Rank 13 : Celestron Ultima 8x32 - 3.9 stars
  • Rank 14 : BARSKA Crush Series 10x42 - 3.7 stars
  • Rank 15 : Bushnell PowerView 20x50 - 3.4 stars
  • Rank 16 : Celestron Outland X 8x25 - 3.2 stars

$100-$175 Range

Best Value
Bushnell Legacy WP 10×50
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Rank 1
4.8/5
The waterproof Legacy WP 10x50s, the other pair of 50 mm binoculars I currently own, feature a wide 6.5-degree true field, BaK-4 prisms, and comfortable twist-up eyecups with sharp views right out to the edges of the field.

The prisms on the Legacy WP 10x50s are BAK-4 glass, which means a sharper, brighter field compared to BK-7. They are still very slightly undersized/noncircular and vignette about 5% of the aperture, which is in effect invisible. As is stated in the name, the Legacy WP 10x50s are fully waterproof and, I think, somewhat fogging-resistant—a nice bonus. All glass surfaces in the binoculars are also fully multi-coated for maximum light transmission.

The Legacy WP 10x50s have a field of view of 6.5 degrees, and given the 10x magnification, this means the apparent field is a nice, wide 65 degrees. The eyepieces have 20 mm of eye relief if you wear glasses for astigmatism (you don’t need them otherwise) and twist-up eyecups, as well as eyepiece caps that stay attached to the neck strap.

Downsides? Well, for one, the magnification. The 10x binoculars are really the limit for handheld use, and the weight of the Legacy WP 10x50s doesn’t help with steadying them. Children and some adults will have trouble holding them steady for long periods.

If you can hold them steady, the Bushnell Legacy WP 10x50s are great binoculars for stargazing. Mine has traveled with me halfway around the globe to dark locations and is great for daytime spotting too.

Nikon Aculon 10×50
Rank 2
4.7/5
The durable, if expensive, Nikon Aculon 10x50s achieve a 6.5-degree field of view with razor-sharp optics, though they’re not as comfortable or affordable as some other 10x50s.
Nikon Action 7×50 EX Extreme
Rank 3
4.5/5
Offering essentially the same true field as the 10×50 Action Extremes, the Nikon Action Extreme 7x50s are an equally excellent choice if you prefer using 7x magnification.
  • Rank 4 : Celestron Nature DX 10×42 – 4.2 stars
  • Rank 5 : Celestron Nature DX 8×42 – 4.2 stars
  • Rank 6 : Nikon Aculon 12×50 – 4.1 stars
  • Rank 7 : SVBONY SV407 2.1×42 – 4.1 stars
  • Rank 8 : Nikon Aculon 7×50 – 4 stars
  • Rank 9 : GLLYSION 12×50 – 4 stars
  • Rank 10 : Barska Waterproof Blackhawk 10×42 – 3.9 stars
  • Rank 11 : Barska Waterproof Blackhawk 12×42 – 3.9 stars
  • Rank 12 : Nikon Aculon 16×50 – 3.9 stars
  • Rank 13 : Celestron Nature DX 8×32 – 3.5 stars
  • Rank 14 : Celestron SkyMaster 15-35×70 Zoom – 3 stars

$175+ Range

Best Performance
Celestron SkyMaster Pro 15×70
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Rank 1
4.7/5
A high-quality pair of 15x70s without the quality control woes of the cheaper regular SkyMaster 15x70s, delivering a sharper and wider field of view.
Fujinon Mariner 7×50
Rank 2
4.7/5
Offering a wide and tack sharp 7.5-degree true field, the Fujinon Mariner 7x50s are well worth the price.
Nikon Action 10×50 EX Extreme
Rank 3
4.5/5
Offering slightly better optical quality and durability to the Aculon 10x50s but similar in their performance to astronomy, the Nikon 10×50 Action Extreme is a fine choice.
Celestron SkyMaster 20×80
Rank 4
4.4/5
A monster pair of 20x80s which require a tripod for use, offering similar views to a small wide-field telescope with the comfort of two eyes.
Pentax SP 10×50 WP
Rank 5
4.3/5
Another durable, high-quality option for 10×50 binoculars, albeit with a narrower true field of only 5 degrees.
Nikon ProStaff 10×50
Rank 6
4.3/5
The Nikon ProStaff 10x50s are compact thanks to their roof prism design and have plenty of eye relief, though their true field of view is only 5.6 degrees.
  • Rank 7 : Celestron Nature DX ED 10×50 – 4.2 stars
  • Rank 8 : Celestron Nature DX ED 10×42 – 4.2 stars
  • Rank 9 : Celestron Nature DX ED 8×42 – 4.2 stars
  • Rank 10 : Celestron Nature DX ED 12×50 – 4.2 stars
  • Rank 11 : Nikon Action 12×50 EX Extreme – 4.1 stars
  • Rank 12 : Nikon Prostaff 10×42 – 4.1 stars
  • Rank 13 : Barska Deep Sea 7×50 – 4 stars
  • Rank 14 : Nikon 8252 Aculon A211 10-22×50 Zoom – 3.9 stars
  • Rank 15 : Bushnell Legacy WP 10-22×50 Zoom – 3.9 stars
  • Rank 16 : BARSKA X-Trail 30×80 – 3.9 stars
  • Rank 17 : BARSKA Gladiator 20-140×80 Zoom – 3 stars

9 thoughts on “70+ Binoculars Ranked — The Best For Astronomy”

  1. I am not sure if I’m getting binoculars or a telescope, as I am a beginner. I understande the advantages of binoculars, but what can we see with it? The moon and some blue or red spots, those being planets?
    My goal is to see the moon and planets, at least up to Mars. Am I right to think I should get a telescope?
    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Perfect question, @Olivier. I was wondering the same thing while I was researching telescopes for beginners. This site has been beneficial.

      Reply

    • Hi Oliver,
      Buy a pair of £80 binoculars. Learn the night sky, the Constellations and find the brighter deep space objects. You can find and observe at least 50 Messier with Binoculars. While you are doing this you can save for a really good Telescope, and when you at last get it you won’t be a novice stumbling around in the dark you will be an Astronomer advancing in your hobby
      Whatever your decision l hope you enjoy your new hobby for many to come.
      Best wishes as always.

      Reply

  2. Good site and reviews. Good to see that the one I had in mind as a first time buyer looking to view stars and planets is the Celestron Cometron 7×50 though my question is should I get the Celestron 71257 UpClose G2 10 x 50 which are around the same price. Seems that the reviews are better for the first which is surprising since 10X magnification I would have thought would be slightly better if the price is around the same? Perhaps my lack of knowledge on these means somehow the 7X50’s are better quality for another reason? Much appreciate!

    Reply

  3. Great Site! Thanks for all the info and education. As a know-nothing senior looking to help nurture an adult daughter’s interest in star-gazing the heavens, your reviews & tips have been most valuable.
    Do your by chance have any info / experience with either the Nikon Prostaff 5 : 8×42 OR the Bresser Pirsch Compact 10x34mm? I don’t know if one of these would be good for astronomical viewing or if they are more for land / daytime viewing.
    Thanks again!

    Reply

      • I own the Nikon Prostaff 7s 8×42 WP and absolutely love them for sky watching at night. The phase-corrected-coated roof prisms make a difference at night imho. Details on the Moon just pop along he terminator and I was able to easily detect the four largest moons around Jupiter and do it comfortably for long periods thanks to their light weight. These binoculars also work great for birding too. Btw love the site!

        Reply

  4. If we ignore the weight and size factor, are the Celestron Sky Master 25×100 a good choice for sky watching/astronomical viewing? My reasons for this choice are its size in terms of ease of storage and transport. I have limited storage room in my home and I have a small trunk Miata. So I would be either using on my upper deck, or travelling to a tall local hill. I already have a very sturdy tripod with a counter balance. The Dobsonian versions I’ve seen, are too large to transport and store. I do not require any computer controls or positioning systems. So with these factors in mind I thought of the Celestron Sky Master 25×100 might be a good choice. Your advice and guidance is very much appreciated and any suggested alternatives are most welcome.

    Reply

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