Anyone any (genuine) expertise in binoculars?

[mik]

for £24, they're undoubtedly going to be shit but I'd be tempted to buy one just for pure curiosity

I think you should

Don’t read the comments in that Twitter link first though.

[Jobbo]

Oh dear.

[Gavster]

Oh dear.

I'm gonna go on YouTube and comment THIS IS A SCAM IT WAS SHOT ON A STARSCOPE

[dinny_g]

You should have said nothing and let me buy one..

[mik]

So tomorrow night - if the sky is clear, and if I can get them out on time, I shall be basking in the reflected light of Jupiter.

[nuttinnew]

[Mito Man]

Erm, you could always see the moons and you'll see the bands too if its really dark and you have 20x magnification binoculars.

[mik]

Erm, you could always see the moons and you'll see the bands too if its really dark and you have 20x magnification binoculars.

I suspect a low percentage of people on this forum appreciate the thrill of make-biggers. I suspect an extremely low percentage (consisting only of you) own a pair with 20x magnification. Assume you use those with a tripod?

[Mito Man]

No tripod, they’re a cheap Lidl variable 10-30x zoom. Zoom knob is labelled with the mag and it’s ok up to 20x but unusable beyond that. It’s one of the less shit Lidl impulse purchases I’ve made though.

[dinny_g]

View of it would have perfect last night… but cloud…

[Gavin]

I got a pair of Bushnells from the local gunshop. Went in and they were at 170 and the chap came up and I said I was looking for sub £100 so he gave me then for 60. I guess they were not fancy enough for his regular customers or maybe because I installed his phone and ax system a few years ago but they really are fantastically clear.

[nuttinnew]

View of it would have perfect last night… but cloud…

I didn't expect to see it but got a couple of minutes break in the cloud. It's gone now though, and I havenae any noculars - of the bi variety or otherwise

[mik]

Only a few wispy clouds up here. I can see it very easily. But I can’t see it.

Need way more than 10x magnification to get a decent view. I reckon 40x minimum (on a tripod obvs as you can’t hold that steady) if you actually want to have a good look.

Can’t someone make space a bit smaller?

[dinny_g]

What's Jupiter look like to the naked eye ??

I was out for a walk and noted a very bright light in the sky and my StarWalk app suggested it was Jupiter.

[mik]

What's Jupiter look like to the naked eye ??

Just a bright object in the sky. You'll see nothing Jupiter-y that will indicate it's true Jupiter-y-ness.

[dinny_g]

That was it so - Looked pretty cool and not really like anything else - way brighter than Venus, Way bigger than any star etc.

@ Jupiter-y-ness...

[Mito Man]

Just a quick picture - you can see Jupiter to the left of the Moon and Saturn on far right.


Also download the actual Stellarium software for your computer if you're interested in this stuff. There's a lite web version which gives you a feel for it https://stellarium-web.org but it's not a patch on the proper downloadable version.

[dinny_g]

Very Mito…

Will try that app - Starwalk is all well and good but the UI isn’t great and can be a bit off - moon not aligned, horizon too high or low etc