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From: bill@utastro.UUCP (William H. Jefferys)
Newsgroups: net.astro
Subject: Re: Binocular astronomy
Message-ID: <97@utastro.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 24-Nov-85 09:04:41 EST
Article-I.D.: utastro.97
Posted: Sun Nov 24 09:04:41 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 28-Nov-85 03:53:56 EST
References: <1343@decwrl.UUCP> <642@cadomin.UUCP> <1665@teddy.UUCP> <669@spar.UUCP>
Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX
Lines: 26

> []
> 
> Recently Richard D. Pierce and others have commented on observing Comet
> Halley in binoculars.  I thought it might be appropriate to mention that
> average-sized binoculars are undeservedly and sorely neglected as fine
> instruments for amateur astronomy.  A 7 X 50 binocular will show all the
> objects in the Messier catalog (yes, I've done it; and yes, some of them
> were almost impossible); and perhaps another few hundred star clusters,
> galaxies and nebulae.
> 
> Many people have a binocular around the house, yet fail even to consider
> it as an astronomical instrument.  Try it!
> -- 
> Jay Reynolds Freeman (Schlumberger Palo Alto Research)(canonical disclaimer)

As a professional astronomer, I would like to agree wholeheartedly with what
Jay says.  Often I am asked to recommend a telescope for someone who wants
to learn about astronomy.  I try to make sure that the requestor has thoroughly
exhausted the capabilities of the binoculars that are almost certainly lying
about the house before making recomendations for a more expensive instrument.  
Most telescopes sold have inadequate mounts anyway and are actually harder
to use than binoculars.  And I suspect that most of them are used a few
times and then sent to the attic to gather dust.  Only a really serious
amateur *needs* a telescope!

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