The best astronomy binoculars are the ones that you have with you when you decide to take advantage of a dark sky.

Shopping for a quality binocular nowadays can be tricky, especially for astronomy. While daytime binoculars ravage the market with 12x or higher powers, these aren’t good for long views of the night sky, and they rarely fill the purpose of an astronomy binocular.

The whole point of astronomy binoculars is to get brighter images than what is possible with a telescope, and upping the magnification kills that bright image.

Today, we’ll show you some of our best picks for astronomy binoculars, and tell you why we chose each one.

Best Budget Binoculars for Astronomy

Sometimes, especially when starting the hobby, you just want something that will help you see and study the sky without spending a ton of money.

A lot of beginners start off looking for a high power scope, and after some research realize that binoculars would be a good addition to their kit, but that’s adding a whole new piece of equipment to their wishlist, and the budget is already constrained.

This is where the Celestron Cometron 7x50 Binocular comes to the rescue.

This budget friendly bino is not the highest quality binocular, and there are definitely some downsides, but they are designed and manufactured to be of astronomical quality.

First, a 7x50 pair of binoculars is about the perfect size for an astronomy setup. It offers maximum light delivered under dark skies for most people, a good field of view, and enough magnification to bring the stars closer. The configuration alone makes these Celestrons a win.

The lenses are multi-coated, and it’s not with that useless ruby red tint that seems to have no effect on light transmission that you see on cheap offerings from Tasco and Barska. The BK-7 glass in the prism is of good quality, and the 6.8 degree field of view is very good.

They are water resistant and tripod adaptable, though at this power and weight you shouldn’t need a tripod to use them. For the cost, it’s hard to find a better binocular anywhere, period.

The cons aren’t bad enough to turn a new astronomer away, but there will be some jelly-beaning of stars toward the edge of the viewing field, and there are better optics out there. But these are more than capable of tracking down comets and provide fine views of the Andromeda galaxy and the Moon.

Quality Astronomy Binoculars

Without jumping into the $1000 price range, there are some really terrific value binoculars available if you want a better pair of binoculars. Our picks are both 7x50, lightweight, and extremely capable binos that carry guarantees and multicoated optics. They also contain large BAK-4 Porro prisms and a rugged housing.

First, let’s look at the Orion Scenix 7x50 Binoculars. Weighing in at 1.8 pounds with a tough metal housing wrapped around all of the crucial parts, these binoculars were designed to be a budget friendly binocular for astronomy, without cutting the corners that make lower cost binos possible.

The Scenix also has the largest field of view of every bino on this list at 7.1 degrees. Simply put, the Orion Scenix is a lightweight, comfortable binocular that won’t let you down and are a touch more affordable than our next recommendation.

The Nikon Action Extreme 7x50 binocular is a terrific choice for all kinds of viewing, both up at the heavens and in the woods. It’s more costly than the Orion and a little heavier at 2.2 pounds, but where it makes up the difference is in construction quality.

The Action Extreme is nitrogen purged, making it both waterproof and fog-proof, important qualities for any outdoor activity. The prisms are polished a little better, and the binoculars are built tougher. Where as the Orion comes with a 2-year warranty, Nikon offers a 25 year warranty on these. They are literally built to last a lifetime.

Which Astronomy Binocular Should I Choose?

All three of these options offer terrific value for the money, and they lead their respective class in performance.

While the Celestron Cometrons are very affordable, they also require you to make some sacrifices with your viewing. This is a capable pair of binoculars for a stressed budget. It will make a useful binocular until you can save up for something better.

The Orion Scenix is a middle-road binocular that delivers in performance and can be had for the price of a really nice eyepiece. The focus with Orion was on the view, and they did what they could to make it the best possible for the price range. This is definitely a quality bino that will serve you as long as you take care of it.

The Nikon Action Extreme is equivalent to any top-of-the-line binocular out there. You may hear people from time to time drone on about the clarity of $1000 binos, but in truth the functional difference isn’t that stellar, and for 1/5th of that price you can have solid binocular that should last the rest of your life.

It Basically comes down to your budget. Each of these binos is the best in their price range. If you are looking for a lifetime companion, go with the Nikon. If you need something to get you by for the moment, the Celestron is a good bet, but the Orion would be a better choice for a few extra bones.