Keeping It Steady

You'll soon learn that one of the biggest challenges when using binoculars for stargazing is holding them steady. You won't see nearly as much if your target is jiggling and wobbling around. Here are several ways to get a grip on the problem:

Use low power. Most people can comfortably hold 7x binoculars fairly steady, and some can hold 10x models by hand for short periods of time. If your binoculars magnify more than that, you're going to have trouble getting steady images without a dedicated mount.

If you're standing, lean against something — a car, a tree, or the side of a house. Your images should get steadier.

If you're sitting, try using a lawn chair (the kind that reclines all the way back is best). With your back and elbows supported, you'll find that the view get steadier and sharper. If you use a chair without back support, be careful you don't tip over while looking overhead! Actually, lying on the ground works even better.

Some people report success holding the end of the left barrel with the right hand, and letting the right barrel rest on the wrist, and then pushing them gently against the head. This creates more rigid mechanics than holding the binoculars closer to the eyepieces. I've had limited success with this, so try it yourself and see what you think.

Want really steady views? Invest in a dedicated binocular mount. This can be a simple "L" bracket ($10 to $20) that attaches to a tripod — or, much better, a fancy parallelogram-style mount ($200 or more) that holds your binoculars pointing at any angle overhead while you raise or lower them to suit your eyes. This is especially useful for sharing views with others.

Check the internet. Do-it-yourself binocular-mount projects abound online (such as the broomstick solution shown above), and even if you never build the various projects you come across, you're sure to be amazed by the fascinating and delightful contraptions people have come up with.

< Previous Page 1 2