Binoculars for Stargazing: How to Choose by Size and Support

• Celestron SkyMaster 15x70 (listed by Leederville Optics, and by Camera Warehouse, which states Australian stock): a 15x70 with a tripod adapter included. The maker lists a 70mm front lens, a 4.7mm exit pupil and a 4.4° field of view, and describes long eye relief for eyeglass wearers. Eye relief is the distance from the eyepiece at which your eye sits to see the whole view.^{[4],[5],[6],[7]}
• Acuter Skylander 15x70 (listed by Bay Park Photos, an independent photographic store): the listing gives a 15x70mm size, a 4.7mm exit pupil and a 4.4° angle of vision. It describes the series as huge-aperture binoculars for astronomical viewing.^[8]
• Skywatcher Astro Binoculars 15x70 (BCF): BCF lists it online and in select stores. The listing gives a 70mm front lens and a 4.2° field of view. Check the current BCF listing for price and availability.^[9]

How to read the numbers printed on binoculars, and how to fit them to glasses, is covered in our binoculars buying guide. For night vision or thermal binoculars, see our night vision binoculars page. This page covers what matters once the sky is the target.

Which size suits you:

• 7x pairs, such as 7x35 or 7x50: suit hand-held sweeping of the sky. Most people can hold 7x binoculars fairly steady, and these sizes generally give a field of view between 5 and 10 degrees.^[2],[3]
• 10x50 and larger: higher power shows dimmer stars and fainter deep-sky objects, and pairs of this size and above suit large nebulae and star clusters. Hand-holding is harder at 10x, and only some people can do it, and then for short periods.^[2],[3]
• Larger, stronger pairs, such as 11x80, 15x80 or 20x80: these are also common sizes. Higher power shows more, but from 10x up the weight becomes a factor and the view is harder to keep steady.^[2]

Front lens size: a larger front lens gives a brighter image and more resolving power, which is the ability to show fine detail. The trade-off is weight. Giant binoculars commonly have 70, 80 or even 100mm front lenses, and prices rise considerably from 100mm up.^{[2],[3],[10],[11]}

Field of view: this is how much sky you see at once, measured in degrees. Low-power 7x35 or 7x50 pairs generally give between 5 and 10 degrees.^[2]

Exit pupil: this is the small circle of light leaving each eyepiece. An exit pupil of 7mm gives the most light to a dilated eye and is described as ideal for use in the dark. Our binoculars buying guide covers how it is worked out. Eyes differ: at age 15, a dark-adapted pupil can range from 4 to 9mm between people, and the average pupil size decreases after age 25.^[10],[12]

Steadiness: this is the practical limit on power. Higher-magnification binoculars magnify every tremor of your hands. From 10x up, weight becomes a factor and it is worth considering a support, because as your arms tire it gets hard to hold the view steady. Image-stabilised models are designed to hold steady during use.^{[2],[13],[14]}

Tripods and mounts: a support gives a view that does not jiggle from tired, cold hands. Most large, modern binoculars come with a tripod adaptor that has a standard thread to fit a tripod head. For giant binoculars, a tripod is mandatory, ideally with a binocular mount that lets you aim upward.^[2],[3]

Focusing: some binoculars have one centre wheel that focuses both sides together. Others let you focus each eyepiece on its own. For astronomy, focusing each eyepiece individually is the preferred option, because you can set the focus and then leave it alone.^[14]

1. [1]A Beginner's Guide to the Southern Hemisphere Sky (checked 2026-10-19)
2. [2]Objects for Rich Field Telescopes – Saguaro Astronomy Club (checked 2026-10-18)
3. [3]Binoculars for Astronomy: Ultimate Guide to Selecting and Buying (checked 2026-10-18)
4. [4]Celestron SkyMaster 15×70 Binoculars – Leederville Optics (checked 2026-10-18)
5. [5]SkyMaster 15x70mm Porro Binoculars (checked 2026-10-18)
6. [6]Eye relief | Basic Information about Binoculars | Nikon Consumer (checked 2026-10-18)
7. [7]Celestron SkyMaster 15x70 Binoculars (checked 2026-10-19)
8. [8]Skylander 15X70 Observation Binoculars (checked 2026-10-18)
9. [9]Skywatcher Astro Binoculars 15x70 | BCF (checked 2026-10-19)
10. [10]Glossary of binocular terms | Sport Optics | Nikon Consumer (checked 2026-10-18)
11. [11]Choosing the best binoculars for birdwatching - BirdLife Australia (checked 2026-10-18)
12. [12]Pupil (checked 2026-10-19)
13. [13]A Comprehensive Guide to Binoculars (checked 2026-10-18)
14. [14]Best binoculars for astronomy and stargazing (checked 2026-10-18)
15. [15]Jewel Box (star cluster) (checked 2026-10-19)

Drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed, then fact-checked and edited by the PouchMe team. PouchMe researches products from published information; we have not tested them ourselves.