![PXL_20210329_111006721.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sagesigma/EoJyd5Aeik8FfyEnLrLuzKuHkRTCYGdtfbi65irMSZDTPwide7Ksb2ov3C49LwRdDEc.jpg)

As some of you might have noticed of late, I’ve become a “wee bit” obsessed with amateur astronomy.  To me, it’s a romantic notion; grab a lawn chair, sit in my backyard, fire up the telescope, maybe grab a beer, and gaze into the splendid heavens.  It’s better than watching the *Bachelor*, I dare say (sorry Liza!).  Oh, and don’t worry, my wife doesn’t read any of my blogging, so I’m safe on that criticism…

What better way to #enagagetheweekend, if you are so inclined?

After researching scopes and scopes and scopes, I opted to go for two sets of binoculars.  What in the world?  Why binoculars?  Here is my thinking:

* They are highly portable
* They don’t need to be polar aligned (something that was fun to do with my old telescope once or twice, but quickly not much fun after that)
* You get better views of larger areas of the space sky
* They are easier on my eyes to see objects in the night sky
* You get to look like a creeper in your backyard

Just kidding about the last one…although seeing someone in their backyard with binoculars rather than a telescope could be give someone reason for pause.  


![PXL_20210329_004211503.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sagesigma/EpQwH9gxQN8fmVh1JGkojGYmA3tTDEeRq6yCtGfPtYPyhmuRHkyWoZnfnxz7kHLSr3v.jpg)

After much research online and reading the book above, I decided to opt for two sets to start with.  I went with a:

* 10 x 50 set – the ideal set recommended per Gary Seronik to get started in the study of the stars
* 25 x 100 set – a set that I chose to go with after a) seeing some photos take with the set using a smart phone and b) reading some COVID lockdown era reviews of the set

The 10 x 50's :

![PXL_20210329_004436384.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sagesigma/EoyQSqVpYCc5P8DP6aNNYVqCo6AB46dbPPKb6P3HKvEuMHUXJKFW7VSCSaAiLhckcL4.jpg)

The 25 x 100's :


![PXL_20210329_004824041.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sagesigma/EoGwWccNq2pjP1bMnoaPXd7LN5ZpTAvwhSbWiPJ9BpjX6EYvByBfMwjQN153pRDH3cp.jpg)


Back too that book...it's a good read, and would recommend it to anyone interested in getting started in the hobby.

![PXL_20210329_004309144.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sagesigma/Ep7w3HhGkHYDkyS1rn4PgeJm1pfGqUFZEcVp6VAB3PqJgruyqkXM6UHEkai23JPyHsJ.jpg)



Basically, the romantic in me likes this idea : make the backyard our kingdom…our sanctuary.  Let Ms. Mabel run around the backyard while the family can gaze upon the Orion Nebula or the craters on the Moon through some epic binoculars.  Sure, it might be overkill, but I’m telling myself no regrets!


![PXL_20210329_004632518.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sagesigma/EpA1xm5rziwaahhS3HE6pgrBEH3pktBYzaX27WPpmA95qjC3jzRFtJhxtc8CWv2zxNG.jpg)


I also picked up a nice notebook to jot down my viewings, daily.  My thinking is that I can code each page to a certain date, and write down my observations by date year over year…something that I could give Hattie or my nieces if they become interested in the hobby down the road.

The new game plan for the hobby is now coming together.  I can:

* Take photos of the night sky with my Droid (this takes 4 minutes per astrophotography shot)
* Look at objects with binoculars while the Droid does it thing

I can feel it now…you long time experienced astronomers are laughing at this, but I’m ok with it.  I’m getting started somewhere, as they say.  

## The First Night Out ##


![PXL_20210329_004931909.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sagesigma/Ep3epe2hVKs5h8BPZRGk3sSYxCQnHArbtSWc7RXgF4NAuyyfSGUQoe9cC5FkcgCyixU.jpg)

My first night out was last night; excited and thrilled, I ran outside around 830 pm CST to get Droid on the tripod and get the binoculars acclimated to the cold weather.  This was going to be it…this is literally it!

So what did I see?  Well, thanks to the Google Machine and my inability to figure out how take a photo with my smart phone yet, I gazed upon this:

<center>http://binocularsky.com/images/objects/M42-50.png
[Image Source]( http://binocularsky.com/images/objects/M42-50.png)</center>


<center>https://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Pleaiades30.jpg
[Image Source]( https://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Pleaiades30.jpg)</center>

Nothing spectacular, but I could see them both.  The first is the Orion Nebula, the latter is the Seven Sisters, or Pleaiades.  Pretty cool, to be honest.  It’s mind blowing to think about the things lurking out there in the dark, and that a set of binoculars can pick up the images.  Let's keep on exploring, let's find this Engagement Ring, and...


![PXL_20210329_110930572.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sagesigma/EoCauZXopbXFuBt88siPoCnoFkFUjcoWAMZocukaPXGtjsnnvNcxxnNgcdA4TkCFPsz.jpg)


Then the full moon decided to show up.  Poor planning, yet again, on my part.  Some backyard astronomer, eh…I was so excited to just get outside to view I completely lost track of the moon’s cycle this past week.  Fail!

However, not all was lost.  The light from the Moon was absolutely brilliant, but the light pollution was off the charts.  The stars started to fade away. I used the 10 x 50’s to look at the moon, and wow!  I’ve never seen anything like it; it was beautiful, and literally looked like a ball of light floating in the sky, just above the hills.  So there we go…no Droid photos of the sky, no photos of the Pleaiades, but I did experience an intense encounter with our beloved Moon.  I’m still hooked on the hobby?  I think so, yes...

## Next Steps ##


![PXL_20210329_110827275.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/sagesigma/Eo43r2QWdqXCmtUDcYe5VBL3NbR8x81G8ZKNfonyALJ9pXXeutjGR39BEZGgUAqvRDe.jpg)


I’m digging the new plan, to be honest.  Thanks to the portability of binoculars, I can now head to some dark sky spots forty minutes away once the weather warms up and view the sky.  Not telescope set ups required! The 10 x 50’s are pretty sweet, but I’m going to have to order a tripod for the 25 x 100’s…coming in at 10 pounds of weight; it was tough to focus on objects while holding.  That is not going to work if I’m drinking a few beers…I sense “expensive accident waiting to happen.”

So, what do you think?  Good purchases?  Silly purchases?  Do you have some good astronomy binocular stories or better yet, some advice for me?  I’m still figuring it out, and started to have some doubts last night, to be honest, as I looked upon the great Orion.  Yet as my eyes adjusted to the darkness, the stars appeared to light up in both focus and in detail the longer I gazed upon the heavens.  And that experience with last night’s full(ish) moon?  I’m not going to lie; that is an experience I will never forget.  

Thanks for reading, as always, and hoping you all had a wonderful weekend too!  Hopefully better astronomy adventures coming soon...