Stargazing Gear 

When stargazing, we like to keep it simple and stick to the sky

When stargazing, we like to keep it simple and stick to the sky

Our philosophy of stargazing involves keeping it simple so that more time is spent enjoying the sky than is programming and/or playing around with electronics. Below are our most recommended tools for enjoying the nighttime sky.

Must Have’s

Headlamp with a red light — This will be one of your most used items when it comes to navigating in the darkness, using your hands in the darkness, etc. You’ll want one with a red light option, and this is the setting you’ll want to use to preserve your night vision when stargazing.

  • The Orion RedBeam LED Motion Sensing Headlamp is a pretty cool one which features red light intensity settings of 5%, 10%, 50%, and 100%. It also feature a nifty motion sensing on/off for those cold nights when you’re wearing gloves and can’t push the button.

Planetarium App — There are about a billion stargazing and planetarium apps out there for both Apple and Android. Try a few and see which one you like best. Pocket Universe and Star Walk (for iPhone) are used here at the observatory, but there are many good ones out there to choose from.

Proper attire — Stargazing is a year-round activity. Be sure you’re dressed appropriately for the time of year at your observing location.

“Keeping it Simple” Stargazing

When people think of stargazing, most immediately think of a telescope, but some of the best stargazing is done through a simple pair of binoculars. This is because binoculars are so quick and easy, and will still offer a much better view of the cosmos than the naked eye. You won’t need to worry about getting burnt out on the time it takes to setup and align many telescopes, and binoculars are highly portable — not to mention inexpensive!

Astronomical binoculars offer a wider field of view than most terrestrial binoculars. Look for something in the 8-10x magnification range, as anything greater than this won’t be easily handheld. Of course, you can always get a tripod and push up to a 15-20x magnification if you’d like, but if you want to keep it easy, go with something like the Meade TravelView 10x50 Binoculars. They feature coated optics and BK-7 prisms which provide bright, high-resolution images. With a padded case, neck strap and cleaning cloth included all for $39.95, you simply can’t go wrong with these when it comes to hassle-free stargazing.

Or, if you want to raise the bar a little bit, go for the Orion Scenix 10x50. If you want to use a tripod, then go with the larger Orion 15x70 Astronomy binoculars which come with a tripod adapter.

You’ll especially love the clarity and easy of binoculars when laying on your back or sitting in a chair. Grab a blanket and a couple pairs of binoculars and you’re set for a fun night!

Telescopes

If it’s a telescope you’re after, then the first thing you’ll want to ask your self is: What will you use it for? Simple stargazing? Astrophotography? And from there, the next question is: What is your budget? Since most people looking for an advanced telescope will likely be doing their own research, the following recommendation are geared towards the beginner/intermediate user.