What is an astronomy binocular?
You can use virtually any binocular to enjoy the night sky, but some binoculars are better than others. Generally, a dedicated astronomy binocular has a magnification of at least 7x to 8x, and an aperture of at least 40mm. Amateur astronomers passion for binocular astronomy has led to the development of large aperture binoculars that can rival the light gathering power of small telescopes. These instruments can have lens diameters up to 100mm and magnifications as high as 30x or even higher, with interchangeable eyepieces. Because of the bright, point-source nature of stellar objects, astronomy binoculars need to have good optics and excellent coatings and high-quality prism glass to provide the best views. See below for more info on coatings and prisms.
