|
I use binoculars to explore constellations, targets and star hops before moving onto the finder scope to find the objects of interest. I quite enjoy this exploration before "zooming in" with the telescope. I use low power wide field binos for this - 6.5X32 with an ultra sharp 9 degree field of view. The wide views are terrific and allow you to explore hole areas at a time. Don't be tricked into thinking you need big, heavy objectives for this - eg, I have not failed yet to find The Messier objects when looking for them. One does not need to spend big on Swarovski - there are plenty of excellent options at a fraction of the cost.
I have an 85 mm spotting scope that I use as a quick grab and go system. I would find it too restricting for the exploration part. It needs it's own mount where as binos are so simple to use.
I guess it is a case of deciding how you want to explore the wonders of the night sky and then choose the most cost effective tools to achieve this.
If I am being lazy, rather than star hop, I just turn on Mr Argo Navis to guide me there. He is very good at that.
|