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Practical tips

Tours with binoculars

A pair of binoculars are quickly packed and will reveal a large area of the sky. Are you ready to go? Here are our tours for explorers and connoisseurs.

The Pleiades and Comet Lovejoy. Photo by Cristian Fattinanzi

A telescope is not necessarily the best choice of optical device. Why not take binoculars with you when you next go travelling? Their low magnification allows you to see more sky at a time, and large objects such as open star clusters can appear even more impressive than through a telescope - as though you are taking a step back and suddenly seeing the image in its entirety. Our tried and tested tour guides will show you some rewarding destinations.

Spring

Under Leo’s hind paws

The famous Leo Triplet contains two highlights and a challenge for observers with binoculars.

Around the handle of the Big Dipper

The Pinwheel and the Whirlpool are two of the most beautiful galaxies in the entire night sky – and a curious Messier object that isn’t one.

On the hunt for galaxies in Canes Venatici

Searching for galaxies with binoculars requires dark skies. Then M94 and M 3 are worth a try!

Summer

In the claws of the scorpion

A great variety of globular clusters can be found in the vicinity of Antares, and M4 is just one degree away from the giant star.

The serpent bearer’s treasure chest

Besides many Messier globular clusters, this constellation also offers a number of beautiful open clusters for binoculars.

The faint giant

On a globular cluster safari in Hercules: besides the show-piece M13, you can also observe the impressive M92 and NGC 6229.

Through the celestial parallelogram

The famous Ring Nebula actually needs a telescope, but for binoculars there are binary stars and a fine cluster.

From the Coat-hanger to the Dumbbell

The Coat-hanger cluster is almost too large for telescopes, and so is perfect for binoculars. Conversely, the Dumbbell Nebula M27 is just large enough.

In the northern regions of Cygnus

Besides star cluster M39, which is as large as the full Moon, the North America Nebula is another fascinating target, although this can only be seen under dark sky conditions.

Autumn

The huge emptiness of Pegasus

Besides the globular cluster known as Messier 15, huge Pegasus has several asterisms and binary stars to offer.

In the west of W-shaped Cassiopeia

Cassiopeia’s W-shape is home to many beautiful deep sky destinations; we visit some lesser-known objects on this tour.

Secretive Aries

We find a heavenly golf club and some interesting binary stars for binoculars around constellation Aries.

Winter

A great show for small binoculars

Diamonds and bodybuilders - the Double Cluster in Perseus invites you to a binocular tour of the Milky Way!

The horns of Taurus

The Pleiades, Hyades and a supernova remnant: its proximity to the Milky Way bestows Taurus with a wealth of classic show-pieces.

Non-identical triplets and a flying fish

Location is everything: in the middle of the Milky Way, Auriga reveals three Messier star clusters which are very close to each other.

Around the belt of the celestial hunter

Multiple stars, star clusters, and the brightest reflection nebula in the night sky: Orion offers binocular fans more than the great nebula.

At Castor's feet

M35 is the highlight of any binocular tour of Gemini; however, there is much more to discover around the open cluster.

All sorts of clusters

Canis Major is close to the horizon and hides a nameless asterism and a Collinder cluster between its paws.