Unraveling the Celestron SkyMaster 15x70 Binoculars: A User's Guide
Detailed Assessment of Celestron Skymaster Giant 15X70 Binoculars: An Unadulterated Analysis
The Celestron SkyMaster 15x70 binoculars sport a sizable 70mm objective lens, coated in BaK-4 crown glass for superior optics. Despite the risk of chromatic aberration due to the large lens, it's barely noticeable at 15x magnification, except on exceptionally bright targets.
The Porro prisms in these bad boys surpass the quality of the standard BK7 prisms found in cheaper or lower-quality products. These prisms ensure that the field of view isn't clipped or vignetted, making for almost perfect circular exit pupils. However, the eyepieces' wide-angle design, coupled with the objective lenses' fast f/ratio, results in some loss of sharpness towards the periphery of the view.
At 18mm eye relief, these binoculars offer plenty of distance for wearers of glasses, allowing for a comfortable viewing experience. The true field is 4.4 degrees, which translates to about 9 times the angular diameter of the full Moon - providing a respectable and immersive apparent field of view when combined with 15x magnification.
The light-gathering ability of 70mm binoculars is roughly akin to a 4-inch telescope. While they can't deliver high-power views of globular clusters, small galaxies, the Moon, or planets like a telescope can, they excel at observing open clusters and wide nebulae. The SkyMaster 15x70 binoculars exhibit some chromatic aberration on bright stars, the Moon, and planets, but it doesn't significantly hurt the viewing experience.
These binoculars may arrive miscollimated, resulting in a double image. Unfortunately, this is fairly common and can be frustrating to fix, either by utilizing Celestron's customer service or delving into the collimation screws yourself.
Mechanics and Mounting
The fold-down eyecups of the SkyMaster 15x70 binoculars sport a 50mm diameter, and the interpupillary distance can be adjusted between 56mm and 72mm. With a central focusing knob and a right eyepiece diopter adjustment ranging from -4 to +8, these binoculars accommodate vision differences between both eyes.
The binoculars boast a robust and well-built construction, though it's essential to avoid impact to ensure their longevity. Dropping them might necessitate collimation, which could involve sending them back to Celestron, a somewhat inconvenient process; or tackling the collimation yourself, which might prove challenging.
The plastic tripod adapter provided with the SkyMaster 15x70 binoculars isn't ideal, as it induces wobble and is prone to snapping under the weight of the binoculars. Investing in an aftermarket all-metal adapter, which costs less than $20, is advisable.
Mounting Recommendations
Prolonged astronomical observation requires a tripod or mount for the SkyMaster 15x70 binoculars. Handheld use is possible but limited, especially for extended periods and with bright objects. A metal tripod adapter is suggested to replace the plastic one provided with these binoculars.
When selecting a tripod, opt for one with sufficient weight support, as budget-friendly options might lack stability or maximum height. A monopod or a parallelogram mount is recommended for optimal results and increased freedom of movement.
Additional Considerations
When purchasing used SkyMaster 15x70 binoculars, be wary of miscollimation or internal fungus/deterioration, especially on hard-to-reach optical surfaces. Collimation issues may display as a double image on distant terrestrial objects.
Alternative Recommendations
While the SkyMaster 15x70 binoculars are decent, alternatives with different aperture/magnification specifications might be preferable due to quality or comfort concerns. Options include the SkyMaster Pro 15x70s, SkyMaster 12x60s, Bushnell Legacy WP 10x50s, and Zhumell 12x70 Astronomy Binoculars.
What You Can See with Celestron SkyMaster 15x70 Binoculars
The SkyMaster 15x70 binoculars excel at stunning views of large open star clusters such as the Pleiades, the Double Cluster, and asterisms like the Coathanger, as well as nebulae like Orion (M42) and North America under dark skies. Globular clusters and some galaxies are visible even at 15x magnification.
Under dark skies, you'll be able to spot M31 and M33, though urban light pollution may hinder their visibility. You may also observe hints of M31's dust lane and M33's spiral arms under ideal conditions. Many other bright Messier and NGC galaxies are visible with the SkyMaster 15x70 binoculars, though magnifications above 30x are recommended for intricate detail in these objects.
With 15x magnification, these binoculars enable observations of Saturn's largest moon, Titan, and the phases of Venus. Jupiter's moons are also within reach, as well as hints of Jupiter's crimson equatorial cloud belts. The Moon's major geological features, such as craters and mountain ranges, can be discovered, but chromatic aberration may disturb the viewing experience.
These binoculars can separate some of the widest double stars, like Albireo and the two pairs of Epsilon Lyrae. However, for in-depth analysis of small and bright targets like the Moon, planets, and double stars, a high-quality telescope is usually more suitable.
Related Product Guide: Best Mounting for Astronomy Binoculars
[1] Mounting Options for Celestron SkyMaster 15x70 Binoculars[3] What You Can See with Celestron SkyMaster 15x70 Binoculars[4] Mounting Recommendations
- The SkyMaster 15x70 binoculars, despite their risk of chromatic aberration, boast superior optics with BaK-4 crown glass and Porro prisms to ensure a near-perfect circular field of view.
- The binoculars offer great light-gathering ability, comparable to a 4-inch telescope, making them perfect for observing open star clusters, nebulae, and wide galaxies.
- Eyepieces in these binoculars have a wide-angle design, but this could lead to some loss of sharpness towards the periphery of the view.
- The eyepieces may arrive miscollimated, resulting in a double image, a common issue that can cause frustration for users.
- A metal tripod adapter is suggested to replace the plastic one provided, as the latter induces wobble and is prone to snapping under the weight of the binoculars.
- The SkyMaster 15x70 binoculars are capable of observing M31 and M33 under dark skies, as well as hints of M31's dust lane and M33's spiral arms under ideal conditions. However, under light pollution, visibility may be hindered.
