We all know what binoculars and telescopes are used for but do we know exactly what they are? Well for one, binoculars are instruments that will give you a magnified view of products that are at a distance, binoculars are known as optical instruments and so are telescopes; however, telescopes are…..
Binoculars and telescopes, both of them are used in viewing the objects of far distance. They make the object seemed close to you. You can have a large image of long-distance objects so that you can analyze them easily.
Both the gadgets use all the mechanism of camera and lens. But are they same in their use and features? Do they provide the same image quality? Have you ever thought about it?
If not, it is high time to have an in-depth idea about both of these effective sight viewing gadgets. Whether you are an astronaut or nature lover, if you know the core difference between binoculars and telescopes, you will have a better experience with them.
In this article, I have brought up all the basic difference and of course similarities as well of both of them. I hope you will discover a new world of viewing with any of them, believe me. Then why late? Let’s dig into the world of the lens!
Binoculars and Telescopes: Types They Come With
Both of them come with several types. And different types have different functionality. So to have a clear idea about these two tools, let’s know about their types.
Binoculars: You will find two types of binoculars available in the market. They are namely:
- Roof prism binoculars
- Porro prism binoculars
Telescopes: Generally 5 types of telescopes are seen to be used for different purposes. They are
- Reflecting Telescopes
- Refractors Telescopes
- Catadioptric Telescopes
- Radio Telescopes
- X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Telescopes
Binoculars and Telescopes: Advantages and Disadvantages
Binoculars
The most important advantage of binoculars over telescopes is that it is very lightweight and small in size. So definitely it is very easy to carry. You can easily keep it in your small bag or even in your pocket.
Binoculars come in pair. So you can have a 3D image of the object you are viewing with it. And binoculars can give a depth perception as you can closely focus on the object with your both eyes.
Though primary use of binoculars is to observe nature, it is also used for astronomical purposes. In a broad sense, the advantages and disadvantages of binoculars are as follow:
Advantages of binoculars:
- The broad field of view
- Can quickly scan large parts of the night sky
- Easily portable
- Easy to handle
- Comparatively cheaper
- Requires no maintenance
- Best for terrestrial viewing
Disadvantages of binoculars:
- Not suitable for detailed viewing
- Not suitable for viewing celestial objects
- Cannot work well in low light conditions
Telescopes
For the detail viewing of any long distance objects, there is no alternative to telescopes. In a sense, they are called the heart of astronomy. They are basically used for the observation of stars, planets and other objects of the universe.
But the main obstacle of using telescopes is the bulky weight of them. They are not easy to carry at all. Moreover, they require a specific set up every time to use.
Apart from the heavyweight, the telescopes are the only way to have a detailed and crisp image of any far objects. And it is because they have the maximum aperture.
To some extent, telescopes have the following advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of telescopes:
- Suitable in low light conditions
- Can give detailed viewing of the celestial objects
- Extra cameras can be attached
- Parallactic mount tracking
- Can give viewing of a crisp image
- Computer-assisted tracking
Telescope Disadvantage :
- Bulky weight
- Requires frequent maintenance and adjusting
- Not suitable for nature viewing
- Requires tripod and mount to use
- Not really suitable for terrestrial viewing
Binoculars and Telescopes: Major Differences
The first big difference between these lens- based gadgets is in their lenses. Telescopes come with one lens whereas binoculars work on two lenses.
The same difference is seen in case of the eyepiece. In telescopes, only one eyepiece can be used to view. On the other hand, as binoculars come with two lenses, both of the eyes can be used to view objects.
And having two lenses, binoculars can let you have a wide field of view. But though in telescopes there is only one lens, the lens is very large. So they provide detail and crisp image that the binoculars can’t
Another considerable difference between them is in their image magnification. The first one has 6x and 12x magnification and at the same time, the second one comes with 20x magnification. So, of course, there is a difference between the image quality that you view with them.
Verdict
In the point of the end I think you have now much better knowledge about these amazing sight viewing gadgets, right? You can decide now actually which you need.
Though both of them are basically used for viewing the objects of far distance, they have few differences in features and functions. You just have to scrutinize those to know which one you need and to reach your final decision.
But it is worth mentioning that both of them have brought a revolution in sight viewing more closely. And I hope you will also have a great experience with them.
Happy sighting!
Hi, Daniel Here! When I’m not busy working at my own startup, you may find me roaming around the Univers and whats beyond our sky, telescope is a must.
