Had to pick between a cheap telescope and a decent pair of binoculars for nebula shots last weekend

I went with the binoculars cause the scope was $75 and looked like a toy, lol. Way happier with the detailed shots of Orion, why didn't anyone warn me how bad cheap scopes are for astrophotography?

2 comments

2 Comments

phoenix_thompson42d ago

Yeah and even with the binoculars you're still fighting your eyeballs' limitations. I spent like an hour trying to see the Orion Nebula's color through mine and all I got was a grayish smudge with maybe a hint of green if I stared long enough. It's like your brain just gives up on color when the light gets that dim. That's why phone sensors can sometimes pull out more color than your eyes because they can stack exposures. But hey at least with the binoculars you're getting a wider view than a cheap scope that wobbles every time you breathe on it.

fox.derek2d ago

Oh man, you're right about cheap scopes. But just a heads up, those binoculars won't show you the nebula's color in detail since your eyes can't see color in dim light like that. Still way better than a $75 scope though.