The Celestron SkyMaster Professional 20×80 is a really particular pair of binoculars. Not solely are they among the largest out there, however they boast among the best high quality optics round.
The same old recommendation for anybody beginning out in stargazing is to spend just a few months utilizing binoculars earlier than shopping for one of many greatest telescopes for inexperienced persons. That does not apply to the SkyMaster Professional 20×80, which are not the type of binoculars anybody ought to be shopping for if they do not already know loads about observing the evening sky. The truth is, the SkyMaster Professional 20×80 is a viable different to a telescope.
CELESTRON SKYMASTER PRO 20×80: KEY SPECS
Magnification: 20x
Goal lens diameter: 80 mm
Angular discipline of view: 3.2-degrees
Eye aid: 0.61-in (15.5 mm)
Weight: 86.4 oz (2.45 g)
It is the flagship mannequin in Celestron’s SkyMaster Professional line-up of porro prism binoculars that additionally consists of the step-down (when it comes to measurement) SkyMaster Pro 15×70 binoculars. There’s a larger pair of binoculars in Celestron’s steady — the SkyMaster 25×100 — however in addition to being nearly twice the load of the SkyMaster Professional 20×80 that pair lacks the superior (and proprietary) XLT coated optics that the 2 ‘Professional’ fashions embrace.
Aimed toward newbie astronomers wanting close-up views of the evening sky, all that you must add to the SkyMaster 20×80 is without doubt one of the greatest tripods or the most effective journey tripods and you will have spectacular views of the Moon, planets, galaxies and far more moreover.
Celestron SkyMaster Professional 20×80 binocular evaluation
Celestron SkyMaster Professional 20×80 binoculars: Design
- BaK-4 porro prism design
- XLT coated optics
- Heart help rod
The whole lot concerning the polycarbonate and aluminum SkyMaster Professional 20×80 screams high quality, from the waterproof rubber masking to Celstron’s personal XLT multi-coated optics, hooked up goal lens caps and equipment. As with all massive goal binoculars for astronomy, the SkyMaster Professional 20×80 makes use of a porro prism design, largely as a result of it permits in probably the most mild attainable.
That is crucial when going attempting to find deep-sky objects. Porro prism binoculars are typically larger than the rival roof-prism optical design, and their 86.4oz/2.45g bulk shouldn’t be inconsequential. Nonetheless, with 80mm goal lenses and 20x magnification binoculars like this can all the time should be mounted on a tripod. To make that straightforward, Celestron has fitted the SkyMaster Professional 20×80 with a middle help rail. It sits within the hole between the 2 tubes, stretching from the optical engine to a few teardrop-shaped fixings near the target lenses that it retains stable and taught. Nonetheless, it additionally permits somewhat motion so you may alter the place of the tubes to fit your personal eyes.
ADDITIONAL KIT
Shoulder bag
Neckstrap
Goal lens caps
Rainguard for eyecups
Interchangeable flared eyecups
Reflex Sight Rail (RSR) for crimson dot finder
On that rod is a tripod adaptor that may be ranged up and down earlier than fixing in place. On the underside is a 1/4-inch tripod thread, which can usually be fitted to the bottom plate supplied with a ballhead or pan-tilt head.
Additionally included are just a few small, however completely shaped equipment. Probably the most helpful is its flared rubber eyecups, which may be swapped out for the present common flat eyecups which are included as default. They permit the observer to maintain ambient mild sources from ruining the view. One other useful accent within the field is a Reflex Sight Rail (RSR), a small robust plastic hinge that may be secured to the SkyMaster Professional 20×80’s heart help rod to create a platform for attaching a crimson dot finder. A crimson dot finder is a helpful pointing software that superimposes a small crimson dot on the sky to make it simpler to search out targets, although has no magnification (they are often bought at low price on-line). You may have to produce one your self, however the potential for including one to the SkyMaster Professional 20×80 solely provides to its status as a powerful and versatile different to a telescope.
Celestron SkyMaster Professional 20×80: Efficiency
- Sharp, brilliant and contrast-heavy photos
- Requires full-size tripod
- Flared eye cups fall off too simply
In case you’ve seen too many small telescopes gathering mud and need one thing somewhat simpler to retailer and journey with, the SkyMaster Professional 20×80 makes an excellent case. We actually just like the robust and well-made shoulder bag that ships with the SkyMaster Professional 20×80, although we do want it had a pocket or two for storing the 2 flared eyecups. These swappable eyecups work rather well, particularly in conditions the place persons are waving torches round or there are mild sources behind you, however they do have a deadly flaw. Regardless of the common eyecups being completely steady when in place the flared variations are likely to pop off. That is not excellent at midnight. We had to make use of masking tape to maintain them in place, although they do truly should be eliminated on the finish of an observing session when the figure-of-eight rain guard is put again throughout the eyecups.
The whole lot else concerning the SkyMaster Professional 20×80 impresses, with its photos excellent. They permit in loads of mild from distant objects, with brilliant photos that boast a number of distinction and nil ghosted photos from stray mild. We educated the SkyMaster Professional 20×80 on the Pleiades (M45), the Nice Globular Cluster in Hercules (M13) and the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) — all discovered manually utilizing sky charts and with a crimson dot finder mounted atop the middle help rod — and loved the immersive stereo views, that are sharp throughout your complete discipline save for the very extremities. It is also actually useful for inexperienced persons that the pictures are the fitting means up (most telescopes invert the picture, which may be complicated).
Celestron SkyMaster Professional 20×80: Performance
- Greatest with a full-size tripod
- Requires a separate pan-tilt head
- Effectively made shoulder bag
One factor to recollect concerning the SkyMaster Professional 20×80 is that it will possibly solely be as regular because the ball-head and tripod you provide to help it. Contemplating its weight, do not skimp on the ball head or, even higher, go for a pan-tilt head. It will be a lot simpler to make use of the SkyMaster Professional 20×80 to concentrate on deep sky objects when you do not additionally must take into consideration how a lot your tripod droops. That is notably true when observing objects fairly near the horizon as a result of that is when the tube-heavy SkyMaster Professional 20×80 will most lack stability.
It is also price contemplating utilizing a full-size tripod (we used one which stretched to 180cm/70.7-in, which was excellent not as a result of we’re very tall, however these binoculars are 32cm/13 inches lengthy, so when tilted upwards stretch down farther than you would possibly count on).
Setting them up was straightforward, although you do must get them balanced on a tripod and aligned to your eyes first. We discovered the all-important focus and diopter adjustment and focus wheels to be each straightforward to make use of but inconceivable to unintentionally knock out of place.
Must you purchase the Celestron SkyMaster Professional 20×80 binoculars?
The SkyMaster Professional 20×80 is for newbie astronomers who’ve had an entry-level pair of binoculars for just a few years, have realized to navigate the evening sky and now need one thing not only a bit larger, however loads larger — and with one of the best construct high quality round.
Strong, weatherproof and fitted with a help rod and tripod adaptor, the SkyMaster Professional 20×80 is a critical astronomical instrument that’s greatest seen as a way more moveable model of a small telescope. Sure, these eyecups are a bit fiddly, however we love the power to mount a crimson dot finder, which makes the SkyMaster Professional 20×80 appear much more like a viable different to a small telescope.
This pair does want a tripod, and the darker the skies the higher for getting eyes-on with star clusters, galaxies and nebulae, however because of the superb shoulder bag that is one thing you may simply do. We would even recommend storing the SkyMaster Professional 20×80 at the back of a automobile for informal use when touring, although the caveat is {that a} very massive tripod is required.
If the Celestron SkyMaster Professional 20×80 binoculars aren’t for you
There are lower-cost alternate options to the SkyMaster Professional 20×80, such because the Celestron SkyMaster 20×80, which is basically an identical save for its lack of XLT optics and a extra reasonably priced price ticket (and fewer spectacular construct high quality). You possibly can inform the 2 aside by the silver loops across the tubes of the SkyMaster Professional 20×80.
You can additionally upsize to the Celestron SkyMaster 25×100 binoculars, which will increase the scale of the target lenses nonetheless additional, although be ready for a slight drop within the construct high quality when in comparison with the SkyMaster Professional 20×80.
In case you just like the sound of the SkyMaster Professional 20×80, however concern it may be too large and heavy and would reasonably have one thing you may maintain in your arms then take into account the Celestron SkyMaster Professional 15×70, which reduces each the scale of the target lenses and magnification however nonetheless provide glorious close-ups of the evening sky in an analogous, but smaller package deal.
