Celestron SkyMaster Giant 15x70 Binoculars w/Tripod Adapter

This isn't the pair of binoculars you want for star gazing. Yes, the optics are great considering the price but they are so cheaply constructed that the smallest bump will knock them out of collimation. They arrived in perfect condition, but after a couple of months they started giving double images when star gazing (and yes, I know how to adjust them).

I can't really recommed these because I have a pair of 10x50's that are the same price, a lot more compact, lighter, and they give way better views.

Except for a spotting scope everything else I bought from Celestron has been substandard.

I purchased the Celestron binoculars to round out our options for my wife and I to view the night sky. We also have four telescopes ranging from a high end 70mm Televue Pronto refractor to 12" Meade Lightbridge Dobsonian. I also have a pair of Nikon 7X50 mm binoculars that we have used for about 10 years.

There are many nights that taking out the new binoculars are my first choice for scans of the night sky due to less than perfect "seeing" conditions. I have the binoculars mounted on a lightweight camera tripod using the adapter that came with the Celestron 15X70 binoculars and this combo makes for great views of the heavens above or just looking at the many birds that abound around my lakefront home here on the edge of the Ozarks of Missouri. If you do not own a tripod, I strongly suggest you invest in one to get the full benefit of these binoculars for steady views. On clear summer nights with low humidity I have great views of the Milky Way. Binoculars are a great way to view the night skies and see the Andromeda Galaxy, star clusters, and views of the Pleiades and the Orion Nebula (my personal favorites).

I was amazed at the quality of the Celestron binoculars and the views they provide. The focuser is velvet smooth in operation and the individual focus adjustment for the right eye was easy to adjust. The eyecups were very comfortable for viewing and fold down easily. The attached cover for the eyepieces is a very nice design and is easy to attach. The individual lens caps fit snugly and can be dropped into the binocular bag that came with the binoculars for safekeeping. The tripod attachment bracket can be affixed to the binoculars with the single bolt by removing the cap on the front of the binoculars just in front of the center focus mechanism.

Did I mention I love these binoculars!!!

I have had my Skymaster 15x70 for about a year and a half now, and I continue to be extremely pleased.

I'm a big fan of binocular stargazing in general. Binoculars are portable, intuitive to use, and easy to set up. Even at low magnification, they allow you to see more than your naked eye can reveal, and some objects are better seen with a wide field of view anyway.

In that regard, I find the Skymaster 15x70 an excellent choice. The 70mm objectives collect enough light to make the Andromeda galaxy and the Orion nebula crystal clear, even among the backyard lights of town. The magnification is just right: strong enough to reveal lunar craters, but not so strong that the natural jitters of holding the binoculars in your hand become distracting. The field of view is about 4.4 degrees, easily enough to contain the entire Pleiades cluster or the full moon. I appreciate the simplicity of the center focus knob, and I find viewing is comfortable either with or without my eyeglasses.

Other reviewers have remarked on the weight, and there's no denying that it's a little exhausting to hold the binoculars for long periods. However, I don't find them much more difficult to hold than my 7x30 birding glasses -- the size of the binoculars is less of a factor than you might expect. The included tripod adapter can help relieve this problem, but the solution is only as good as the quality of your tripod, and most of the time I'd rather sacrifice some stability to avoid the hassle of using a mount.

Like some others reviewers, I did experience collimation problems and had to return the first item I received. The left and right images were very badly out of alignment, and there's no mechanism for correcting it yourself. Your only choice is to exchange it, and Amazon handled the exchange easily and quickly.

Overall, I'm very pleased with this purchase. It's very good quality for the price.

I'm impressed with these binoculars. For $70 plus shipping, you get to see a lot. I could see the top of Mount Mansfield in Vermont and I live about 10 miles away from the mountain.

I finally was able to see a strange item on top of a nearby mountain that have perplexed me for years. To my surprise it was a house - a gigantic house and I'm amazed someone would build one that high up considering it'll be difficult to commute up the hill there during winter.

I could see stars so clear. Haven't seen the moon yet.

You get pretty much everything you need in this order; binoculars, covers, a bag, a leash, a lens cleaner, instructions, and the tripod adapter. I would recommend buying a nicer binocular bag for more protection as the bag that comes with the package is quite flimsy.

Overall highly recommended.

This was my first binocular purchase. I bought it for astronomy. Pros: good value--it works great and was cheap. I did not have any alignment issues that some others have had. Excellent for use in looking at birds in backyard with kids. Gives excellent views of the night sky, even with the narrow field of vision. Cons: the 15x is both a pro and a con--it makes things closer but the field of view is quite narrow, and you need a very stable platform for night viewing. The included tripod attachment is not good--the plastic twists too easily and the view wobbles way too much; I am buying a metal adapter to replace it. Although I bought it for night use, I think a 10x Nikon might have been better for that use; however, for backyard fun with the kids (birdwatching etc), I do like the extra mag.