For astronomy, a pair of binoculars is often considered a portable and travel-friendly alternative to a small telescope.  When it comes to monoculars, you’ll once again lose weight and bulk.  A single telescope weighs at least half as much as a pair of binoculars and is easy to carry around, making it ideal for hiking and long-distance trips.  Scanning the sky with the naked eye is already an amazing experience.  

Add good monoculars for stargazing and a million stars will appear before you.  The best stargazing monoculars will even allow you to capture the moon in photos.  Monoculars are not as common as telescopes.  But that doesn’t mean it’s easier to find good products worth investing in.  Learn this guide to the best stargazing monoculars to buy in 2022.  

How to buy the best stargazing monoculars  

Choosing the best monoculars may not be as simple as it seems.  Fortunately, with the help of this guide, you should soon be able to observe the night sky with your brand-new monoculars.  

1. Lens size  

As we mentioned earlier, the lens size is displayed directly on the single cylinder.  The lens size of 10 x 25 monoculars is 25 mm.  

The lens range is usually between 20 and 50 mm – monoculars are always represented using the metric system.  Generally speaking, the bigger the lens, the wider the field of view.  

Larger lenses allow more light to enter and generally produce brighter images, perfect for stargazing.  

2. Optical technology  

With large telescopes, the light passes through several glass lenses and mirrors before reaching your eyes.  The same is true with monoculars.  However, a different type of technology is used to make these devices as compact as possible.  Manufacturers use prisms.  

Monoculars use two main prism designs.  Both work with an objective and eyepiece to enlarge the image.  However, they provide different results.  

3. Focal length and magnification  

Whether your telescope has a Porro prism or a roof prism, there are other specifications to consider.  One of the most important is magnification.  

When you buy a telescope, you may see two numbers somewhere in the instructions.  These numbers are not just random.  They are optical descriptors that at a glance give you more information about the capabilities of a single telescope.  For example, you might see a product labeled 7×50.  

The first number is magnification.  In the example above, a single telescope can provide 7 times magnification!  That’s easy to understand, but what does it have to do with focal length?  Focal length directly affects the amplification ability.  Focal length is the distance between the outermost lens, objective, and focal plane.  The focal plane is where the lights converge to create an image.  

Longer focal lengths will result in greater magnification!  Of course, monoculars are all about portability, so don’t expect to get a long-winded device with an ultra-high focal length.

4. View  

The field of view (also known as FOV) represents the width of the image.  As monocular FOV increases, magnification decreases, you guessed it.  However, the best monoculars can provide acceptable FOV and good magnification.  

When it comes to stargazing, it’s a matter of personal preference.  Some stargazers may enjoy strong magnification to zoom in on specific stars or planets.  Others prefer a wider aperture for a wider view of the night sky.  

Stargazing is a very rewarding hobby.  You can explore the wonders of the universe from the edge of your eyes.  While setting up a large telescope can be a hassle, a single telescope allows you to jump over that hurdle and make sure the universe fits exactly in your pocket so you can see it any time, anyway.