Binoculars: A Great First Telescope

Do you want to peer deeper into the night sky? Are you feeling the urge to buy a telescope? There are so many options for budding astronomers that choosing one can be overwhelming. A first telescope should be easy to use and provide good quality views while being affordable. As it turns out, those requirements make the first telescope of choice for many stargazers something unexpected: a good pair of binoculars!

Binoculars are an excellent first instrument because they are generally easy to use and more versatile than most telescopes. Binoculars can be used for activities like stargazing and birdwatching and work great in the field at a star party, along the hiking trail, and anywhere else where you can see the sky. Binoculars also travel well, since they easily fit into carry-on luggage – a difficult feat for most telescopes! A good pair of binoculars, ranging in specifications from 7×35 to 10×50, will give you great views of the Moon, large open star clusters like the Pleiades (M45), and, from dark skies, larger bright galaxies like the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and large nebulae like the Orion Nebula (M42). While you likely won’t be able to see Saturn’s rings, as you practice your observing skills you may be able to spot Jupiter’s moons, along with some globular clusters and fainter nebulae from dark sites, too.

What do the numbers on those binocular specs actually mean? The first number is the magnification, while the second number is the size in millimeters (mm) of the lenses. So, a 7×35 pair of binoculars means that they will magnify 7 times using lenses 35 mm in diameter. It can be tempting to get the biggest binoculars you can find but try not to get anything much more powerful than a 10×50 pair at first. Larger binoculars with more power often have narrower fields of vision and are heavier; while technically more powerful, they are also more difficult to hold steadily in your hands and “jiggle” quite a bit unless you buy much more expensive binoculars with image stabilization or mount them to a tripod.

Would it surprise you that amazing views of some astronomical objects can be found not just from giant telescopes, but also from seemingly humble binoculars? Binoculars are able to show a much larger field of view of the sky compared to most telescopes. For example, most telescopes are unable to keep the entirety of the Pleiades or Andromeda Galaxy entirely inside the view of most eyepieces. Binoculars are also a great investment for more advanced observing, as later on they are useful for tracking down objects to then observe in more detail with a telescope.

If you are able to do so, real-world advice and experience is still the best for something you will be spending a lot of time with! Going to an in-person star party hosted by a local astronomy club is a great way to get familiar with telescopes and binoculars of all kinds – just ask permission before taking a closer look! You can find clubs and star parties near you on the Night Sky Network’s Clubs & Events page at bit.ly/nsnclubsandevents and inspire your binocular stargazing sessions with NASA’s latest discoveries!

Originally posted by Dave Prosper: November 2022

Last Updated by Kat Troche: April 2024

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Eleasa Kim: Pioneering CLDP Payload Operations and Cultural Integration

Eleasa Kim, stationed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, leads the Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program (CLDP) payload operations at Johnson Space Center, with 18 years of mission support under her belt. Her roles have included biomedical engineer flight controller, payload safety engineer for Artemis I, planning and analysis branch operations discipline lead, and glovebox integration engineer, with each enriching her understanding of engineering, safety, and leadership. 

Kim is currently working to ensure a smooth transition to commercial space operations for the science being conducted in microgravity for the benefit of humanity. 

Kim evaluates plans and documentation for commercial space stations, prepares materials for research operations, and devises strategies to enhance partner success and sustain the low Earth orbit economy. “I love the trust and support we are provided to brainstorm and offer recommendations for transitioning space station operations to commercial platforms,” she said.  

As the lead of the Human Exploration and Development Office’s (HEDO) Unity Team at Marshall, Kim is championing a culture of safety and inclusivity while leading a group of 15 people that represent every office and branch within HEDO. Kim and her team are tackling complex topics to enhance organizational culture. “We are promoting inclusion of everyone and more education and communication on topics that are not easy to talk about,” she said. 

“A large part of my identity is recognizing that people come first,” said Kim. “I take the opportunities to connect with and meet people where they are. I try to figure out how I can add value.” 

Although it is tough for her to pick her favorite project or program she has worked on at NASA, one of her most cherished experiences was during her tenure as an International Space Station biomedical engineer, where she completed a parabolic flight to test vital crew health support hardware. “My favorite part was learning what it meant to have a family at work that I trusted and could count on,” she said.  

In her other previous roles, she most enjoyed learning about science experiments as a payloads planner and playing a critical role in their success. As a payload safety engineer for Artemis I, she loved being able to deep dive into complex and specific problems and learn about safety risk and probability. As the planning and analysis branch operations discipline lead at Marshall, Kim says she loved learning about analyzing performance metrics, reporting, and providing leadership to multiple teams. 

Kim emphasizes the importance of staying curious and adaptable, recognizing that each role and team presents unique cultural and technical challenges. She says, “When faced with a challenge, I can overcome a lot more than I think by asking myself, ‘How can I do this?’”  

She has supported real-time mission operations, pre-mission planning, safety, engineering, and project management roles. “It takes time to get oriented each time I move into a team,” she said. “While challenging, it is also very exciting and motivating for me because I’m passionate about knowing people and learning new things.” 

Kim believes that NASA is actively driving change, emphasizing the importance of consistent communication from every individual. This approach, reminiscent of “boots on the ground,” is reshaping the agency’s culture from its foundation. “We can and are changing the culture from the bottom up, and NASA is providing the enabling function of management support,” she said. “We need to provide safe spaces for people to be vulnerable and help ensure everyone feels safe to contribute.”  

Kim’s cultural heritage is rooted in South Korea, where her parents originated before emigrating to the United States. Raised in America, she has a profound appreciation for Korean culture, especially its cuisine, and enjoys cooking traditional meals and sharing them with friends and colleagues. 

Kim says she is most proud of being a mother of two kind, beautiful, sharp, strong-willed, and passionate girls. 

She hopes to pass on to the next generation the inspiration to do great things for all of humanity, as did those who came before us. “I am excited to see what commercial and international growth will bring in the next decade.” 

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Sumer Loggins

Mission Manager Update: VIPER Rover Approved to Move into Environmental Testing!

While NASA’s VIPER team has been focused on building the flight rover that will go to the South Pole of the Moon, the team has also been making preparations for environmental testing of the rover. 

In April, the VIPER team passed a System Test Readiness Review, exploring the readiness of the facilities, procedures, and staff to move into stress-testing the VIPER rover.

These environmental tests are important because they force our rover to experience the conditions it will see during launch, landing, and in the thermal environment of operating at the lunar South Pole. Specifically, acoustic testing will simulate the harsh, vibrational “rock concert” experience of launch, while thermal-vacuum testing will expose VIPER to the hottest and coldest temperatures it will see during the mission, all while operating in the vacuum of space. It’s a tough business, but we have to make sure we’re up for it.

Thanks to this team for the hard efforts to get to this important phase in mission readiness!

Go VIPER!

– Dan Andrews, VIPER Project Manager

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Rachel Hoover