Best Monoculars for Stargazing Buyer's Guide

See yourself Stargazing wishing you had the perfect solution? Monoculars have become incredibly popular within the Amateur Astronomy world. We've put together a comprehensive buyer's guide reviewing our top monoculars available on the market.

Looking for the best monoculars for stargazing in 2020? We are here to help you! A monocular can be used for many purposes, one of which, a very promising one perhaps, is stargazing.

The other optical devices used for the purposes of stargazing are either very expensive or cannot be carried around as easily. 

Here we have a list of the best monoculars for stargazing in 2020 available in the market. These have been carefully selected for their exceptional qualities considering every quirk of our valued readers.

Let’s get started!

Our Overall #1 Rated Pick

If you're looking for the best monoculars for stargazing in 2020 that is affordable, easy to use for beginners, and has a great build quality, our top pick is the Gosky 12×55 Monocular Telescope.

Portable

Waterproof

Shockproof

Fog proof

Durable

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    Best Monocular for Stargazing in 2020 Based on User Reviews

    Let's take a look at the top products on the market, based on the average rating by real customers just like you.

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    Best Monocular for Stargazing in 2020: A Complete Review

    If you've made it this far into the reviews then you must be serious about your buying choice.

    Now that we've covered the quick list of products, let's break down each of them to see why they have been chosen.

    In this section we'll cover the pro's and con's of each and give you some ideas of who each product is most suitable for.

    The Gosky 12x5 is a high magnification and powerful monocular. It has exceptional affordability and comes with a premium 55mm lens. The monocular creates an extensive and detailed image of the landscape. 

    The monocular will bring the faraway objects close to your eyes and let you observe them easily. It allows a sufficient amount of light to enter the lens and create a bright image. It is compact and portable. 

    You can take it with you on hiking, hunting, climbing, concerts, watching wildlife or stargazing. The powerful monocular promises to provide a bright, clear, and focused image to its customers. This size is perfect, and you will not get tired. It features long relief eye-cups. That allows you to watch for longer without hurting your eyes. 

    The smartphone clip on the monocular is easy to use and helps you capture images and record videos smoothly. The eye-cup is adjustable; it works well with people who wear prescription glasses.

    Pros

    Portable

    Waterproof

    Shockproof

    Fog proof

    Durable

    High magnification

    Smartphone holder

    Sturdy rubber body

    Adjustable eye-cup

    Easy to use

    Cons

    The adapter can get loose

    The RIVMOUNT monocular has powerful and high magnification. It is compact and portable. You can take it on trips like hiking, climbing, stargazing, hunting, wildlife, and landscape watching. The 10x magnification brings the faraway stars near your eyes. 

    It creates detailed and focused images. The 42mm objective lens allows enough light into the monocular and provides a bright image. The best thing about this monocular is that it has HD quality vision. The BAK-4 prisms and fully coated lens provide a premium image. It also keeps your eyes safe from harmful radiation. 

    The frame is sturdy yet lightweight. It is compact and portable. Your hand will not get tired of carrying the monocular. The whole body of the monocular is covered with armor rubber. That provides firm, shock-resistance, and anti-skid grip. 

    It comes with a wrist strap for your comfort. The exceptional accuracy and assembly of the monocular is well-balanced. It is waterproof, dust-repellent, and best for outdoors. The monocular comes with a universal smartphone adapter.

    Pros

    Durable

    Portable

    Waterproof

    Dust-repellent

    Shock-resistant

    Smartphone adapter

    Rubber grip

    Coated lens

    Cons

    None as such

    The monocular has high power and exceptional magnification. It has 12x magnification that brings the faraway stars close to your eyes. The 50mm objective lens allows a sufficient light into the lens that creates bright images and videos.

    Monocular diameter is large enough to cover a vast landscape. You can carry it to all your outdoor activities like traveling, hunting, hiking, stargazing, and climbing. The images are crisp, high resolution, and bright.

    It has the latest optics technology that is HD monocular with BAK-4 prism and multi-coated lens. This lens will protect the eyes against harmful radiation.

    The monocular also has a night-vision feature. It allows 99% of light transmission at night. So, you could observe the faraway stars easily. The monocular also has single hand focus and ergonomic design. It has a sturdy yet portable frame with anti-slip housing.

    The monocular is waterproof, dust-repellent and fog resistant. It has a smartphone adapter which is compatible with all smartphones. The optics are sealed with O-ring so dust or fog cannot harm the lens.

    Pros

    Durable

    Compact

    HD images

    Night vision

    Wide angle lens

    Dust-repellent

    Waterproof

    Fog-repellent

    Smartphone adapter

    Multi-coated optics

    Cons

    It does not have any drawback

    The Stellax, ZoomX monocular has high and exceptional magnification. It features the fully Multi-Coated lens. These lenses allow sufficient light to transmit through and create a bright image or video. 

    The monocular also has a BAK-4 prism and fully multi-coated lens. It creates crisp, clear and premium-quality images. The monocular also provides 100% protection against water, dust, fog, and shocks. You can immerse the monocular up to 1.5-3-meter in water and it will not get damaged. 

    The monocular is highly sealed and will not allow dirt to enter and ruin the lens. It is filled with nitrogen which is the reason for its resistance against fog. The universal smartphone adapter with the monocular you can create amazing quality content. 

    It has a reliable and decent quality tripod. That avoids the shaking and trembling. It has sturdy framing yet portable. You can take it to any outdoor activity like hunting, wildlife watching, climbing, hiking, and stargazing.

    Pros

    Durable

    Travel safe

    High magnification

    Fully coated lens

    Waterproof

    Dust-repellent

    Fog resistant

    Reliable

    Cons

    Not a handy monocular without a tripod

    The Vortex Optics Solo monocular provides the closer look of the faraway stars. It has 8x magnification and a wide objective lens. The 36mm objective lens allows enough light to enter the lens and create a bright image. 

    The style of the monocular is sturdy, compact and travel safe. You can carry it on trips like hiking, hunting, climbing, and stargazing because of its lightweight. The lens is fully multi-coated. This keeps your eyes safe from harmful radiations and prevents the lens from getting damaged. 

    The eyecup of the monocular is easy to use even with glasses. The anti-reflective coating over the lens creates amazing results in low light situations as well. It has a large focus wheel and a small reticle focus wheel. 

    The user can focus easily over the object with help of these focus wheels. It also comes with a utility clip that you can attach to the belt or vest for easy access in the field. The rubber texture housing provides anti-slip grip. Monocular is fully sealed which makes it dust-proof, waterproof and fog-resistant.

    Pros

    Lightweight

    High magnification

    Fully coated optics

    Rangefinder

    Anti-slip grip

    Dust-repellent

    Waterproof

    Fog-resistant

    Cons

    Optics need improvements

    The monocular are widely used these days for stargazing, wildlife watching, observing vast landscapes, and during hunting. It has 8x magnification that brings the faraway stars closer to your eyes. The design structure of the monocular is sturdy yet very lightweight. 

    It is compact and safe for traveling. The objective lens is large enough to allow sufficient light. It creates bright and crisp images. This monocular is completely waterproof. 

    The premium quality multi-coated allows a decent amount of light transmission. It also protects the lens and eyes from harmful radiations. You should know that never point the monocular directly towards the sun. 

    It has a thick rubber housing that makes it anti-slip. The BGA model has all-metal sturdy construction with an easy focus wheel.

    Pros

    Durable

    All-metal construction

    Rubber housing

    All-purpose monocular

    Multi-coated optics

    Travel safe

    Waterproof

    Dust-repellent

    Fog-resistant

    Easy ribbed focus wheel

    Cons

    It does not include additional accessories

    The Roxant Ultra-Light mini monocular is an affordable yet durable option as a pocket monocular. It has a compact and lightweight design structure. The lens is multi-coated optics which creates a crispy and clear image. 

    It also protects eyes from harmful radiations. You should make sure that never to point the monocular directly towards the sun as it could damage the lens. The HD quality lens allows high light transmission that makes the images and videos bright, crispy, and clear. 

    It is safe for traveling as you can carry it in your pocket. The strap comes for easy access in the field. The monocular has a firm design structure and molded grip. That makes it less shaky and anti-slip. It is very steady and easy to hold. 

    It also comes with a neck strap, cleaning cloth, and carry pouch. It is the best choice for outdoor activities like hiking, stargazing, hunting, and wildlife watching.

    Pros

    Durable

    Steady focus

    Anti-slip grip

    Additional accessory

    HD lens

    Multi-coated optics

    Compact

    Portable

    Cons

    It is slightly expensive for the provided features

    The Celestron Nature monocular has become an amazing gadget. It has high 10x magnification that brings the stars closer to your eyes. The 25mm objective lens is incredible. It allows enough light to produce decent quality images and videos. 

    The monocular is equipped with a BAK-4 prism optics that creates crispy images and allows sufficient transmission of light. It has different layers of paint coated over it. The nitrogen-purged in the monocular avoids fogging of the lens. 

    It is a compact and portable monocular. You can easily carry it around to different places. The images created with this monocular have an extra level of details and contrast. That makes this monocular a truly exceptional equipment.

    Moreover, the monocular creates amazing pictures even in low light situations, in shadows or any other same condition. The design construction of the monocular includes rubber covering that ensures premium protection. It is also a shock-resistant monocular.

    Pros

    Portable

    Travel safe

    Lightweight

    Rubber housing

    Anti-slip covering

    Waterproof

    Dust-repellent

    Cons

    It does not come with a tripod

    The focus ring is hard

    The Orion monocular is compact, lightweight and travel safe. It is feasible to carry on long trips. You can observe faraway stars, wildlife, or birds’ observations. The 10x magnification is high and it brings the faraway stars closer to your eyes. 

    Its 42mm objective lens allows sufficient light to create crispy and bright images or videos. The monocular is built to be used with a BK7 prism that produces clear and detailed images. Its lenses come with an anti-reflective layer that ensures high clarity of the images. That is why the pictures produced with it have contrast colors and brightness. 

    Moreover, the Orion monocular also features a twist-up rubber that allows the user to place his/her eye perfectly. The monocular is entirely covered with rubber armor that ensures safety. It provides anti-slip grip and protection against bumps or shocks. 

    There is enough rubber between the lens and the barrel. It allows a shield from the sun and works as a shock-absorber.

    Pros

    Compact

    Portable

    High magnification

    Bright images

    Anti-slip grip

    Rubber housing

    Waterproof

    Multi-coated optics

    High contrast and bright images

    Cons

    It does not provide fog-resistance

    The Gosky 10x50 is a high magnification and powerful monocular. It comes with a premium 50mm lens. The lens is the biggest lens. It creates a wide and detailed image of the landscape. The monocular will bring the faraway objects close to your eyes and let you observe them easily. 

    It allows sufficient light to enter the lens and create a bright image. It is a perfect size, compact and portable. You can take it with you on hiking, hunting, climbing, concerts, watching wildlife or stargazing. 

    The powerful monocular promises to provide a bright, clear, and focused image to its customers. Moreover, it features a BAK-4 built-in prism which is multi-coated. It keeps the eyes safe from radiation and creates brighter, crispy, and clear images. 

    The monocular also has a long-eye relief that allows you to watch stars and birds for a longer time. The argon purging in the monocular provides waterproof, fog proof, dustproof and shockproof protection. The best thing is that it has rubber armor for extra protection, and durability.

    Pros

    Durable

    High power prism

    Multi-coated optics

    Portable

    Compact

    Rubber armor

    Waterproof

    Dust-repellent

    Fog proof

    Smartphone adapter

    Cons

    None as such

    Monocular for Stargazing in 2020 Buyer's Guide

    There are many features that complicatedly wound together to create a perfect monocular. It is not easy to understand those aspects that are described so fluently in the description. This buying guide is written to help you understand the device at hand and create a better understanding for you about all-optical devices. 

    The market is filled with monocular devices with varying specifications, and it is not an easy task to choose the perfect device for a newbie in the field. This buying guide will help you through the excruciating process of picking out the perfect monocular for stargazing.

    Magnification Power

    A monocular, like many other optical devices aimed for stargazing, uses magnification as a power to make faraway objects appear larger to the unaided human eye, which otherwise would have been impossible. 

    The magnification power is one of the most vital features of a monocular. Sadly, the magnification power of a monocular is no match to a telescope that is designed to reveal the truth about celestial objects beyond the limits of the sky. But a monocular can easily beat a binocular in its magnification game. 

    The two numbers representing any optical device in the description are codes for its magnification power and aperture size. The first digit with a multiplication sign depicts the magnification power of a monocular. 

    For example, a 7x55 monocular suggests that it can magnify a particular image by seven times as compared to its original size or as to how it would appear for an unaided human eye.

    Focal length

    The magnification power is an essential determinant of the quality of a monocular and is scientifically backed by the device's focal length. The focal length of an optical device indicates its magnification power and is based upon the distance between the center of the objective lens and the focal point. 

    The focal point is where the image is finally projected after being captured into the cylindrical body of the monocular and being reflected by a bunch of prisms and other optical constituents. As we are discussing monocular for stargazing, it is best that you choose a monocular that has a great focal length to ensure a higher magnification power.

    The focal length is the determinant of the magnification power having a direct relationship. Whereas in the case of the field of view, it is a little controlling with its inverse relationship with the quality.

    Aperture 

    The aperture is the most important aspect of any optical device for many reasons. One of the most obvious reasons why the aperture is deemed as the most important feature is due to the basic mechanism of function of an optical device. 

    As a picture is created by gathering the light rays being reflected from its surface, the wider the area that is supposed to collect the light rays, it is pretty evident that the resulting image would be of higher quality. 

    So, the wider the aperture, the higher quality image will be projected on the focal plane; thus, you will be able to analyze the stars in a better fashion. 

    Another reason the light-gathering quality of the aperture takes a win is due to the need for a brighter background. As the diameter of the aperture gets wider, it is able to capture more light rays from the environment to illuminate the focal plane that can thus help in creating a brighter background of the images. 

    This quality is ever so vital, especially for stargazing as, during night time, there is less than optimum light to illuminate the focal plane. 

    The size of the aperture is crucial in calculating the focal ratio, which describes the quality of the image produced by an optical device. It is also vital for the reasons we have explained earlier. The second number written alongside the magnification power of a monocular is the diameter of the aperture or the size of the objective lens. 

    For example, in a standard 7x52 monocular, 52 mm is the size of the objective lens of the device.

    Field of View 

    The field of view is the area that can be covered whilst seeing from an optical device at one instant. To understand this concept in a better way, consider your eye as an optical device at hand as our eyes are convex, which means that they are bulging outward; we humans get to have a peripheral vision. 

    However, in the case of synthetic devices, they are devoid of the peripheral field of view, so the only area they can cover is the one upfront. Typically, humans have a field of view of 180 degrees due to peripheral vision, as well as limited magnification power. 

    But as optical devices do not have the leisure to obtain peripheral vision and have to obtain a certain level of magnification power, their field of view is limited. Magnification power is the main limitation to the field of view, and it is so to create a focused image of the object in sight rather than producing a blurred image of an array of objects. As the magnification power and focal length increase, the field of view decreases, indicating an inverse relationship between the two qualities of an optical device. 

    Either you can choose a monocular with higher magnification power or one with a wider field of view. If your preferred usage of monocular is for stargazing, then we suggest purchasing a device with higher magnification power as stars are never going to come close to the surface of the earth.

    The smaller field of view issue can be rectified with the help of a second optical device with lesser magnification power and a wider field of view alternatively called a finder scope.

    Compact 

    The word monocular literally explains itself as it gives away the meaning if you divide the word into two parts; it comes off as a single-eyed optical device roughly translated. A monocular is a smaller and compact version of a telescope. 

    The main benefit of owning a monocular is its portability as it is easier to handle and stabilize in your hands, so it does not require an extensive list of accessories such as tripod stands and mounts, which saves a lot of money. 

    Some monocular devices can even be folded to become even smaller than their original size, turning them into pocket-size objects. 

    Night Vision 

    As we already understand that light is required to illuminate the field where an image is supposed to be produced. When there is practically no artificial light in the surrounding area, a night vision monocular can use whatever light is reflected from the moon and amplify it enough to illuminate its focal plane for a perfectly balanced and bright image background. 

    For the purposes of stargazing, a night vision monocular is essential, especially if you plan on taking this device for trekking or camping. Just this tiny speck of technological addition can make a lot of difference in the quality of experience.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Conclusion

    There are many ways a person can indulge in their hobby of stargazing, but one of the most efficient devices to help one in this line of field is a monocular. The compact and efficient device is way better than carrying a heavy telescope to your field trips or camping trips. 

    If your desire is only to study the stars and also be able to use your device for other purposes such as wildlife viewing, then you better choose a monocular. This compressed telescope-like device is the best partner for a trip to hill station void of pollution and artificial lights where the night sky is open to reveal its starry secrets. 

    Lastly, most optical devices are not waterproof, but some monocular models do offer this spec, so always prefer a waterproof device over the other if you are the adventurous type.

    Choose one of the best monoculars for stargazing in 2020 and have a great time!