With the development of technology, human demand is increasing day by day, that’s why people now want to see the stars through a small device.
And a lot of people asking “what is the best monocular for stargazing?”, because of they are totally confused with thousands of fake features and reviews on online. Like I said this thing before.
These days there are many tools that can help you find yourself. Even a telescope should not be considered a complete stargazing tool when considering all the accessories needed for optimal results.
We have investigated lots of device for stargazing and recommend 8 of the best monoculars which are made by well-known companies, such as Vortex & Bushnell. Consider these tips and guide before you make your purchase, and choose wisely!
Initial Top 4 Picks
The 8 Best Monoculars For Stargazing
1. Vortex Optics Recce Pro HD Monocular
Vortex Optics (known as Eagle Optics) is an American manufacturer of optical equipments that specializes in outdoor recreation, shooting sports, hunting, wildlife watching. Specially they developed high quality optics for bird watchers and products they offer binoculars, riflescopes, spotting scopes and etc.
This monocular is appropriate for any kind of stargazing, or birdwatching whether in national parks, wildlife refuges, etc. By the large focus wheel, you can zoom in on objects in the distance and then quickly see nearby objects with one-handed operation and easy to adjust.
Vortex Optics monocular is made from rubber armor glass and a hard metal metal eyepiece that is available with a protective cage. This means that when using this monocular you will be able to observe clearly and have a good hold on it so it will not tilt toward your face while you are viewing.
The field of view is 400 ft at range of 1000 yards. Designed with it high density, extra-low dispersion glass and XR anti-reflective coatings on all optical elements makes the monocular very clear surface to see.
Fully waterproof and Fog proof construction makes this monocular very safe and durable. This is an ideal tool for outdoor activities in any kind of weather, whether hunting, fishing or bird watching.
We also discussed in an article about 10 monoculars which are suitable for long range observation.
2. Bushnell Legend Ultra HD Monocular For Stargazing
When you’re looking for an affordable, compact monocular that is easy to travel with and can be used on a stargazing or for bird watching, the Bushnell Legend Ultra HD Monocular is the best option available. It has fully multi-coated optics that makes the images it produces the clearest possible. It is lightweight, weighing less than one pound, but strong enough for outdoor use.
This monocular has a 42mm objective lens and an 100% waterproof; fogproof construction that makes it very comfortable to hold for long periods of time. The field of view on the Bushnell Legend Ultra HD Monocular is approximately 340 ft at 1000 yards.
It also designed with O-ring sealed and nitrogen purged that prevents any water and dust into the unit. The value of Legend Ultra HD monocular is exceptional optics with BaK-4 prisms and ED Prime Glass. This monocular can be used for bird watching, hunting and more as it has an comfortable twist-up eyecups; includes picatinny rail and carry clip, which ensures that the monocular will always stay on your eye.
Bushnell Corporation (known as Bushnell) is an American manufacturer of optical equipments that produces monoculars, binoculars, rifle scopes, spotting scopes, laser rangefinders, night vision devices, game cameras and others. The company founded in Japan (1948), who start a business with 2 binoculars and sold them by a mail order. It’s been 73 years since they started the business and are known for their innovations and design. That ensure you can get a best monocular for stargazing from the Bushnell corporation.
3. Night Owl Optics NOXM50 Night Vision Monocular
Night owl optics 5-power night vision monocular is completely durable and rugged for the long term use. This monocular is presented in a standard 15-degree viewing angle that makes it easier for you to watch your target or bird with one hand.
With 500x light amplification, it captures every detail with stunning clarity. The large 50mm objective lens provides a higher light transfer and clearer image than other conventional monoculars.
The device built-in columnated infrared illuminator that enables you to see in total darkness or twilight.
It have a soft-touch rubberized finish that provides a secure grip and comfort, and five-power magnification provides you with sharpness that help you see better.
This monocular is Impact-resistant molded thermoplastic lens housing that is durable and shatterproof.
It gives you hands free viewing when taking it on a hike or camping. It makes birding easier anywhere outdoors as well as offering an enhanced vision for stargazing.
Read more: 9 Night Vision Monocular Helmet Mount
4. CREATIVE XP Monocular Telescope For Stargazing
Are you a stargazer? If so, you know the value of quality optics. We are constantly amazed at the images available on the internet without the enhancement of a telescope. This particular monocular is known for its high quality optics that allow a person to see details that may be missed with the naked eye. It has a 42mm objective lens, multi-coated optics and a focus ring that makes viewing images and fine details easy. The eyepiece rotates upwards so it is never in the way when viewing objects near or far. This monocular comes with an adjustable strap which makes taking it on the go much easier than ever before. It is also nitrogen-purged with a sealed O-Ring against water and dust so that it can be used in any weather. The Creative XP Prism HD Monocular Telescope is a must have for amateur astronomers who want to view the night sky in all its splendor!
This zoom monocular have 311 ft field of view at 1200 yds range that is enough to see the star or birds on a hunt. If you are looking for a compact, durable, waterproof and multi-use monocular for your outdoor activities, then this is the one that built to last for a long time. It also works for watching racing cars on the track, bird watching as well as a spotter scope during hunting and more.
Don’t miss this review: 11 Best Thermal Imaging Monoculars
5. Gosky 12×55 High Definition Monocular Telescope
If you are looking for an affordable, compact, lightweight and reliable monocular for your outdoor activities, then Gosky 12×55 HD Monocular Telescope is a great option. It has fully multi-coated optics that makes the images it produces the clearest possible.
With its rubberized armor body this monocular is built to last for a long time. It also comes with smartphone holder, which makes it easy to capture photos and videos by attach the device to your cell phone.
This monocular has a massive field of view at 1000 yards an image can be seen with a 55m lens diameter from 325 ft. It has a 12x magnification lens, which is very powerful and allows you to see objects from a long distance clearly.
The Gosky high definition monocular is small enough for you to take it anywhere with you; this gives you great flexibility in terms of where and when you can use it.
There are a article which can assist you if you searching for a cell phone monocular.
6. Orion 10-25×42 Zoom Monocular Telescope
There are several reasons to buy an Orion 10-25×42 Zoom Monocular. First, it is well designed and very simple to use, and ensures that you get clear and brighter images by a large 25x magnification when you look at objects.
This monocular is compact in design with the dimensions of 7 x 2.25 x 2.25 inches that allows you to carry it around easily. It is also lightweight at 0.7 pounds and has a 42mm multi-coated optics for clear, sharp images every time you use it.
This monocular has a 168 feet at 1000 yards field of view with a long eye relief 14mm that makes it easy to see birds, wildlife and other objects
The Orion 10-25×42 Zoom Monocular is also waterproof, so you can use it in inclement weather conditions and still get clear images of the objects. You can also comfortably use this monocular when hunting by using it in low light conditions. It is perfect for use in the field and at your favorite spot where you can stargaze.
If you are a night hunter, you can read a review on thermal monocular for coyote hunting.
7. SVBONY SV45 Monocular Telescope
This is another monocular from SVBONY that features a 50mm objective lens with a 30x magnification. It has an secure non-slip grip design and durable external protection for strength, which makes it ideal for outdoor use.
The SVBONY monocular uses BaK-4 prism glass that provides bright, clear images with wider field of view.
It has a waterproof, shockproof and dustproof construction with an adjustable eyepiece that provides optimum light transmission even in low light conditions. That ensures this monocular ideal for outdoor activities and extreme weather conditions.
It also comes with a adjustable eye-cups twists up and down, to comfortable viewing with or without eyeglasses.
Starscope Monocular is similar to SVBONY SV45, the both devices are very simple and easy to use, they are known as pocket telescope.
8. AYRAVIIO 14×60 Monocular Telescope
If you are looking for a quality monocular for your outdoor activities and stargazing needs with cheap prices, then AyraViiio 14×60 Monocular Telescope is the perfect choice. It has a large 60mm objective lens, which increases light transmission and provides brighter images.
With this monocular, you get to see up to 360 feet at 1000 yards of field of view which enough space to see everything you need to in one glance without moving around. It has an optimized high definition and low-light-level night vision, which makes it easy to see any objects in low light environment.
On the device equipped with BAK-4 optics prism and fully multi-coated green lens for not only bright and clear images, but also for fast eye relief and minimizing the reflections from the surface.
This monocular also comes with quick alignment smartphone holder & sturdy tripod adapter that makes it easy to view and capture images. The device designed to not effect your overall vision, which makes it ideal for use during night time stargazing.
If you love watching birds you can review our other article on 15 best monoculars for bird watching.
Buyer’s Guide: How To Choose A Stargazing Monocular
A monocular is designed for use in birding and it is an excellent tool for watching birds and astronomy. It can be used as a long distance telescope or small binoculars.
It is important that you check the specs of each model before you buy one, especially if it is for birding or star gaze. Here are some important features you should consider before you make up your mind.
Magnification
The magnification of a monocular is the factor which determines how much it will enlarge an object. This can be expressed in two ways: how many times greater an object will appear than its actual size, and how close an object can be and still be viewed with use of the monocular. Magnification is expressed in power, or in a decimal fraction. For example, a 10x monocular will give an object 10 times the size of any other object and it can be viewed from a distance of 100m.
Field of view
The field of view or FOV is the area where you can see in one place. The larger this area is, the wider the field of view. The FOV is usually expressed as meters at 1000 yards (m/1000 yards). The FOV determines how much you can see. The larger this FOV is, the wider the image you will see.
Lenses/Objective lenses
The lens of a monocular acts as a magnifier. The objective lens is what actually magnifies the image and other lens is used to reduce light rays, which protects the objective lens from damages from dust and scratches. There are also binoculars that have objectives and eyepiece lenses in them. These are called binoculars. The objective lens diameter is the size of the entire lens and it is usually expressed in millimeters. The larger the objective lens diameter, the larger image you will see.
Exit pupil
The exit pupil is one of the most important factors that you should consider when choosing a monocular. The exit pupil tells how much light enters into your eyes. It is expressed as an equal fraction of the objective lens. The smaller it is, the better since it will allow more light to enter into the eye.
Eyepiece lens
The eyepiece lens is a lower magnification lens that can be made of any material, but if it is made of glass, then it should be as hard as possible. The eyepiece lens makes up the part where your eyes meet with the monocular. It can be made of plastic or glass. The focus adjustment usually comes in this unit. The eyepiece lens diameter is the size of the entire eyepiece and it is usually expressed in millimeters. The larger the eyepiece lens diameter, the wider the image you will see.
Also learn how to choose a monocular.
Final Thoughts
We’ve now gone through some of the best monoculars for outdoor activities with different use cases and applications in mind. The monoculars listed above are great options for outdoor activities, including stargazing. They provide a great view in low light environment and give you sharp images that allow you to see details clearly.
Remember that the monocular should have both high magnification at the dawn of viewing object across a wide field of view. It should also be multi-coated lens that reduces glare and provides bright light transmission. Best of luck!
