Astronomy

64 ASTRONOMY • APRIL 2018

BINOCULARS

made for the night sky

I

’ve always loved observing the sky

through binoculars. Living in the

desert Southwest, I also find that high-

quality binoculars are an essential

companion for many different tasks.

This is why I was so excited when a pack-

age containing Celestron Echelon 10x70

Binoculars arrived for me to review.

After opening the box, I was impressed

to find that Celestron housed the binocu-

lars in a well-made, high-impact plastic

case. I have owned many binoculars, and

few have come with much protection for

storage or carrying. This is no small prob-

lem. Anyone using this type of equipment

is going to be on the move, possibly in

harsh environments. This case is rugged

and well padded on the inside.

The Echelon also comes with a 2-inch-

wide padded strap. It proved comfortable

both on my shoulder and around my neck.

And, trust me, you don’t want to carry

these binoculars around in your hand. This

unit is heavy, weighing in at 4 pounds

1 ounce (1.8 kilograms).

External considerations

The body is high-grade aluminum covered

in rubber “armor.” I have used other

binoculars with rubber coatings that feel

squishy or become sticky with use, but

the coating on the Echelon series feels

great. Even after holding them for an

extended period of time, my fingers never

felt as if they would slip or developed a

“gummy” feel.

According to Celestron, the housing of

the Echelon binoculars is completely water-

proof and nitrogen purged. Evacuating all

the air in the binoculars and replacing it

with nitrogen all but eliminates fogging of

the lenses. That’s not much of an issue here

in the desert, but it’s a real plus for anyone

who wants to use this instrument in a mar-

itime or damp setting.

At 4 pounds, holding the binoculars

for an extended length of time proved

difficult. My arms became tired after

holding them for more than five minutes

or so. Because of the weight, I decided to

These 10x70

binos offer

high-quality

glass, rugged

construction,

and great

low-light

performance.

by Raymond

Shubinski

Celestron’s

Echelon 10x70

Binoculars are a

high-quality unit

that will bring

both celestial and

earthly objects

into sharp focus.

ALL IMAGES COURTESY

OF CELESTRON

These binoculars weigh 4 pounds

(1.8 kilograms), so it’s best to mount

them on a tripod if you’re planning

an extended observing session.