The binoculars, telescope and microscope working thread.

Not much conspiracy here... Just didn't know where else to put it. We got a lot of science people here on ATS and I am sure someone can help me out here.

Binoculars, two lenses, one for each eye... why do you need watching with two eyes..? Does this configuration make it possible to see further or is it only for seeing depth..?

What do these numbers mean 20-60 X 60 or just 7 x 50. Which of the numbers should I focus on when buying binoculars.. Everybody wants the binoculars which can bring the farthest object the closest. How do these numbers look like for microscopes then... 0.005 X 0.0025 maybe?

From what distance it is better to buy a telescope instead of binoculars... Do lenses need to be bigger in order to see further and smaller to see more upclose?

Why do we sometimes use something other than light to make out objects in the distance? Like seeing other planets at distant stars?

Why can we not see molecules with (light) microscopes...


Thx

PS Anybody something to tell about their own binoculars, telescopes or microscopes..?

a reply to: zatara

Binoculars, two lenses, one for each eye... why do you need watching with two eyes..?

You don't.
I have monocular telescopes. One in a go-bag, another is my spotting scopes. I have owned many rifles with scopes, but never even used one that had a 'binocular scope'.
Binoculars do give you 3-D vision that you do not get with a monocular scope.

originally posted by: butcherguy
a reply to: zatara

Binoculars, two lenses, one for each eye... why do you need watching with two eyes..?

You don't.
I have monocular telescopes. One in a go-bag, another is my spotting scopes. I have owned many rifles with scopes, but never even used one that had a 'binocular scope'.
Binoculars do give you 3-D vision that you do not get with a monocular scope.

Right, plus--it took a long time for telescope makers and viewers to figure this out--but bio-vision provides twice the info to the brain as mono-vision.

a reply to: zatara

The numbers are ocular length and the ocular width.

20-50 X 60 has a variable ocular length of twenty to fifty, with a primary diameter of sixty. Usually is all in millimeters.

Microscopes, telescopes, and binoculars all use the same methods. As stated, the main benefit of binoculars is that they provide your brain with a 3d image.

Edit to add: Here is an ancient thread that should help on the topic. Not sure where ask the pictures went, or off it's just because I'm on my phone.

Telescopes

7 x 50


means the binocular magnifies 7x, the (two) opening lense(s) are 50mm in diameter each.
The larger the diameter of the two large lenses, the more light a binocular or a telescope can collect.

This can be important if you get a telescope (or binocular) say for astronomy, where the ability of the scope how much light it can "collect" as opposed to the human eye is (normally) more important than the actual magnification.