While just about any pair of binoculars will offer an enhanced view of the heavens, when it comes to astronomy binoculars that also perform well in a marine context, the field narrows considerably, so how do you pick the best stargazing binoculars?

The good news is that you don’t need a pair of tripod-mounted optical canons to reveal stunning features of the night sky.

Even a pair of budget 8x42s will enable you to study craters on the moon, observe star clusters or prominent nebulae, and even locate the nearby Andromeda galaxy.

But sailors with a passion for the night sky will still want the best stargazing binoculars they can afford to bring out more deep-sky objects. The key thing to remember is that like boat design itself, everything in binocular design is a trade-off.

For instance, higher magnification produces larger images, but that enhanced picture is less stable and may not be as bright. Also, high-power binoculars are heavier, which makes hand-held viewing cumbersome.

Any binocular purchase should also be based on individual traits, from face shape to age. Unfortunately, age-related vision impairment can make the most expensive binoculars a waste of money. Your vision becomes the limiting factor.

Bearing in mind a few basic features such as magnification, image stability, and waterproofness, we’ve scoured the market…