"Look dad! It’s bigger! Is that better?"

Having long been an amateur astronomer, I can not count the number of times I have cringed when someone (usually another amateur astronomer companion) misuses the term "binocular," by referring to them as "binoculars," when they are actually referring to only one set. However, when looking the word up in the American Heritage Dictionary (registered and copyrighted), "bin·oc·u·lar adj. 1. Relating to, used by, or involving both eyes at the same time. 2. Having two eyes arranged to produce stereoscopic vision. --bin·oc·u·lar n. An optical device, such as a pair of field glasses or opera glasses, designed for simultaneous use by both eyes and consisting of two small telescopes joined with a single focusing device. Often used in the plural. --bin·oc"u·lar"i·ty n. --bin·oc"u·lar·ly adv." I discovered it is such a common mistake that it is also acceptable. Upon graduating to a fine telescope, I soon forgot the technical point.

One evening my son and I were sitting on the steps of our home, when he pointed upward to a star and asked, "What’s the name of that star, dad?" Suddenly my entire childhood and young adult life experiences with astronomy flashed before my eyes, and my mind boggled itself in an attempt to recall any information related to the exact star to which he was referring. The really amazing part of the incident was that my son had hit upon, and even mentioned, a subject near and dear to my heart, and I was suddenly hungry to share the entire subject with him.

For those unfamiliar with my son, he is an 18 year old high school special education student, who is diagnosed as having an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and mentally retarded with an IQ around 50 to 55. He was once also considered to be autistic; however, that diagnoses has since been removed from his medical record by some of the best medical doctors in Houston, Texas (PRAISE GOD!). It is unusual for someone of his nature to take on a new interest (especially outside of the love for any kind of music).

But, on this one starry night, he had me naming one star after another, until I finally told him I would have to look up some of the names in star reference books. His interest grew to the point of spending an entire night (in a very frosty cold) watching a six hour long meteor shower. Then he wanted more detail of various night time sky objects. This brought us to the point of purchasing and caring for his first binocular. Hence, the arrival of a Bushnell 16 x 50, model 13-1650, binocular.

For those not familiar with some of the terminology surrounding a binocular, the "16 x 50," associated with a binocular tells you quite a bit. The "16 x," portion tells you the magnification capability of the binocular. In this instance it means the binocular will magnify an object viewed 16 times (or the object will appear to be 16 times closer to you). And, in this case, the "50," refers to the diameter of the objective lens (the large lens at the front of the binocular) in millimeters. Both the magnifying power and the diameter of the object lens comes in various sizes. Some even have a "zoom," or variable power capability. The particular model discussed here does not have "zoom," capability.

For the more curious, you can go to http://www.skyandtelescope.com, and begin clicking on the "binocular," icon. You will find just about every detail you want to know about purchasing and caring for a binocular. They also give you all the latest and greatest information concerning night time sky viewing (including special events like meteor shower schedules and planet activity). I personally get every issue of their monthly magazine.

This particular binocular model is rubber coated and waterproofed. It is not fog proofed, which is usually an attribute found on much more expensive models. The "interpupillary distance," - the distance between the eyes, is fully adjustable for each using individual. It also has the ability to adjust for the difference between the different eye strengths of individuals via an adjustable diopter setting. These adjustments are clearly and fully explained in four languages (English, Spanish, French, and German) in the accompanying documentation.

Focusing is accomplished with a center mounted lever (called "Insta-Focus," (registered) by Bushnell). It is very smooth and quick in its focusing action, and a great replacement for the old knurled knob focusing on a binocular of yesterdays gone by.

Each eyepiece has a folding rubber eye cup for viewers using prescription glasses or sun glasses. I personally remove my glasses when viewing and adjust the diopter setting for my vision needs. It works magnificently!

A word of advice concerning the 16 x power rating of this binocular: If you plan to use this device for night time sky viewing, the extreme magnification of this model will require tripod mounting. Otherwise, night time viewing objects such as stars and planets will appear as streaking lights, or perhaps a hyper active lightening bug would be a better description. Without a tripod even the beat of your heart will distort your viewing beyond satisfaction. You may even consider a lower power (like 10 X - ten power) for much steadier viewing (especially if you are allowing children to enjoy the amazing night time view). This model does come with a camera tripod mounting capability; however, I discovered I had much better success by mounting it to an actual telescope tripod designed for astronomy observations. It took a little shop work at home.

Now for daytime viewing, this is an excellent instrument. Hunters, fishers, or birdwatchers will obtain years of enjoyment from this product. For those wanting an incredible view at a football game, this instrument will nearly have you looking at the sweat on the faces of helmeted players. Viewing from 1000 feet will give a field of view (the viewing area measured from the far left to the far right while looking into the instrument) of around 400 feet (just about enough to view the entire football field at once).

This instrument is also great for watching marine life. You almost feel as if you are gliding along side a Dolphin.

The set includes sturdy caps for covering both eyepieces and both objective lenses. There is also a neck strap to prevent accidental loss, and the carrying case (included) is made of foam lined leather, which goes a long way in protecting your investment (much like the lifetime limited warranty, which is fully detailed in the instructions). Full company contact and repair information is also included.

If proper care is taken, cleaning the lenses should only be required about once a year, and the vision enhancement coatings on the lenses really do not need to be disturbed any more than absolutely necessary. You may want to purchase a few lint free cloths (usually found in any store selling music CDs, or check camera stores). The lint free cloths will insure the less likely hood of scratching any of the lenses during occasional dusting or cleaning. The manufacturer suggests blowing off any dust, or, at the most, using only isopropyl alcohol on the cleaning cloth. Never put any substance directly on any lens. the resulting damage is not covered by the warranty!

My son and I purchased our instruments at Wal-Mart for about $60.00 each (plus tax). I thought the price was just a little steep; however, there are other models available at a smaller cost. Unless you know exactly what you are doing, I would not advise purchasing an instrument like this on a second hand basis. Used instruments can have lenses out of alignment, or other hardly noticeable defects, which will show up in a very dramatic way when under use (especially if you are viewing the night time sky). If the deal just seems too good to pass up, then be sure to arrange for a complete checkup by a professional before you spend your hard earned money. It does not take much for an instrument like this to be completely useless; however, when purchased properly, the reward of its use is priceless.

This fine instrument would make a fine gift for many types of individuals (amateur and professional alike), and the opportunities in wonderment and amazement for children from about twelve years old and up will seem endless.

There are more expensive instruments than this one (Bushnell sells several, as does Meade, and Celestron (registered trademark) - in the range of hundreds of dollars); however, for the price and capability of this instrument I think Bushnell has delivered an instrument of superb quality for the general public’s use, and it is certainly a quality product I trust while bonding with my son.

Go view life in a whole new way.