Celestron Nature DX Binoculars - A great way to start birdwatching 

Why are some comets bright green? - And why their tails are not.

Binocular suggestion for viewing Comet C/2022 (ZTF) - Celestron SkyMaster 25x70 for $229

Vespera Observation Station stock due early Feb - reserve yours 

Meade Beginner's Telescope Specials ending 31st Jan - prices rising on Feb 1st

In the Sky this week - Asteroid zooms past Earth in one of the closest-known passes

Science educator Matt Dodds posted his portrait taken with Lachlan Wilson of The Orion Nebula to the BINTEL Society Facebook Group. A Celestron RASA 8 telescope and a ZWO ASI183MC camera were used. 

Why are some comets green? (Plus why their tails aren't)

Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) creeps into our southern hemisphere skies from early next month. It's been putting on a show in the northern hemisphere over the last couple of weeks and it will be our turn soon to observe and photograph it.  We're still hoping to be proved wrong - but it won't be much to look at with just your eyes, assuming you can spot it at all. You'll need binoculars or a telescope to view it.

This comet is being call "The Green Comet" by many media commenters and in social media posts. 

John Short kindly sent BINTEL his image of Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) taken from the UK with his Vespera Observation Station.

But exactly why do the centres or "nucleus" of some comets glow bright green and why don't their tails do the same?  

A possible solution was proposed by a German chemist in the 1930s but the answer wasn't confirmed until 2021 by a team from the University of NSW.  Find out more on how this mystery was finally solved via the link below.

Celestron Nature DX - ideal binoculars for getting into birdwatching from $265

Birdwatching is a fascinating pastime and we're finding more and more folks are discovering a passion for learning more about bird life and viewing nature.  Many birdwatchers enjoy travelling to areas right across the country to observe birds in their habitats, plus there's numerous bird species who have not just survived, but also thrive on your doorstep in Australian cities and suburbs. 

Celestron Nature DX 8 x 42 Binoculars - $299 

A common question we're asked at BINTEL is "I'm getting into birdwatching. What's a good pair of binoculars for starting out?" 

The Celestron Nature DX range have been around for several years and are some of the best value for money binoculars we've found. 

One of the main reasons they're so popular with bird watchers is their optical quality. The views through all models of the Celestron Nature DX binoculars are remarkably crisp and bright for their price.  They're great binoculars for starting out and will serve you well as your interest in birdwatching continues to grow.

Which size is best?

There's no single answer to this! Binoculars in the Celestron Nature DX range are available in several sizes and magnifications.  Our experts are always happy to have a quick chat to help find the perfect pair of binoculars that are just right for you.

Not just for bird watching. 

While Celestron Nature DX binoculars are ideal for birdwatching, they're also handy companions to take to sports events, concerts and don't forget to scan the night sky with them as well - you'll be amazed at what you'll see, especially if there's a comet above your head.

5% Discount for Bird Watching Club Members

If you are a current member of an Australian or NZ Birdwatching Club, contact BINTEL for your discount code that will save you a further 5% on your Celestron Nature DX binocular purchase. 

Binocular suggestion for viewing Comet C/2022 (ZTF) - Celestron SkyMaster 25x70 for $229 

Last week we mentioned a value for money pair of binoculars, the Celestron SkyMaster 12x60, which we think would be good for observing Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF.  

For those wanting a more powerful option, we also have the Celestron SkyMaster 25x70 Binoculars.

These have larger front lenses (70mm vs 60mm for the smaller pair) as well as having more than twice the magnification at 25x. 

Higher magnification means comets and other objects in the night sky will appear larger and you'll see more detailed views on land and sea during the day. 

A slight downside of higher magnifications is that any hand movements or shakes while you're holding the binoculars are also magnified. 

To minimize this and make observing and viewing as comfortable as possible we'd strongly suggest using a tripod to hold The Celestron SkyMaster 25x70 Binoculars. They come standard with a tripod adaptor which allows any sturdy photographic tripod to be used. If you don't already have one, a good option would be the Slik 504QF II. 

Vespera Observation Station - Next stock due in early February

The popular Vespera will be in available again from BINTEL in early February. 

The Vespera is a fully automated astrophotography system controlled via your phone, table/iPad or PC.  They're perfect for photographing deep-sky objects and we've seen some amazing comet images taken with them as well. 

Galaxy NGC 253 or "The Silver Dollar Galaxy" captured by BINTEL customer John Porter using his Vespera.

Meade Beginner's Telescope Specials finishing soon - Your last chance to discover the Universe from just $159

The specials we've been running on the Meade beginners' telescopes are coming to an end on the 1st of February and prices will be going back up after that.

These Meade telescopes have been favourites here at BINTEL for ages and we heartily recommend them for anyone looking at a value for money telescope for themselves or the family.  

Each model comes with a tripod, mount and all the accessories you'll need to get started. 

Cool gizmo at BINTEL - Dual LED Astro Light Tube - $75

One thing every astronomer needs is a red-light torch. This lets you adjust your telescope in the dark or handle accessories without losing "night vision" after your eyes have adapted to the dark. 

A handy, low cost accessory along these lines is the Dual LED Astro Light Tube. No need to buy batteries as it recharges via USB. It features an adjustable level white light for general use plus red light. 

There's also magnetic clips for attaching to your telescope mount or car, a carabiner clip, and wrist lanyard. It's dust and waterproof too.

In the Sky this week - Asteroid zooms past Earth in one of the closest-known passes

A diagram shows the estimated trajectory of 2023 BU, in red, compared to the orbit of geosynchronous satellites, in green. Image via NASA/JPL-Caltech

Discovered just last Saturday, we had a close encounter with asteroid 2023 BU yesterday that whizzed past Earth at just some 3,600km distance. This is much closer than our geosynchronous satellites.

It was quickly ruled out from hitting impacting the Earth, but was definitely a very, very close call in cosmic terms.  We've previously touched on efforts to track asteroids and comets that pose a threat to Earth, but we'll return to "Planetary Defence" in more detail soon.

Next time... Comet C/2022 (ZTF) arrives in the Southern Skies, why do comets have more than one tail, plus can amateur astronomers help track asteroids?