1. The list in brief ↴
2. Best for magnification
3. Best lightweight pair
4. Best all-rounder
5. Best budget pair
6. Best solar binoculars FAQ
7. How we test
The best solar binoculars are perfect for viewing today's great North American total solar eclipse April 8, 2024. Spot strange eclipse phenomena and see the stages of the total solar eclipse up-close in real-time.
To catch a glimpse of the total eclipse you'll need to be more than in the right place at the right time — you'll need the best solar viewing kit to enjoy it. After all, if you miss this one, you'll need to wait until 2044.
Leading up to the big day, you'll notice that interest in all kinds of optical equipment crescendos, with binoculars, telescopes and solar glasses all extremely popular. You'll need to make sure to plan early and grab the best binoculars for you — if you or your family are planning to see the total eclipse or see sunspots.
Solar binoculars sit somewhere in between solar glasses and solar telescopes. And some of them can tend to be on the affordable side too, so you don't have to worry about overspending. We've rounded up some of the best binoculars for solar viewing, considering features such as magnification level, how heavy a pair might be and how much they cost too.
Chief among all criteria, however, is safety. Any pair you use — whether it's a dedicated pair of binoculars or not — needs to meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard to avoid causing permanent damage to your eyes. We would recommend using dedicated solar binoculars, too, because they come with solar filters built in — rather than you needing to worry about knocking them off during usage and potentially damaging your eyes. If you'd rather avoid the sun altogether, of course, you can also check out our roundup of the best binoculars — so you can turn your hand to stargazing or observe animals in the wild.
The quick list
Best for magnification
If you're ready for a close encounter with the sun's surface these solar binoculars are hard to beat, though they're best used sitting down or with a tripod.
Best lightweight pair
Affordable and easy to use, the Celestron EclipSmart 10x25mm roof solar binoculars are a step up from solar eclipse glasses yet almost as compact.
Best all-rounder
They seem to tick all the boxes — they're lightweight, have good magnification for tracking the eclipse and seeing sunspots, are easy to use and come with useful accessories.
Best budget pair
Affordable, lightweight and easy to use, these LUNT 6x30 mini SUNoculars are a nifty little pair for kids and adults to track the solar eclipse on a budget.
The best solar binoculars we recommend in 2024
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Best for magnification
✅ You want a pair that lasts: They're a great choice if you want a pair that you can use again and again.
✅ You don't want to transport your telescope: They work as a good alternative to eclipse-chasers who don't want to transport all their telescope gear.
❌ You want a lightweight pair: They are fairly heavy and bulky, so are better used when sitting down or mounting them on a tripod.
❌ You won't use them again: If you only want to view the upcoming eclipse and nothing beyond that, there are more affordable options.
🔎 Celestron EclipSmart 12x50: Specialist solar eclipse binoculars that offer a great close-up view of sunspots. However, their bulky size means they require a little patience, practice and preparation. They're a wise choice if you're after something serious that will last beyond the next eclipse. ★★★★
The Celestron EclipSmart 12x50 solar binoculars are a great choice if you really want to get up close to the great North American Eclipse on April 8.
It offers fantastic 12x magnification, meaning the sun will look 12x bigger in the sky than it does to the naked eye, and its 50mm lenses have solar filters designed into them. Crucially, they meet the ISO 12312-2:20 international safety standard, so you can rest assured that your eyes won't be damaged while you're using these binoculars.
The porro prism design is renowned for producing good contrast, clarity and less light loss compared to roof prisms, giving these the advantage over the other pairs in this guide. There was a small amount of color fringing, but it was neither unusual nor distracting.
In our Celestron EclipSmart 12x50mm solar binocular review, we did note that some of the other parts and accessories left a bit to be desired — the eyecups were separate and easy to lose and the neck strap is a little on the slim side.
The main thing that could be a potential 'make or break' of these solar binoculars is their size and weight. Not only does the weight make them uncomfortable to use for long periods, but the weight coupled with the higher magnification also makes them more difficult to hold them still to get a steady image. We'd recommend using them on a tripod for a better experience and avoid any frustrating wobble, or take a lawn chair with you and use them sitting down. If you want even more magnification, they also sell a 20x50 pair, but these will absolutely need to be mounted on a tripod.
They may require a bit of patience and practice at first, as trying to find the sun in the sky with 12x magnification is not as easy as you'd first think. Plus, the solar filters mean the sun is the only thing you can actually see when you look through them. But overall, we think they're a fantastic option for viewing the upcoming total solar eclipse, and you can also use them to view sunspots in between eclipses to avoid them spending their lives sitting in a drawer only to come out at special solar events.
- Read our full Celestron EclipSmart 12x50 solar binocular review
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Heavy and bulky, best used on a tripod. |
| Performance | Some color fringing, but otherwise a great view. |
| Functionality | Tripod adapter jack included. |
Best lightweight pair
✅ You want a small and lightweight pair: They are pocket-sized and lightweight — great for taking away with you.
✅ You don't want to spend loads: They strike a good balance between quality and affordability.
❌ You're a seasoned skywatcher: They're noticeably lower quality than premium binoculars, and their shortcomings would likely frustrate more experienced users.
❌ You don't want something small and fiddly: If you have larger hands, they could be fiddly to use due to their small size.
🔎 Celestron EclipSmart 10x25: For an affordable alternative to solar eclipse glasses for safely watching North America's upcoming annular and total solar eclipses, look no further than this pair of compact, travel-friendly and impressive binoculars with built-in solar filters. ★★★★
For anyone who's looking to avoid shelling out too much for a pair of solar binoculars, the Celestron EclipSmart 10x25s are a great choice.
The magnification is slightly less, 10x rather than 12x, and the amount of light this pair lets in is half, 25mm rather than 50mm. They're roughly half as heavy, though, thanks to their smaller size and roof prism design. They're also much easier for the uninitiated or those only looking to catch a look at the solar eclipse. All that means they're also around half as much to buy.
Anyone with bigger hands might find them a bit fiddly and cumbersome, but their compact design makes them wonderfully portable.
They are designed to be travel-friendly, and their roof prism design helps keep the body slim for convenience. We noted in our Celestron EclipSmart 10x25 solar binocular review that they were comfortable to wear around the neck for long periods, which is vital since a solar eclipse can last up to three hours. In terms of safety, they meet the ISO 12312-2 standard and block infrared (IR), ultraviolet (UV) and 99.99% of visible light. They have a fairly basic design, but for the price, they do the job nicely.
When it comes to the view, it's best described as an upgrade on solar glasses rather than a premium solar viewing device. We wouldn't describe the image as spectacular, or particularly bright, but you do see a lot more than you would with solar glasses. If you simply want to track the progress of the eclipse without seeing that much detail, they're ideal.
- Read our full Celestron EclipSmart 10x25 solar binocular review
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Small and portable roof prism design. |
| Performance | Not optically amazing. |
| Functionality | Best used for tracking the progress of a solar eclipse. |
Best all-rounder
✅ You want something compact and lightweight: There are certainly lighter options available, but at 1.12 lbs / 508g, they're great for taking away with you.
✅ You wear glasses: They're suitable to use with glasses and sunglasses.
❌ You want high magnification: 8x magnification isn't bad, but the Celestron binos in this guide have higher magnification.
❌ You're on a budget: There are much cheaper options available.
🔎 LUNT 8x32 SUNoculars: While they're pricier than the other options, these solar binoculars provide decent magnification, are lightweight and portable, easy to use and produce pleasing images of the sun. ★★★★
The LUNT 8x32 SUNoculars are a great option if you want to invest in a more premium pair of binoculars ahead of the April 8 total eclipse. But they will certainly set you back a little more than some of the alternatives.
Chief among its best features are front-mounted fully dense white light glass filters that make solar observation completely safe, because they block all UV and IR light. While you won't be able to get as close a look at the sun with its 8x magnification, you can still track the movement of the moon and make out all the sunspots you wish. The slightly lower magnification also means it won't be as hard to find the sun in the sky when you look through them. The 32mm objective lens size sits nicely in between the two Celestron pairs we mentioned above, giving a pleasing, bright image of the solar eclipse.
They're lightweight and portable for easy transportation thanks to their roof prism design, and they come with a soft case, strap, lens caps, cleaning cloth and even have a one year warranty. Users have praised their fantastic build quality, with the inclusion of a hard plastic covering and eyecups for convenience, and you can even use them when wearing glasses or sunglasses.
They come in four different colors: yellow, red, blue, and black. We think the colorful options are a smart choice to make it obvious what they are so you don't accidentally pick up your pair of regular binoculars and damage your eyesight (something you could easily do with the two Celestron pairs).
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Great build quality, and eye catching colors sets them apart from standard binoculars. |
| Performance | Produces a bright, white image of the sun. |
| Functionality | Comes with useful accessories. |
Best budget pair
✅ You want something small and lightweight: They're perfectly pocket-sized making them great for traveling and easy for younger users to hold.
✅ You want something affordable: They're great value for money and won't break the bank.
❌ You want high magnification: If you want to see more details on the sun's surface and sunspots, you'll want to go for a pair with higher magnification.
❌ You want to mount them on a tripod: They don't feature a tripod adaptor jack, so you won't be able to use them on a tripod.
🔎 LUNT 6x30 mini SUNoculars: Affordable, compact and lightweight — they're ideal for kids and adults who want to safely track the moon's movement across the sun during an eclipse. ★★★★
For a great budget-friendly pair of binoculars, look no further than the LUNT 6x30 mini SUNoculars. This pair will let you view the April 8 solar eclipse without breaking the bank and with the highest-quality lenses you could ask for. The front filters are manufactured from CE-certified film, which guarantees extremely high viewing quality, while UV and IR exposure is blocked out to avoid causing your eyesight any permanent damage.
While you can't make out any sunspots with its 6x magnification, this pair is great if you want to track the movement of the moon as it passes the sun during the total eclipse. The eyepieces need to be focused separately, which some users find inconvenient, but for an eclipse, you only need to focus them once, so it shouldn't be too much of an issue for such an affordable pair of solar binoculars.
They're available in three eye-catching colors — yellow, red and blue, and there's also a regular size which is, predictably, bigger and heavier (and much more expensive) than the minis. They're pocket-sized and incredibly portable, not to mention lightweight, which helps younger users hold them steady for longer and makes them comfortable to have around your neck for long periods. Just make sure kids and younger users have adult supervision when using them.
They don't come with any extras like eyecups or any kind of storage box or bag, but for the price, you really can't complain. They also don't have a tripod adaptor jack, which isn't totally surprising, so if you wanted a pair you could mount on a tripod, take a look at the other options on this list.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Eye catching design. |
| Performance | Magnification too low to make out sunspots. |
| Functionality | Eyepieces need to be focused separately. |
Best solar binoculars FAQ
What are the best binoculars for viewing the sun?
The Celestron EclipSmart 12x50 are the best binoculars for sun viewing due to their 12x magnification and 50mm objective lenses providing bright views. Their ISO certified solar capability makes them completely safe to view the sun, too.
Can I view the solar eclipse with regular binoculars?
No, you must never look at the sun with regular binoculars. Not unless they are protected with filter adapters that conform to ISO 12312-2 international safety standards.
Are solar binoculars safe?
Provided they conform to the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard and block infrared (IR), ultraviolet (UV) and 99.99% of visible light, then yes, solar binoculars are safe to view the sun with. The in-built solar filters block 99% of the light, so when you look at the sky, the sun is the only thing you can see with them.
Should I buy solar binoculars if I already have regular binoculars?
If you already own a good pair of binoculars, you can purchase separate solar filters to attach to them instead of buying a new pair of solar binoculars. But if you plan on viewing the sun a lot, it might be best to invest in a pair of specialized solar binoculars.
Do solar binoculars work for stargazing?
As solar binoculars block 99% of visible light, they will not work for stargazing as they'll block any starlight out completely. Binoculars for stargazing need to gather as much light as possible, whereas solar binoculars need to block out as much light as possible.
How we test the best solar binoculars
How we test the best solar binoculars
At Space.com, we want to ensure that you get honest and up-to-date recommendations on the best solar binoculars to purchase. To achieve this, we subject every product to a rigorous review process, where we evaluate its construction, design, optical performance, and overall functionality in the field.
Our expert staff and knowledgeable freelance contributors extensively test each product to ensure that we provide unbiased reviews based on factors such as price, category, and intended use.
We maintain complete editorial independence, ensuring that our buying guides and reviews are reliable and transparent. Our goal is to provide you with the best buying advice, whether it means purchasing an instrument or not.
If this guide has inspired you to invest in some astronomy gear, check out the best telescopes, best binoculars and best cameras to get you started.
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