Sometimes recommendations get repeated and passed around so often they acquire the weight and status of a rule or law. Good example is an astronomy binocular. Sure, if you are shopping for a binocular to use for astronomy, it only makes sense to get one with the appropriate features. Does that mean you cannot use a mid-size binocular or even a tiny monocular to look at the sky? Of course not. Any optical instrument will show you more in the night sky than you can see with your naked eye. For instance, I have shown people a view of the moon through my tiny 5x Nikon monocular and they are astounded to see craters. Even an 8x compact binocular will show Jupiter as a small round disc and, under a dark sky, even pick up some of Jupiter's brighter moons alongside, even though they will appear as nothing more than tiny dots. Guess what I am saying is to get outside with any optic you have on the next clear night and turn it skyward. You'll be amazed at what you can see.