I have the older Canon 12x36 IS binocular, and wouldn't trade it for
anything. In fact, I sold my Fujinon 7x50 because I just didn't use it
anymore. I am also an amateur astronomer, and image stabilization plus
magnification more than makes up for less aperture in low-light
situations. I could resolve more tiny stars in clusters better in the
12x36 IS than I could in the 7x50 Fujis, and see more detail in faint
extended objects like galaxies and nebulae. Big globular star clusters
like M13 are on the verge of being resolved in the Canon, but were just
a bright smudge in the Fuji.

They are also great to use on the sailboat. Desite the motors and
electronics, it still weighs less than my Fuji 7x50 did, and so it is
easy to hold with one hand. The 12x36 Canon also has standard 43mm
threaded objectives, so I can screw in some skylight filters to spare
the lens coatings from salt spray. In fact, I used my 12x36 IS last
summer with skylight filters modified to hold Baader solar film, to
observe the Transit of Venus from Mauritius. I recommend this model
over any other IS binocular. I wish Canon still made them. None of
the current models have threads in the objective. You can find them on
eBay or maybe Astromart.com.

Stay away from the Russian mechanical (not electrical) IS binoculars.
They don't work too well.