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Gifts for astronomy lovers

Updated

A good gift for someone who loves the night sky helps them see more of it, understand more of it, or keep a part of it. The right choice depends on how far they already are.

These ideas run from a first look at the Moon to a night under a truly dark sky. Each one says who it suits and what to check before you buy.

At a glance

Gift ideas, who each one suits, and typical cost
GiftBest forTypical cost
A star map of a night that matteredSomeone with a night to keepFrom £40 per print
A pair of astronomy binocularsA beginner or a keen observer£75–£150
A beginner telescopeSomeone ready to observe weeklyOver £150
A planisphereA curious beginnerUnder £25
A red torch or head torchEvery observerUnder £25
A star atlas or observing guideA beginner learning the skyUnder £25
A trip to a dark sky placeA city dwellerOver £150
Planetarium or observatory ticketsA beginner without equipmentUnder £25
A Moon map or Moon globeA Moon watcher£25–£75
An astronomy society membershipSomeone who wants company£25–£75
A phone adapter for sky photosSomeone who photographs the Moon£25–£75

  1. A star map of a night that mattered

    A star map print from Star Crossed Skies shows the stars and constellation lines above any place, at any date and time from 1900 to 2100, calculated from a catalogue of 5,068 stars. It can include the Moon and a coordinate grid. It does not show planets, so it is a keepsake, not an observing chart.

    Make your star mapRead more: A birthday star map

  2. A pair of astronomy binoculars

    Binoculars are the best first instrument for many people. A 7x50 or 10x50 pair shows craters on the Moon, star clusters and the moons of Jupiter as points of light. They are easy to carry and need no setting up.

  3. A beginner telescope

    A small Dobsonian telescope is a common first telescope: simple to point, with a large opening for the price. Check the size and weight, because a telescope that is hard to carry outside rarely gets used.

  4. A planisphere

    A planisphere is a rotating star chart. You turn the wheel to the date and time, and it shows which stars are up. Buy one made for the latitude where the person lives: one made for the UK and Ireland does not suit Australia or New Zealand.

  5. A red torch or head torch

    Red light lets you read a chart without losing your night vision. Eyes take around 20 to 30 minutes to adapt to the dark, and white light ruins that in seconds. It is a small gift that every observer uses.

  6. A star atlas or observing guide

    A printed atlas or a guide to what to look for each month helps a beginner find their way. Choose one written for the observer's hemisphere and their instrument: eyes, binoculars or a telescope.

  7. A trip to a dark sky place

    Book a night near a certified dark sky place, such as Galloway Forest Park in Scotland, the Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve in Ireland, Warrumbungle National Park in New South Wales or the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve in New Zealand. Under a dark sky, the Milky Way is easy to see. Check the Moon phase first: a new Moon gives the darkest sky.

  8. Planetarium or observatory tickets

    Many planetariums and public observatories run shows and open evenings. An open evening lets the person look through a large telescope with a guide. It suits a beginner who is not ready to buy equipment.

  9. A Moon map or Moon globe

    A detailed map of the near side of the Moon names its craters and seas. It pairs well with binoculars. It suits someone who looks at the Moon more than the stars.

  10. An astronomy society membership

    Local astronomy societies run observing evenings, talks and sometimes lend telescopes. A first year of membership introduces the person to people who can answer their questions.

  11. A phone adapter for sky photos

    An adapter that holds a phone to the eyepiece of binoculars or a telescope. It makes it easy to photograph the Moon. Check that it fits the eyepiece and the phone.

Match the gift to their level

For a curious beginner, start with what needs no skill: a planisphere, a red torch, a planetarium visit or binoculars. Expensive equipment often sits in a cupboard if the person has not yet learned the sky.

For a keen observer, ask what they use now. An upgrade to a tool they already have, a dark sky trip, or a society membership is usually more welcome than a second telescope.

Check where they live too. A person in a bright city gets more from a trip to a dark sky than from a bigger telescope.

A keepsake and a tool are different gifts

Binoculars and a planisphere help someone observe. A star map print keeps a night: the sky above their birth, their wedding or the night they saw their first meteor. Both suit an astronomy lover, but for different reasons.

Our star map shows the sky as you see it looking straight up, with north at the top in the northern hemisphere and east and west swapped compared with a street map, as on a real sky chart.

Questions

A star map for this occasion

More gift ideas

Start with the night you want to keep.

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