From beginners telescopes and accessories to stargazing experience vouchers and getaways, here we offer some of the best astronomy gifts to give to enthusiastic stargazers, both young and older, for Christmas 2021.
Telescopes
Telescopes make an ideal Christmas present, particularly for younger astronomers. Availability however is somewhat scarce due to strong sales throughout the year with many retailers out of stock. Our suggestions below have some stock availability, are easy to set up and come with sturdy mounts.
For more comprehensive advice on what to look for when buying a telescope see our Which is the best telescope for beginners? guide. We recommend buying through a reputable dealer such as First Light Optics who frequently have telescopes come up in their list of sale offers!
Skywatcher Heritage 150p
A perfect telescope for beginners, including children from around the age of 8, this table top “Dobsonian” collapsible-design telescope is portable, very easy to setup and use and comes with a 6″ diameter mirror giving fantastic views of the Moon, planets and the brighter deep sky objects including galaxies, nebulae and clusters. It’s sure to be a big Christmas seller so early purchase is recommended!
Buy this telescope from First Light Optics
Sky-Watcher Evostar-90
This is a great grab and go telescope that is easy to set up and operate. It comes with a solid tripod and fine adjusters which help you keep objects in the field of view as they move across the sky due to Earth’s rotation. It has a 90mm lens which gathers a good amount of light resulting in great views of the Moon, planets and the brighter deep sky objects.
Buy this telescope from First Light Optics
Sky-Watcher Skyliner 200P Dobsonian
This full size Dobsonian telescope is another ideal beginners telescope, its larger 8″ mirror collects more light and therefore offers better views of deep sky objects. The below mentioned book “Turn Left at Orion” is a perfect combination.
Buy this telescope from First Light Optics
Celestron NeXYZ SmartPhone Adapter
This cool device makes it easy to attach a mobile phone to a telescope eyepiece and is absolutely fantastic for taking photos of the Moon! The perfect accessory for any telescope!
Buy this adapter from First Light Optics
Binoculars
Binoculars are ideal for beginners, especially children. They are perfect for observing the Moon, star clusters such as the Pleiades and even deep-sky objects including the Orion Nebulae and Andromeda Galaxy, and make for a great gift when combined with the book Binocular Astronomy (Amazon) by Steve Tonkin.
Stargazing Experience Vouchers
Stargazing experience vouchers make for a fantastic gift for anyone interested in astronomy! Vouchers are redeemable against events which take place in some of the UK’s best stargazing locations such as the North East, North West and central Wales.
View our recommended stargazing experience vouchers
Astrophotography
Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer
This amazing gadget gives newcomers to astrophotography a head-start! This device enables long-exposure photos by tracking objects as they move across the sky, effectively countering the Earth’s rotation, and enabling the camera to capture more light without blurring the image. Perfect for anyone who already has a DSLR camera and lenses, Star Adventurer’s are the best way for anyone to get started in astrophotography and would make a great gift for any keen photographer.
Buy a Star Adventurer Pro from First Light Optics
Solarcan pinhole camera
This is a great present for anyone interested in photography or even abstract art! Place a Solarcan facing Southwards and let it capture the path of the Sun’s light as our closest star moves across the sky! Excellent stocking filler!
Buy a Solarcan directly from their website
Home Planetarium
This incredible home planetarium projects 60,000 stars on to a ceiling or wall and comes with two discs for the Northern and Southern hemispheres (additional discs available).
Buy a HomeStar Planetarium from Amazon
Astronomy books for children and adults
Turn Left at Orion
Ask any astronomer which book they might recommend as to how to find objects in the sky and the majority will suggest Turn Left at Orion. With easy to use guides covering all of the constellations in the Northern hemisphere this book is the perfect accompaniment to any telescope helping beginners learn their way around the constellations, identifying the brightest and most interesting deep sky objects and observing them through their telescope. Much better than any phone or tablet app!
Buy Turn Left at Orion from First Light Optics
A Cat’s Guide to the Night Sky
Aimed at astronomers aged from about 7 to 12 this book is a wonderful introduction to the practical side of astronomy. Follow Felicity the Cat as she guides you around the constellations learning everything from the phases of the moon to how to see the Northern Lights. A perfect Christmas gift for any child interested in space! Also available in bookshops.
Buy A Cat’s Guide to the Night Sky from Amazon
Please note that (in some but not all cases) Go Stargazing may receive a commission when purchases are made using the above links, this is at no cost to you. All monies are re-invested in our not-for-profit venture. Thank you for your support! MERRY CHRISTMAS!
How to see the Geminids meteor shower
Best places to see the Aurora in the UK
Under One Sky 2021 - Global Dark Skies Conference
How to see the Orionids Meteor Shower