Anybody who has been a stargazer or space enthusiast for any amount of time knows about the huge array of books and products for sale out there. Once, a long time ago, I spent a great deal of my working life going through the yearly panoply of books, star charts, games, toys, software, and even some telescopes and binoculars. It was great fun, and I was always astonished at the great variety of material out there.
With great knowledge comes the experience of getting the number one most important question from friends and relatives, especially around holiday time: what can I buy for my boyfriend/girlfriend/ mother/father /brother/sister /friend/ son/daughter/cousin/ aunt/uncle/ neighbor/boss/coworker who’s REALLY into astronomy??
It’s a tough one to answer because we each form a unique bond to the sky and no two of us watch the stars or learn about the cosmos in quite the same way. Still, there are some “evergreen” products out there that, at least in my opinion, are must-haves for any space and astronomy enthusiast. There are classic beginners’ books like H.A. Rey’s “Find the Constellations” and “The Stars: A New Way to See Them” that I think everybody should read no matter how old they are when they get started in astronomy. Then there are software programs like TheSky or Cartes du Ciel that have been with me for years and across several computers.
And then there are the hardware recommendations, usually coaxed out of me by someone who just HAS to have a telescope or binoculars. Again, these are highly individualistic, and depend on what you want to look at. I always recommend that people learn the sky first and then move on to binoculars before struggling with a telescope. There’s nothing more disappointing to beginner than to get a telescope but have NO idea what to do with it or how the mechanics of finding your way around the sky actually work!
I’ve put together a set of web pages full of MY recommendations for good products in astronomy and space exploration. They comprise books, star charts, software, calendars, binoculars, telescopes, space music, and even a little planetarium! Point your browser to: The Helen Sawyer Hogg Memorial Reference Library and Astronomy Gift Shop. It’s part of my Spacewriter.com web site, which of course also includes this blog.
Whether you’re looking for holiday gifts for the astro-enthusiast in your life, or birthday gifts, anytime presents, or just plain “cuz I love you” gifts, look over these recommendations. If you’re interested in buying them, I’ve provided links to their purchase pages on Amazon.com.