Category Archives: gift ideas

Cosmic Gift Ideas

What to Give that Space Fan in Your Life

If you have a space and astronomy fan in your circle of giftees (or, if you’re looking for something for yourself), finding a gift for those folks can sometimes be tough. I’ve got some ideas to share with you that might help — and some links to some cool products.

Name a Mars Crater, Fund Some Science

gift idea mars map
Give the gift of a crater name on Uwingu’s Mars map!

A few years ago my old friend and colleague Alan Stern shared a cool product with me that was about to be announced. It is a Mars map that he and his team at Uwingu.com hope will be used on Mars by future colonists and explorers. Uwingu sells certificates that allow you to name a crater on the map for yourself (or someone else). Half the proceeds go to fund science research and education. In these uncertain political days, sending money directly to fund research is not such a far-fetched idea as it used to be. Plus, you get a cool certificate (framed or unframed) to send along to your holiday giftee.

Why name craters on a Mars map? There are thousands and thousands of unnamed craters on Mars, and Uwingu is taking up the slack by creating their map. It will come in very handy when Mars exploration by humans commences within a decade or two. By having pre-labeled maps, early explorers will have a useful resource map. It will come in handy as they report their explorations back to Earth. The map is already one of the most complete Mars chart in existence, and should be very useful. Interested? There are still plenty of craters left to name on the Uwingu map!

Mars and Our Future

mars
Mars exploration is described by Leonard David.

Speaking of Mars, there’s a new book out called Mars: Our Future on the Red Planet. It’s written by our friend Leonard David and accompanies the National Geographic TV series about Mars directed by Ron Howard. Leonard’s a long-time space writer and fixture on the space media scene and he’s done a good job with this book. It lays out what humanity’s exploration of Mars could be like in an approachable style. This looks like a coffee table book and reads like a well-done treatise on the issues that we’ll face as we reach out to Mars.

Explore the Cosmos

Astronomy gift
Answers to questions about astronomy.

Earlier this year I got a review copy of David Eicher’s The New Cosmos: Answering Astronomy’s Big Questions, and have been savoring it ever since. Dave’s approach to answering new questions in astronomy and cosmology is clear, concise and at times, very thought-provoking. If you have somebody on your list who wants to explore the cosmos from the armchair perspective, this book is a great read.

The Men Who Blazed the Way

astronomy gift
Stories of long-lost heroes of the space age.

My Aussie friend Kate Doolan and co-authors Colin Burgess and Bert Vis have an interesting book about astronauts who died in our quest for space. It’s called Fallen Astronauts: Heroes Who Died Reaching for the Moon. It begins by revealing the existence of a very special memorial on the Moon that salutes these space pioneers. The book then goes on to detail their lives and achievements. It’s a great find for the space buff in your life.

Astronomy 101

astronomy gift
Astronomy 101.

A few years ago I wrote a book for Adams Media called Astronomy 101. It was a great hit and earlier in 2016, the company published a second edition. Think of it as an “executive summary” of astronomy, written for interested laypeople. I get letters from teenagers (and pre-teens) who have read it, as well as older readers who are happy to find an approachable book on the subject. Check it out!

More Gift Ideas

I’ve written several articles at Space.About.com with gift ideas and suggestions. Surf on over and check out more of my book recommendations in Astronomy Books for All Ages. I’ve covered some of the more popular choices there, approachable for readers at all levels.

Beyond books, I’ve written a story called Gift Ideas that are Out of this World, as well as Cosmic Gifts for Any Occasion. It includes suggestions about computer, tablet and smartphone astronomy apps and books as well as star charts and telescopes.

Speaking of telescopes, I have a couple of articles focused on stargazing on the cheap and buying a telescope, including one on some mid-price-range scopes to check out. Telescopes are a good idea, as are binoculars (which can help beginners get started on learning the sky before they get that first scope).

Getting Fancy

If you are looking for some really special gifts, consider giving the gift of a membership to Digital Blasphemy, an online art source for desktop, smartphone, and table wallpapers. Ryan’s a genius at space art, and his work adorns my devices. It’s unique and amazingly cool!

If bigger artwork is your fancy, then check out a set of large, high-end prints that you can buy to adorn your walls, from StarMap Graphics. They are museum-quality prints based on design and data from the creator of the StarMap astronomy app for iOS. The app, which I have worked on for a few years, is free for the basic edition and allows you to customize it with in-app purchases. The graphics in the app are quite lovely, and they inspired the app developer to create high-end prints for those who love beautiful astronomy graphics.

Space Music to Your Ears

astronomy gift
Space music makes a fine gift!

As most of my readers know, I’m married to the best space music composer in the cosmos. He creates music under the name Geodesium, and you can find his work at Geodesium.com, as well as on my Amazon Astore, at Spotify.com and through other fine purveyors listed on the Geodesium web site. The music is available on CD and via download, making it portable and perfect for gifting.

So, there are some suggestions for gifting this season and throughout the year. Happy hunting and happy holidays!

Honor Mom With a Unique Space Gift

Mars, the Cosmos, and Beyond!

For those of us in the US, Mother’s Day is coming up on May 8th, which is just around the corner. My mom (along with my late father) always encouraged me in my interest in space (although I think she might have wondered a little about how intent I was on it). In return, I always mention how much they did support me (and all of us kids). This year, I’m going to find something really unique to send her — it’s been a rough time for her since my dad died.

What about you? If your mom’s still around, what can you get for her? If you’re a space fan, why not a unique gift that reflects your interest that will also intrigue her at the same time? I’ve heard of people taking their moms to see space-related movies, or visiting the science center or local planetarium. One friend of mine planned a very unique science-themed menu for her special day. They ended the day stargazing from a dark-sky site, and he said his Mom couldn’t stop talking about what a great time they had!

A Mars Map for your Mom, with her name on it!My friends over at  Uwingu.com have a special Mother’s Day campaign going on that will supply you a  great gift for your Mom. Uwingu, in case you haven’t heard of it before, is a group of scientists and researchers that raises money for science education and research. Over the past couple of years the group has endowed a number of projects, benefitting both scientists and students as they seek to do the work of understanding the cosmos. Uwingu does this in a couple of ways:

  • they’ll sell you the chance to name a crater for Mom on their exclusive Mars map;
  • you can sign Mom up for a daily emailed space image.

The Mars map idea is really cool because you can actually get a certificate showing where her crater is on the map. (I have one for myself, and it pleases me to know that my funds are helping people explore the universe.) The daily email service is really great and the gift that keeps on giving. Not only does she get a great image every day, but the folks at Uwingu explain what the image is and where it was taken. It’s like a little science update, right in her email box.

Today through Mother’s Day on May 8th, Uwingu is offering decorative Mother’s Day certificates for anyone choosing to honor a mom with a named crater on our Mars map. Two certificate options are available: an electronic downloadable version and a beautifully printed and framed keepsake version. Uwingu’s Mars Map will be carried to Mars aboard both the first Mars One robotic lander and also on the Time Capsule to Mars Project. Orders for framed certificates must be made by May 2nd to ensure arrival by Mother’s Day.

Shop the Cosmos

I’ve got a whole bunch of other gift ideas available through an astronomy, science, and science-fiction themed gift shop I set up on Amazon.com. It’s called Shop the Cosmos, and you can find books, some astronomy equipment, apparel, music, and jewelry there. In particular, I’ve added a science fiction section because SF is also part of what got me interested in astronomy and space exploration back when I was a kid. I’ll be adding cool products as I find them, so keep checking back! And, I’m happy to take recommendations!

Lovin’ Mom Doesn’t Have to Cost Money

As always, the best gifts don’t always have be things you buy, particularly if your budget is a bit tight.  Spend time with Mom…give her call, drop her an email, send her a text, or whatever you can do to let her know you’re thinking of her. For that, you don’t even need to wait until Mother’s Day.

Hi Mom!!