A Few Suggestions for Astro Gifts

It’s about that time of year again — if you haven’t already done your holiday shopping, you’re probably about to do it — whether you’re going all out or being penny-wise this year.  I always get emails from folks asking me about books and astro-gifts that would be appropriate for the season.  I made an Amazon store called “TheSpacewriter’s Store” a few years ago to “collect” my favorite items to recommend to folks. I updated it pretty frequently with the latest books and products related to astronomy and space science. Check it out for some good products!  But, in the spirit of the season, here are a few more recommendations to get you thinking astr0-wise about gifts.

Just recently I got a copy of one of my old favorite stand-by star gazing guides, the latest edition of  A Field Guide to Stars and Planets (Field Guide to the Stars and Planets) written by a valued colleague of mine, Jay Pasachoff, professor of astronomy at Williams College in Williamstown, MA. I’ve had versions of this book on my shelf going back as far as the late 1970s, and it’s always been a great resource.  I’ve recently added it to my online store, too, I like it that much. If you know somebody who would like a guide to the sky with authoritative information and good sky charts and images, this is the one to check out!

Not too long ago I was on a cruise ship, doing lectures on astronomy, and a passenger showed me a Celestron SkyScout Personal Planetarium. I played with it a little bit, and thought it looked like a cool toy.  It helps you learn the night sky, shows you how to find things, and there is a raft of add-ons you can buy to enhance it: an expansion card, a speaker, soft case… everything you need to expand your universe.  Based on the little bit of time I played with the SkyScout on the ship, it looks like it would make a neat gift! I might have to go get one myself.

Now, let’s say you’re a stargazer and you’re looking for some cool music to listen to while checking out Alcor and Mizar, or the Orion Nebula.  I happen to be married to one of the best space music composers out there, and he composes under the name GEODESIUM. His music is available in CD and downloadable format.  I’ve been listening to his music for years — while authoring books, scripts, and even this blog!  I’ve put links to some of my favorites in my store under “Music, Art, and Goodies.” You can delight your own (or a loved one’s ears) with great space music — downloaded right to your iPod or Zune or iPhone or whatever you use to listen to music.  Or, you can order a CD from Amazon or directly from the GEODESIUM web site! There’s even a collection of holiday-themed space music for your downloading pleasure!

Got little stargazers on your list?  There are some amazingly cool books out there for them to explore the universe through. One of my favorites, and one that I list each year, is H.A. Rey’s Find the Constellations. It’s the book we all learned out of as kids, and the one that kids today still use. Rey also did a great book for older kids and adults called The Stars: A New Way to See Them. I’ve got both and recommend them to kids and adults alike.

On another cruise lecture gig I did in 2009, we found ourselves in a cabin where someone had pasted glow-in-the-dark stickers on the ceiling (it was an officer’s cabin). I thought it was kind of charming to go to sleep each night “under the stars” — particularly when the real skies were cloudy. If you’ve got somebody on your list who’d also like to have a glowing ceiling (and presumably their parents won’t mind), then these MILKY WAY GLOW STICKERS would be just the ticket!

Well, there are likely plenty more cool gifts out there that are astro-oriented. Perhaps the coolest one you can give to someone (or yourself), however, is the time to simply stand outside under the starry sky and gaze.  If you live in the city, try to find a darkish area that’s safe, or plan a trip away from city lights so you can drink in the sights of the cosmos.   If you’re already out in the country, or up in the mountains, or out at sea, or anywhere away from the glow of light pollution, you already know how great the view can be.  Share it with others!  Just get out there and gaze!

Update: Dec. 18: I forgot to add in suggestions for joining either or both of my two favorite astronomy “groups”: the Friends of the Observatory, a support group for Griffith Observatory, and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. Memberships in either (or both) groups are great gifts and you’ll be supporting astronomy outreach.  I’ve been a member of both groups for years.   Check ’em out!  Corporate folk looking for a great donation and tax deduction? Join as corporate members!  Tell ’em I sent you.