My brother is a bonafide nerd. In the 80s, when being a nerd actually meant something, he immersed himself fully in everything science fiction; think the likes of Stephen King and Dungeons & Dragons. And as expected he abided by every nerd stereotype there is.
For instance, he was always surrounded by a clique of friends who found themselves similarly drawn to the exotica of Geekdom like Monty Python, comic books, video games, slasher films and of course, post-punk music. Unsurprisingly, the words geek and nerd were fitting terms utilized by other crews and cliques to pigeonhole them.
At the time, my brother was too young for major responsibilities like holding a job. And let’s be honest, he was never going to be a sports jock and when it came to girls and female friends in general, it took him a while to crack that code.
As such, he had plenty of time at his disposal to collect every Star Wars figurine there was, learn the principles of Robotics, and collect everything science and astronomy-related. When my family realized that this nerdy obsession for all things nerdy was not going anywhere, buying gifts for him on birthdays and Christmases started to become pretty straightforward.
If you, like me, have a geek in your life, then you must know that they are one of the hardest people to find gifts for. Because astronomy and space are areas that fall outside of your expertise, you may not know what the right gift for them is. The good news, however, is that there is a huge variety of options out there to choose from.
If you are looking for the perfect gift for the astronomer in your life, here are some wonderful gift ideas that will suit individuals of all ages and interest levels:
Custom star map
Your favorite stargazer may not be able to spend their entire day stargazing outside, much as they would like. But there is no reason why they can’t stare at their favorite constellations regardless of the time of day with this custom star map from Twinkle in Time.
With this star map, they can see the stars and constellations as they appeared in the night sky on any date or location on earth of their choosing. They can commemorate any event with this custom star map; how the stars were sparkling in the sky on the day they got engaged or married when they welcomed their first child or even when and where the recipient’s parents or grandparents were born.
A cozy blanket for stargazing
When your loved one heads out to gaze at the stars at night, he or she will need a blanket to keep them warm outdoors. There is nothing worse than heading out for a stargazing session only for a draft to pick up and ruin the night owing to its frigid persistence.
Of course, the recipient can always rely on a jacket, but jackets are only designed for one person and even the warmest ones will leave their legs exposed. But with a handy and cozy blanket, your loved one will be provided maximum coverage.
When looking for the perfect blanket, try and go for a double-sided one; one side should have a soft fleece material for warm-keeping while the other side should be water-resistant to keep the ground moisture from oozing in and getting one wet.
Unique astronomy dice set
Does the astronomy buff in your life love tabletop games? Then get them a unique set of astronomy dice. Ask any tabletop gamer if they need another set of dice and they will probably say that they already own too many. However, what they really mean to say is that they have not found their next best pair yet.
A new set of astronomy inspired dice is something that can suit a wide range of personalities. Whether you are giving a comparatively cheap set as a stocking stuffer or a limited edition set to really make someone’s day, you can never go wrong with dice.
A magic mug
If your astronomy lover is also a lover of coffee, then a mug of the planet could be the perfect gift. But rather than give any old boring mug, consider gifting the astronomy buff in your life with a magic mug. Magic mugs are special because they change as soon as a hot beverage is poured into it.
Initially, the mug might appear blank without any image or graphic on the surface. However, as soon as a hot liquid is poured inside, the image or graphic that has been imprinted on the surface instantly shows up like magic.
You can add any image on the mug such as your favorite picture with the recipient or an image of their favorite constellation or fun facts about space exploration. Watch the surprise and wonder on their face as the image pops up when a hot beverage is poured in. Better still, when the mug cools down, it returns to its original blank state, which means that they can relive the magic every time they use the mug.
A deep space calendar
Do images of space fill your loved one with awe and wonder? Then a deep space calendar might be all you need to put a smile on their face. A deep space calendar is a functional gift for any lover of astronomy that dreams of exploring what lies beyond earth.
A deep space calendar comes with stunning images of space that are not just eye candy, but they can help the astronomy lover in your life learn more about the final frontier and the earth’s place in the cosmos.
Final Thoughts
Buying gifts for the astronomy buff in your life can be difficult. And when you have given all the Star Wars related paraphernalia that you can get your hands on, everything else that you consider may seem uninspired. But no more; each of the gifts in this list has a certain sophistication or story to them that any astronomer enthusiasts and true superfan will enjoy.