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Welcome to the Thomas guide to the best gifts for the backyard astronomer in your life 2022. Thomas has been connecting North American industrial buyers and suppliers for more than 120 years. When you purchase products through our independent recommendations, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The night sky has fascinated humans for thousands of years, and what better way to support anyone with this fascinating hobby than to find the right gift for the backyard astronomer in your life? From learning about the mythology around constellations, the sun, and the moon, to actually seeing the rings of Saturn, our gift guide below has some interesting gifts to choose from.

The gifts below are suitable for all ages, from young kids to passionate adults who loves the night sky.

Finding the perfect gift that can support your favorite backyard astronomer’s hobby — whether a telescope, binoculars, or accessory kit — can be fun and exciting. For backyard astronomers who already own a great telescope, purchasing a handy accessory kit that allows them to see more details in deep space is a thoughtful, affordable, and practical gift. 

Beginner astronomers, however, might need a good pair of binoculars and a guidebook, which can be inexpensive options for those on a budget. Younger backyard astronomers will appreciate interactive guides to help them locate and identify constellations, planets, and the phases of the moon. 

Regardless of the age or experience of the backyard astronomer in your life, there’s something for everyone in our guide below.

Take a look at our top gift picks for the astronomy-loving people in your life.

Scroll down to read more about these top picks for the best gifts for the backyard astronomer in your life, according to many happy buyers.

*Prices listed in this article were as shown in U.S. dollars on Amazon) as of November 2022

While quite the investment, this Celestron telescope is sure to be a hit with those special avid backyard astronomers in your life. This professional piece of equipment allows users to clearly view the rings of Saturn and close-up intricate details on the moon. It comes with one 25mm, 1.25-inch eyepiece, and is compatible with the accessory kit (more details on this below) for deeper space viewing.

It requires an AC/DC adapter and AA batteries, and it can also be hooked up to a car battery to work. Those who live in highly humid areas are advised to purchase a dew shield. “I'm a big fan of the hand control and its built-in ability to help you find great stuff in the sky,” described one happy buyer. “It's first-rate. It's especially good for novice astronomers.”

This Celestron kit will help Celestron telescope owners view nebulae, galaxies, and details of planets and the moon with ease. It’s an excellent complimentary kit to the Celestron telescope (described above) and includes five Plössl eyepieces, two Barlow lenses, six planetary filters, a moon filter, and a durable carrying case.

Each filter is made of metal, making the whole set more hardy and durable than cheaper-quality plastic options. “[It’s] a good set of lenses and filters for beginner scope users,” explained one shopper. “Covers a good range of optics to start out. The carrying case is sturdy and protects your investment.”

Adults and kids alike can enjoy the professional-quality photos in this Earth and Space coloring book by Chronicle Books with photographs from NASA. There are 80 pages of photos, one with a full-color NASA photograph of celestial bodies, including the earth, and supernovae. 

It’s a great way to see and learn about the beauty of planetary bodies, while having some relaxing fun. “This is an absolutely magnificent coloring book,” raved one buyer. “A few pages will be challenging, but at least they have a picture on the opposite page so you can follow the colors.”

This Ravensburger puzzle is an awesome way to spend family time together while learning about the solar system. The planets are labeled and the details are top-quality with colors and graphics to match. 

The finished size of this puzzle is 19 x 14 inches, making it suitable for framing and displaying once it’s done. “Had so much fun doing this puzzle,” commented one buyer. “Took us a good while; maybe two hours or so. Did not rush and just took our time while talking about the planets and how they are different and what makes them special.”

If the price of  professional-grade quality of the Celestron telescope seems rather daunting, these Celestron binoculars are an excellent alternative. Still powerful enough to see the details of planets, including Saturn’s rings and constellations, these large binoculars are easy to use as they have only one center focus knob. 

While they are quite heavy, they can easily be mounted to most tripods for more stable viewing. One happy reviewer wrote, “The SkyMaster 20 X 80 Pro is rather impressive, especially given how relatively inexpensive you can acquire them. They see far and maintain a crisp full view.”

The Turn Left At Orion guidebook is considered an essential must-have for backyard astronomers, taking the guesswork out of identifying objects in the night sky. Now in its fifth edition, this book is cited as one of the most user-friendly guidebooks for finding celestial bodies through a telescope or binoculars.

The book breaks the sky down by months, and covers the northern and southern hemispheres. “A very helpful guide whether you are interested in the moon, planets, or deep sky objects,” expressed one customer. “A worthwhile purchase for anyone who has binoculars or a telescope.”

For more serious backyard astronomers, this self-teaching astronomy guide is a must. It includes websites for the best astronomy photos on the web, maps, line art, ideas for how to learn all the essentials, and even self-tests. It has whole chapters dedicated to comets, meteors, meteorites, stellar evolution, the universe, and the solar system.

“I really enjoyed learning about where we live,” described one shopper. “It was easy to follow along with the information that the book explained to us. This book brought joy to my life with the fun of learning about what goes on around us.”

What better way to help young kids identify celestial bodies or constellations than with this activity book from Aurora Lipper? Illustrated by Victoria Stebleva, it’s recommended for kids ages five to seven and includes interactive activities covering the phases of the moon and planets, with mazes, connecting the dots, and much more.

This book is a great way for adults to promote a love for the universe in their little ones. “My son absolutely loves this book,” reported one purchaser. “He’s always so excited to start a new page and see what he gets to do next. I love that he is learning while also doing fun activities that keep him engaged.”

Anyone interested in the mythology around the constellations and night sky, and would like to learn more about the science behind it all, will appreciate this beautifully designed book from Kelsey Oseid. The chapters cover the planets, constellations, the milky way, the sun, and the moon, as well as deep space and moving objects such as comets.

It’s a fun and engaging way for older children to learn more about ancient and modern depictions of the night sky, too. One buyer clarified, “This book offers a good, brief general overview of the constellations and planets and would make a great gift for someone who's interested in learning a bit more about the sky.”

Avid backyard astronomers who use a guidebook or a telescope will need a good headlamp like this one from GearLight with a red light feature. To activate the red light, users simply need to hold the power button down for a few seconds. The headlamp is adjustable, and can also be moved to a 45° angle.

It’s waterproof and has different white light brightness modes. “Brightness is great for telescopes and astrophotography,” explained one night sky viewer. “Retains your night vision but allows you to see the instruments.”

Serious backyard astronomers can’t really appreciate the grandness and beauty of celestial bodies without a good, high-quality telescope like the Celestron ($1,094, Amazon). Along with the telescope, a book like Turn Left at Orion ($30.25, Amazon) will help beginners confidently chart the night sky.

We hope our review of the best gifts for the backyard astronomer has been helpful. For more suppliers of related products, including telescopes, mirror blanks, elliptical mirrors, and astronomical instruments, consult our additional guides, or visit the Thomas Supplier Discovery Platform.

Image Credit: AstroStar / Shutterstock.com

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