Best astronomy and space gifts, 2023

Are you on the hunt for a gift for the astronomy or space fan in your life? Get inspired with our gift guide, featuring some of the best bits of astro gear that's caught our attention so far this year.

From astronomy gadgets to nifty space-related toys and memorabilia, this is our wish list for lovers of all things astronomy.

We've made sure to cover budget space and astronomy gifts for Secret Santa purchases and those tightening the purse strings, as well as more high-end offers for those looking to splurge on a loved one or picking up a treat for themselves.

For more gift ideas, read our guide to the best telescopes for beginners, best telescopes for kids, best space gifts for kids, best space jigsaw puzzles and best space board games.

27 space and astronomy gifts

• Buy now from Not On The High Street

This decorative enamel pin shows the changing phases of the Moon as seen from Earth, as sunlight illuminates the lunar surface causing its appearance to change from new Moon through its waxing phase to full Moon, then back through the waning phases to new Moon again.

The brooch is rust-proof and corrosion-resistant and measures 2.8cm in diameter, making for a decorative piece of jewellery that shows off the wearer's love of our celestial companion. Perfect for your next moongazing session or star party.

• Buy now from Chatty Feet

In September 1992, NASA astronaut Mae Jemison became the first African American women to travel into space as a mission specialist aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour. Pay tribute to Jemison's achievement and her contribution to human spaceflight with a pair of these bright and colourful socks.

See our list of the best space and astronomy socks

Featuring rockets, astronauts, ringed planets and stars, these socks are just the thing for astronomers and space fans.

• Buy now from Amazon

• Buy now from Not On The High Street, Newton and the Apple

Birthday? Anniversary? Your favourite telescope’s first light? Whatever the occasion, commemorate your special date with a glow-in-the-dark pin depicting the phase of the Moon on that day. Comes with note card to write your loved one a message.

These 10 two-tone pencils are decorated with NASA images of deep space. Use them to draw the purple and pink Butterfly Nebula or the black and white clouds of the Milky Way.

• Buy now from WH Smith, Chronicle Books (US)

A chunky selection of 100 postcards showing incredible astro imagery captured by NASA observatories and probes. Great for framing and mounting, or for keeping aside for those quick ‘thank you’ notes.

• Buy now from Argos

Decorate your room and discover the Solar System with this string of LED lights, which features the Sun, all eight major planets and Pluto. Requires two AA batteries.

• Buy now from Royal Museums Greenwich

Navigate nebulae, constellations and planets with this mug that features a map of the London Underground with station names replaced by celestial features.

A 54-card deck featuring the phases of the Moon, lunar eclipses and Apollo lunar modules.

While on the shelf, this mug shows a starry sky. But fill it up with hot tea or coffee to keep you going through the night and you’ll reveal six of the best-known constellations hidden among them.

This collection of 50 postcards features Chris Wormell's illustrations of space and was produced in collaboration with astronomer and writer Raman Prinja. The illustrations feature the Sun, the Solar System, the planets, the Milky Way, planet Earth's most famous ground-based and space telescopes, views of comets and incredible exoplanets.

Each postcard comes with a short description on the back so that you - and the recipient - know exactly what you're looking at. These make for great decorative pieces that could be grouped together and framed, and come in handy when you need to pen a quick note to a friend or fellow astronomer.

• Buy now from Getty Museum (US), eBay

Take your love of astronomy to the shops with a tote bag decorated with a chart of the night sky and Milky Way. 100 per cent natural cotton.

Piece together the Universe bit by bit with these officially licensed 1,000-piece NASA jigsaws, which come in three designs, each depicting a different nebula as imaged using the Hubble Space Telescope.

Discover our pick of the best space jigsaw puzzles

Can you tell your Tycho crater from your Copernicus crater? Challenge your knowledge of the lunar surface by assembling this circular 100-piece puzzle of a high-resolution image of the full Moon, taken from NASA’s archives.

• Buy now from Walmart (US)

Knowing the constellations is vital for astronomers navigating around the night sky. These pin-hole cards, featuring 20 of the best constellations, will help you learn their shapes, while the accompanying book teaches you their mythology and history.

• Buy now from Desert Cart

Assemble your own star globe to see the stars every night. The stylish black and white design looks good during the day, then at night the stars glow in the dark.

With all the lenses, mirrors and other parts needed to build your own cardboard telescope, this kit is a great way to teach budding astronomers how telescopes work. Importantly, it also leaves you with your own scope to begin exploring the night sky.

• Buy now from Robotime (US)

A DIY-assemble mechanical music box that shows planets orbiting the Sun.

Ideal for the young or young at heart, this kit has everything you need to create your own paper rockets. Designs include the Vostok K, the Space Shuttle and a 60cm-tall Saturn V.

For more options, read our guide to the best Saturn V rocket models.

Help your giftee keep up to date with the latest observing advice, astronomy guides and space news with a subscription to BBC Sky at Night Magazine. UK readers can get 6 issues for £9.99 when they sign up to subscribe via the Buy Subscriptions website.

• Buy now from Haynes

2019 marked 50 years since humans first set foot on the surface of the Moon. Celebrate with this new edition of the classic Haynes Apollo 11 manual.

Keep track of planetary motions with this armillary sphere kit, made from concentric cardboard rings and foam rubber planets.

• Buy now from AstroShop
• Buy now from Lunt Solar Systems (US)

Take a safe look at the Sun using these 6x30 ‘SUNoculars’. Their small size makes them perfect for travel, allowing you to keep watch for sunspots from across the globe.

• Buy now from Planets in Time

Every day is unique, so why not commemorate those most special to you with a custom print that captures the position of the planets on any given date? Planets in Time uses NASA data to work out the orbits, before creating a 50cm x 50cm print on high-quality art paper.

• Buy now from Just Globes

Learn your way around the Moon’s surface with the help of this lunar globe. It depicts all the major craters and mountains of the lunar surface, as well as the Apollo landing sites, and measures 30cm across.

Discover our pick of the best Moon globes and lamps

• Buy now from AstroReality

These 3cm-diameter, 3D-printed worlds accurately depict the surface colouration of all eight planets plus Pluto.

• Buy now from Landfall

These 3D maps are created using the natural topography of the Moon to shape beautiful lunar images. Each is made to order, so you can choose your favourite lunar landmark to transform into a work of art.