Best space mugs for astronomy fans

There’s no better accompaniment to a night’s stargazing than a nice mug of your favourite hot drink, and it’s even better when that mug is space themed!

Are you a tea-drinking astronomer?Or perhaps you’re a stargazer with a taste for coffee.

Maybe, you’d rather go for a cup of hot chocolate while you’re pondering the mysteries of the Universe, or even a festive mug of mulled wine or a hot toddy.

Whatever you're filling it with, a good mug is a vital piece of kit for any space enthusiast, so we’ve searched around to find our favourite space themed mugs.

If you need a good travel mug to help keep you warm when stargazing, want a distinctive ceramic mug that will stand out in the office tea cupboard, or are looking for a space-themed gift, we’ve got you covered.

Read on for our list of top space mugs.

Looking for more gift ideas? Check out our list oftop space toysandtop astronomy and space gifts.

Looking for more space themed items for your home? Check out our list of astronomy home decor and space wallpapers.

Best space travel mugs

Astronomy can be cold work. Long nights under cloudless skies standing in one place mean it’s all too easy to get a bit chilly.

One item in that can help keep you warm while stargazing is a nice hot drink.

Whether coffee, tea or hot chocolate, with a space themed travel mug like this, you can be sure your drink stays hot through the night.

This mug, which depicts the swirling stars and gas of a purple galaxy, has a double layer design, which helps trap the heat inside keeping your drink hot for hours while you stargaze.

The secure lid with closable drinking spout means that you won’t get tea all over your expensive equipment if you accidentally knock over your drink in the dark.

• Buy now from Red Bubble.

Study the constellations wherever you go, while also having an energising drink of coffee.

This travel mug features a star map showing all the major constellations and how they fit against the backdrop of the Milky Way.

This creates a beautiful image that’s stunning to look at during the day.

Then at night you can always use it as a cheat sheet to find your way around the night sky (if you’ve forgotten your Sky Guide from the latest issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine, that is).

Comes with a secure travel lid to prevent leaks.

• Buy now from Amazon (£16.49)

Featuring blue clouds of nebulosity dotted with stars, this mug is a great choice if you’re looking for a good practical space themed present.

Comes with a silicone sealing ring that helps prevent leakage, and a flip cap that can be opened with one hand, leaving your other free to operate your equipment.

If you want a travel mug with a slightly different look, then consider this space jar mug, which is made to look like a mason jar, complete with screw top lid.

Despite its appearance, it has the same double layered vacuum insulation as the other mugs on this list, meaning it will keep your drinks hot for up to four hours.

Comes with a reusable straw, along with a mini brush to help you keep it clean.

The wide opening of this design means it can store snacks just as well as liquids.

The design features an astronaut and Space Shuttle against a cartoon background of planets and stars.

We are all made of star stuff, so the saying goes. Every element beyond helium is manufactured in stars or in their explosive supernovae, and this mug will help you to learn every single one of them.

The design shows the periodic table of elements against a backdrop of ringed planets and moons.

Best ceramic space mugs

If you need a lot of space in your mug, this might be the one for you.

The 450ml capacity means you can either pour yourself a generous coffee on those particularly difficult Monday mornings, or you can use it as a bowl for soup and cereal.

The mug comes with a matching lid, which has a slot in it to hold the provided spoon, which has an astronaut on the end.

The outside is decorated with golden stars and a ringed planet, and comes in four colours: white, pink, dark blue and light blue.

• Buy now from The Society of Popular Astronomy.

If you like your tea or coffee with a dash of milk, then this might be the space themed mug for you.

One side declares “I like my drinks the Milky Way”, while the other features an image of the band of our Galaxy, taken by regular BBC Sky at Night Magazine contributor Stuart Atkinson.

For those that prefer their drinks black, or just want a different celestial body on their drinkware, then there are several other options available from the Society for Popular Astronomy, each featuring a stunning astro image next to an amusing quote.

You’ll be a planetary expert in no time with this Solar System mug, which is jam-packed with stats about our neighbouring planets.

The flared design will help set this mug even further apart from others on your shelf.

• Buy now from I Want One of Those.

Shoot for the Moon with this mug, featuring a schematic of the Command and Service Module from the Apollo missions.

Versions featuring the Lunar Lunder, Space Shuttle and an astronaut are also available.

• Buy now from Zavvi.

Enjoy the majesty of the Universe along with your morning brew.

This mug – which is microwave and dishwasher safe – features a stunning purple nebula, overlaid with the NASA worm logo used by the agency in the '80s and '90s.

• Buy now from Amazon ($14.99)

When empty, this mug shows a starry sky with a shooting star, but when filled with hot liquid, it reveals the an entire Solar System’s worth of planets.

• Buy now from Etsy.

Warm your soul as well as your body with this mug, with this mug featuring the phases of the Moon.