Do you find yourself overwhelmed with Wish Lists filled with row after row of more stuff? I feel it! How about this year, you give them the gift of the night sky?
I’ve carefully curated a list that inspires awe and wonder and encourages recipients to engage their senses rather than their screens. Because I have personal experience with every item on this list, I can wholeheartedly recommend every one of them and know that you would be proud to give them.
ART
Pine Bones Art
This folk art features elements of the night sky to create images that evoke myths, legends, and storytelling.
Link: pinebones.com
Noelle T. Illustrations
Take a journey into the imagination with whimsical celestial themes.
Link: noelleillustration.com
Montana Dark Star
Matt Jackson’s fine art astrophotography anchors extraordinary night skies to landscapes across the United States.
Link: Montana Dark Star
RESOURCE: Night Sky Tourist interview with Montana Dark Star’s Matt Jackson
BOOKS
Support your local book seller, or use the links provided
The Wild Dark: Finding the Night Sky in the Age of Light by Craig Childs
Take a trip with the author as he rides his bike across the Bortle scale, from the brightest night sky at the Las Vegas Strip to the darkest in the Great Basin of northern Nevada.
Link: Order book
RESOURCE: Night Sky Tourist interview with Craig Childs
Folk Tales of the Night: Stories for Campfires, Bedtime, and Nocturnal Adventures by Chris Salisbury
Enter the world of nocturnal storytelling through tales handed down from cultures around the world, as your senses come to life in the natural darkness of night. These stories are intended to be read out loud, bringing people together under the spell of a great tale.
Link: Order book
RESOURCE: Night Sky Tourist interview with Chris Salisbury
EQUIPMENT
Sky View Tents
This one-of-a-kind stargazing tent has the most transparent mesh on the market, allowing you to stay cozy in your sleeping bag under the stars. The innovative interior rainfly means that you don’t have to leave the tent to cover it.
When you use the Night Sky Tourist link, you get a discount, and I get a small commission. This is a great way to support two small businesses at once.
RESOURCE: Night Sky Tourist interview with Sky View Tents
Stargazing Binoculars
When you have a pair of binoculars in the car, you’ll be ready to zoom in on any celestial object that catches your attention, whether on a road trip, camping, or at a friend’s house for dinner.
Dobsonian Telescope
An affordable telescope for amateurs that they will never outgrow, and that’s simple to use. Replace the viewfinder with a Telrad to make it even easier. This is my favorite kind of telescope in the world, and I even use one in my stargazing business!
RESOURCE: Night Sky Tourist interview with Ted Blank- Buying a Telescope
RESOURCE: Night Sky Tourist article- From Backyard to Deep Space: How to Select the Perfect First Telescope
Phone Tripod & Remote
Encourage your favorite stargazer to try some astrophotography with their smartphone by getting them a tripod to stabilize their phone for sharper long-exposure images. Make sure to get one with a simple shutter button remote so they can take a photo without touching the phone.
RESOURCE: Night Sky Tourist article- iPhone Astrophotography Tips
NATURE JOURNAL
Lunar Calendar Wheel of the Year
Make nature journaling every day of the year super easy, beautiful, and engaging with CYCAL’s nature journal in the form of a wheel of the year poster. I can’t wait to start mine on January 1.
Link: Order calendar
EXPERIENCES
Parks Pass
Many National Parks and Monuments are certified Dark Sky Parks, and many State Parks offer stargazing programs throughout the year. An America the Beautiful National Parks pass or a State Parks pass is the perfect gift that provides both day and night experiences for an entire year.
Private Stargazing Experience
For those living in or visiting the Phoenix Metro Area, book a private stargazing experience with the Night Sky Tourist Star Dudes. We are based in Fountain Hills, an International Dark Sky Community on the eastern edge of Phoenix. Or search online for stargazing in another area outside of Arizona.
Link: Star Dudes
