Christmas gifts that every space fan needs
With the holiday season just around the corner, All About Space selects the space gifts sure to delight any fan of the universe
Cost: £119 (~€136/$155) From: currys.co.uk
Give someone the gift of infinity this Christmas and take them on an out-of-this-world journey through the wonders of the night sky. Easy to assemble, the Infinity 76 comes with everything you need to get started in one box, allowing both beginners and more advanced users to get set up and viewing within seconds. Know a budding astrophotographer? Perfect! Meade has exclusively included a universal smartphone mount to permit the capture and sharing of stunning celestial snapshots via most modern phones. Smooth tracking controls and the navigationally useful red dot finderscope mean there will never be a shortage of subjects to locate and discover… the sky is the limit! Portable and lightweight, both telescope and tripod swiftly collapse down into the equally exclusive vivid-blue Meade travel bag for convenient transportation and storage of the telescope plus accessories between viewing locations. So follow that star!
Book: Seeing Stars: A Complete Guide to the 88 Constellations
Cost: £17.95 (€19.95/$24.95) From: Phaidon Press Ltd
A graphically stunning, comprehensive introduction to the constellations. This artful and accessible introduction to constellations equips readers with the information they need to locate, name and explain all 88 internationally recognised constellations. Each cluster of stars is featured alongside the story – mythological or historical – behind its naming, tips on how to find it, what times of year it is visible and key stars and asterisms within its grouping. Complete with star maps and a glossary, this keepsake volume of visual reference and beauty is perfect for inquisitive young stargazers. Colours are brighter than they appear – printed in pure Pantones. Book jacket features foil stamping and laser-cut pinholes.
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster binoculars
Cost: £89 (~€101/$116) From: www.celestron.com
Celestron’s SkyMaster series of large-aperture binoculars are phenomenal value for high-performance and are ideal for astronomical or terrestrial use, especially over long distances. Each SkyMaster model features high-quality BAK4 prisms and multi-coated optics for enhanced contrast. Designed and engineered to exquisite quality, SkyMaster meets the special demands of extended astronomical viewing sessions with large objective lenses and high magnification in a reasonably lightweight configuration. Comes in a variety of magnifications including 25×70, 25×100, 20×80 and 15×70.
Cost: £25 (~€28/$32) From: harpercollins.co.uk
Celebrate the Apollo 11 mission’s 50th anniversary with To the Moon and Back and experience the awe and excitement of humankind’s first steps on the Moon! In this exclusive, exquisite pop-up adventure, readers follow astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s story as he encounters the “magnificent desolation” of Earth’s satellite first-hand. Available to buy now in all good bookshops and online.
Cost: £44.90 (~€51/$58) From: astroshop.co.uk
You have never seen the night sky like this! Have you ever stood under the starry cosmos and wondered what exactly it is you are looking at up there? Or are you an amateur astronomer who has only peered into space through a telescope? Whatever the answer, Universe2go will fascinate you – because you have simply never experienced the night sky in this way before! Universe2go is an augmented reality star viewer and app, combining stargazing with history, mythology and lasting impressions otherwise solely experienced in a planetarium. Using your smartphone, this planetarium superimposes a digital picture over your view of the night sky, offering a revolutionary perspective of the universe and the chance to explore the cosmos with astounding precision and ease.
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