2019 Holiday Gift Guide

At Sky-Watcher, we may have more experience hanging a refractor atop an EQ8-R and our Christmas Ham needs some work but if there's one thing we know, it's astronomy. And although this hobby is expensive, we've scoured the internet for the best gizmos, gadgets and doodads to make the holiday special for the astronomer in your life. 

So without further ado, here is the 2019 Sky-Watcher Gift Guide:

Sky-Watcher EvoGuide 50 - $225

This small doublet refractor uses the same ED glass as Sky-Watcher's EvoStar series, but includes rings and a bracket that will fit into the finderscope mount on any of Sky-Watcher refractor. Additionally, a camera can be mounted directly to the EvoGuide 50 for wide-field astrophotography by using this adapter from Starizona.

Spaceware Space Cup - $94

In 2008, Professor Mark Weislogel, Astronaut Don Pettit as well as mathematicians Paul Concus and Robert Finns worked together to design a mug that would let astronauts aboard the ISS sip on coffee as if they we're on earth. And although a trip aboard the ISS is hard to come by, at least you can drink coffee from the same mug as those in orbit. 

Starizona ApexED 0.65x Reducer / Flattener - $449

Designed for APO refractors (Including all Sky-Watcher doublets and triplets), Ritchey-Chretien (RC) and Meade ACF telescopes alike, the 0.65x Apex reducers & flatteners produce pin point stars by correcting for field curvature. 

Spaceborne by Don Pettit - $59

Speaking of our friend, photographer and Astronaut Don Pettit, a hardcover coffee table book of his photography is available now. Shot during five and a half months aboard the ISS, Don Pettit is one of the few astrophotographers who include the Earth in their astrophotography. 

Starlight Xpress Lodestar X2 Autoguider - $649

Starlight Xpress's most compact autoguider option, the Lodestar X2, uses the extra-sensitive ExView CCD from Sony to give astronomers an array of 752 x 582 with low readout noise. Because of this, the Lodestar X2 can guide on fainter stars than webcams and CMOS sensors.  

The Chart of Cosmic Exploration - $40

 Although our interior design skills are greatly lacking, we think this chart chronicling over 100 exploratory space missions would look pretty neat in your home.

LEGO Women of NASA - $35

If you've never spent an afternoon fiddling around with LEGOs as an adult, then you're missing out on reconnecting with your inner child. And not to sound cliche here, but we think everything is awesome with this Women in NASA LEGO set.