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Listen, you really don’t want to get your dad a tie or another pair of socks for Father’s Day. And a gift certificate to some restaurant he goes to frequently is boring. Instead, why not surprise that aged amateur astronomer with one of the following gifts? None is crazy expensive, and he just might get the idea that you appreciate his hobby. Now that’s real love.
1) Nikon 7×50 Aculon A211 Binoculars — $86.95
If the old man doesn’t have binoculars, this model by Nikon will fill the bill and not bankrupt you. With 7x magnification, they’re easy to hand-hold, and 50mm front lenses will collect lots of light for nice views of the Moon, star clusters, and a few nebulae. The A211 features center focusing, a true field of view 6.4° across, and weighs just 2 pounds (904 grams).
2) WayllShine Red LED Flashlight — $24.99
Let’s face it. Dad’s eyes are old and don’t adapt as quickly to the dark as they once did. When they do, he wants to protect his night vision. This red flashlight will help him do just that. It can be really bright, which isn’t good, but — and here’s the cool part — it’s dimmable. At the lowest setting, it won’t ruin pappy’s dark adaption. I love mine.
3) Unihedron Sky Quality Meter — $155
Your father may wonder from time to time how good (or bad) his favorite observing site is. Get him this little device, and he’ll know for sure. Unihedron’s device measures sky brightness in terms of magnitudes per square arcsecond. You don’t have to know what that means. Dad will. Basically, it tells the brightness of the night sky over any location.
4) Celestron NEXYZ DX Smartphone Adapter Kit — $69.95
Daddy has a telescope, but he may not own a camera that will let him take pictures through it. The odds are good, however, that he does have a cellphone. Celestron’s Smartphone Adapter Kit will let him capture shots through that device — if he can remember where he put it. The kit works with virtually all smartphone models.
5) Celestron EclipSMART Solar Filter — $74.95
Does the old man own an 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, commonly called an SCT? If so, and if he doesn’t already have a solar filter for it, this gift will more than double his usable observing time. How? By letting him safely view the Sun. Once installed on the front of his scope (this takes only seconds), he can pick and choose the magnification he uses to study our Daytime Star. Now’s a great time for this gift because the Sun is at its maximum activity. So, lots of sunspots.
6) Astromania Bahtinov Mask — $12.99 to $22.99
Say what? A Bahtinov mask is a simple device that goes over the front of pappy’s telescope and helps him achieve focus. Many observers swear by them. Many swear at them. But for $16, dad will thank you, and then he can decide if it helps. Astromania offers them in 10 sizes, based on the outside diameter of the telescope tube. So, measure that first without dad seeing you, and then order the right one.
7) Starfield DH Dew Heater — $57 to $97
If your father lives in a place where he’s constantly complaining about dew messing up his views, buying him one of the the Starfield DH line of dew heaters will earn you some real points. This accessory designed for refractors or Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, heats the front optic just enough to prevent dew from forming, but not enough to wreck the view with heat currents. Starfield even makes a model that fits on 2″ eyepieces and guide scopes.
8) Celestron OIII Narrowband Filter (for 1¼” and 2″ eyepieces) — $79.95 and $99.95
At his advanced age, dear ol’ pappy needs all the help he can get at the eyepiece. If your budget is unlimited, you could get him a larger telescope. But this is Father’s Day, not Christmas. So, to help him see more detail in certain celestial objects, get him a Celestron Oxygen-III filter. This accessory, designed to screw into eyepieces, will improve his views of emission and planetary nebulae. The two prices are for the 1¼” and 2″ eyepieces, respectively.
9) Apertura Barlow lens — $34.95 to $49.95
Without getting too technical, a Barlow lens multiplies the magnification of any eyepiece. A 2x Barlow doubles the power, a 3x triples it, and so on. So, if your dad’s eyepiece case isn’t full, a gift of one of Apertura’s Barlow lenses could double his usable magnifications. Which one you choose depends on the eyepieces he already has. The 2x model is the usual choice.
10) Starbound Observing Chair — $249.95
Nobody as old as your father wants to be uncomfortable while observing. If he has to do the “monkey squat” to position his eye at the eyepiece, he won’t notice fine details and probably cut his session short. But if he’s sitting, say, in Starbound’s Observing Chair, everything will be easier. This chair is adjustable, so no matter how high or low his eyepiece is, he’ll be able to look through it while comfortably seated. I got one of these as a birthday present 20 years ago. I still use it every time I observe.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you buy equipment through the links on this page, we may earn a commission.
