20 out-of-this-world gift ideas for the space fan
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The days until the big man dressed in red comes crashing down the chimney top are numbered, which means the time for stressing what presents to give to your loved ones draws near. The overwhelming amount of options may seem daunting, but luckily, the team from FLORIDA TODAY has got you covered.
If you've got someone on the list who's space-obsessed, there are some true gems they'll appreciate finding under the tree. From LEGO model rockets to travel-size telescopes and even moon lamps, here are some of our favorites.
1. For the one who likes to keep it stylish: Vans Space Voyager Collection
Vans launched in early November their new space collection of footwear and apparel to celebrate NASA's 60 years of space exploration and innovation. Inspired by the original moon boots, the shoes are embroidered with patches and the NASA logo and come in various colors.
Get the Vans space voyager collection from Vans starting at $85.00
2. For the one who is always cold: NASA Bomber Jacket
The classic MA-1 NASA astronaut flight jacket features the 100th Space Shuttle Mission and American flag patches.
Get the NASA bomber jacket from Alpha Industries for $165.00
3. For the one who can be silly: Sock It To Me Science Socks
Guaranteed to put a smile on your face, Sock It To Me has tons of space-themed socks. Perfect for as a stocking stuffer or even as white elephant gift, one can choose from constellation socks to Martian socks.
Get Sock It To Me science socks from Amazon starting at $9.99
4. For the one who likes to be fancy: Handmade Planet Necklace
Featuring Mars, Jupiter, the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Earth and Neptune, the handmade planet jewelry can come in the form of a necklace or a bracelet. This piece of jewelry is a great gift for your significant other, so long as they are space fans.
Get the handmade planet necklace from Amazon starting at $11.89
5. For the one who is a kid at heart: LEGO NASA Apollo Saturn V
Based on the first rocket to land astronauts on the Moon, the 1969 LEGO pieces features three removal rocket stages, including the lunar lander and lunar orbiter. It also has three astronaut microfigures and a booklet about the manned Apollo missions.
Get the LEGO NASA Apollo Saturn V model from Amazon for $119.99
6. For the one who wants to work for NASA: LEGO NASA Curiosity Rover
Designed by NASA engineers, the Mars curiosity rover features 6-wheel suspension, a robotic arm and multiple camera sets. It's the perfect model to tackle on your own Martian science missions.
Get the LEGO NASA Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover from Amazon for $304.47
7. For the one who knows all the rockets: SpaceX Falcon 9 Desktop Model
The Falcon 9 display model includes both the Crew Dragon spacecraft and payload fairing. It comes fully assembled and is 32 inches tall.
Get a SpaceX Falcon 9 desktop model from SpaceX for $140.00
8. For the one who has been following all the rocket launches: Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Model
At Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, there are tons of space gifts to choose from. For those looking to get a space shuttle model, there is an Orion Capsule, the Apollo 11 Command Module, Atlas V Rocket and many more.
9. For the one who still makes sandcastles at the beach: Space Mission Sandbox Set
The "My Little Sandbox" play set includes space construction tools, a bucket, rake and shovel perfect for uncovering your own space mission.
Get the space mission sandbox set from Amazon for $25.42
10. For the traveler in the room: Travel Telescope & Backpack
Perfect for beginners, the 70 millimeter refractor telescope is a great gift for those interested in exploring the night sky.
Get the travel telescope and backpack from Amazon for $59.99
11. For the one who gets a souvenir at every destination: Apollo 11 Command Module Foil
With a fragment of the mission-flown kapton foil that provided thermal protection for the astronauts aboard the Apollo 11 Command Module, the information card includes images from Apollo 11, details about the mission, a certificate of authenticity and a specimen of the foil measuring about 1 millimeter by 1 millimeter.
Get the Apollo 11 Command Module Foil from mini museum for $69
12. For the one who wants to learn while having fun: The Smithsonian History of Space Exploration
Space historian Roger D. Launius recounts the thousands of years that mankind has attempted to learn more about the universe in a fully illustrated history of global space discovery and exploration from ancient times to modern era.
Get The Smithsonian History of Space Exploration from Smithsonian Books for $25.47
13. For the one who prefers reading over watching: Neil deGrasse Tyson's StarTalk
The illustrated National Geographic book has astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson bring the best from his podcast and television show, "StarTalk" to learn more about Earth, space and what it means to be human.
Get Neil deGrasse Tyson's StarTalk book from Amazon for $25.87
14. For the astronaut-to-be: What's It Like in Space?
This illustrated novel carries a collection of stories from dozens of international astronauts, each recounting their time in space. From remembering to pack hot sauce to knowing how to sleep in zero gravity, the book gives readers the chance to know what it's like to live in space for a while.
Get 'What's It Like in Space?' from Amazon for $14.15
15. For the one who has more mugs than they can count: Constellation Mug
The heat changing constellation mug features 11 constellations including Hercules, Andromeda, Scorpius, Ursa Major and Orion.
Get the constellation mug from Amazon for $15.95
16. For the one who always misplaces their phone: Astronaut Smartphone Stand
The mini astronaut stand is perfect to keep your smartphone or tablet in place and is only 5.5 inches tall.
Get the astronaut smartphone stand from Amazon for $23.80
17. For the one who still likes having clocks in their house: Moon Phase Clock
Aside from having a regular analog clock to tell time, this moon clock depicts each phase of the moon for those interested in learning what time of the year it is just by observing the different phases.
Get the moon phase clock from Amazon for $57.95
18. For the one who wants a night light: Moon Lamp
With five different sizes to choose from, the eco-friendly moon lamps are 3D printed and use NASA satellite images to create a more realistic feel. For those who don't want to have the moon as their night light, they can also choose to have a Jupiter or Earth night lamp.
Get the moon lamp from my metanoia for $49.99
19. For the one who likes light shows: LED Aurora Borealis Projector
For those interested in lighting up their ceiling at night, the Aurora Borealis projector has eight different modes to choose from and even comes with a built-in speaker so that you can listen to music while staring up at the night sky in the comfort of their own home.
Get the Aurora night project from Amazon for $17.54
20. For the one who is bored with reality: Augmented Reality Planetarium
With eight differed modes, all that is needed is to plug in your smart phone to AR viewer and people will be able to discover all 88 constellations, travel to planets, galaxies, star clusters and nebulae all within a matter of seconds.
Get the augmented reality planetarium from Amazon for $49.90
Jaramillo is space trends reporter at FLORIDA TODAY.
Contact Jaramillo at 321-242-3668
or antoniaj@floridatoday.com.
Twitter: @AntoniaJ_11
Prices are accurate at the time of publication, but may change over time.
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This article originally appeared on Reviewed.com: 20 out-of-this-world gift ideas for the space fan
