Going Stargazing? Bring These Accessories Along

This gorgeous piece was restored to gleaming perfection, still providing clear, bright images through its high-power, wide-angle lenses. Rare and unique, it’s a coveted collector’s item and an example of technological achievement dating back nearly a century. One who appreciates fine optics, inventiveness, and history will take great pleasure in owning these binoculars, available exclusively from World's Best.  

From $40,000; worldsbest.com.

Written by the former editor of Astronomy magazine, the book includes details on each month’s entire visible sky with text pointing out that month’s sky attractions and constellation mythology. The second section highlights unusual stars, clusters, nebulas, and galaxies. A great guidebook for beginning stargazers, it includes information on selecting and using a telescope.

$16; telescope.com.

Portable and lightweight, this powerful binocular offers mechanical image stabilization, a necessity for hand-held viewing. Said to be the finest image-stabilized binocular on the market, it’s perfect for astronomy and long-distance observation.

$2995; oberwerk.com.

An advanced and specialized design, Cassegrain telescopes use elements of refractors and reflectors to bend and reflect light. Computerized Go To pointing technology and Sky Align makes it easy to set up and orient the telescope to see over 40,000 celestial objects. 

$2999; celestron.com.

Of course, stargazers will want to share their experiences on Instagram, post on their website, or document their finds in albums. This Smartphone Telescope Photo Adapter makes it easy to snap a photo of the view through the telescope’s eyepiece. The adapter holds the phone securely for sharp, focused snapshots.

$90; telescope.com.

The authors emphasize the size and scale of the universe, the process of science, and the evolution of the cosmos. The 8th edition includes new discoveries from the latest space missions. Illustrations and diagrams help explain their concepts.

$143; amazon.com.

With a padded seat and easy height adjustment, an observer can be in a comfortable, steady position for a variety of telescope eyepiece heights. The chair folds into a compact, flat profile, making it convenient to transport and store. The black steel frame and padded seat are sturdy and durable. 

$160; amazon.com.