17 Best Gifts for Astrophysicists in 2024

9 min read

Last updated: November 17th, 2024

Astrophysicists are tough to find gifts for. They tend to want things that are practical yet unique and a little nerdy. Being a space and physics fan myself, I wanted to assemble what I think are the best gift ideas for an astrophysicist. This collection will show them that you understand their love of space and physics and support them in their passions.

This list is a compilation of my favorites from around the internet. Some are our own Genius Lab Gear inventions and some we’re just jealous we didn’t think of first! Some external links in this page are from affiliates, which means that any purchase of the items after clicking the link will result in a small monetary referral fee paid back to Genius Lab Gear at no cost to you. We appreciate your support which allows us to continue inventing and testing the best tools for scientists on the planet!

1. The Pocket Scientist pocket ruler and equation reference

Your favorite astrophysicist will never forget this unique gift! They will carry this credit card-sized science and engineering ruler with them every day for a lifetime. We even laser-engraved the backside full of basic science equations and physical constants. See the product page for a full list of features we've packed in!

You can also add a custom logo to this for events, networking, or promotional giveaways! Custom orders start at 100 pieces - just email us for more info.

Available with free shipping from our website or from Amazon.

The Pocket Scientist at Genius Lab Gear

The Pocket Scientist from Amazon

How to use The Pocket Scientist – Full Feature Guide

P.S. We also have versions specifically for Chemists and Engineers if those are a better fit for the person you have in mind!

2. Physics Word Magnets for the fridge or office

Science-themed gifts are rarely as entertaining and enduring as our science-themed word magnet sets! We recently launched these to encourage creativity and self-expression in labs, classrooms and offices. Each specialty pack comes with 144 tiles carefully designed by a PhD in that field for technical accuracy and tacit absurdity.

The Physics Word Magnet set was designed with help from professional physicists, who chose words to make it both science-y and humorous. These are just plain fun!

Also now available on Amazon .

3. Men's Constellations Silk Necktie

The constellation necktie is the ideal finishing touch for a subtle nerdy work outfit, allowing your favorite astrophysicist to sport the unique blend of astronomy and fashion that they've been dying for. This one-of-a-kind gift for astronomy fans has constellation prints and can be worn for nearly any occasion. Crafted in silk, you can be certain that this constellation necktie will impress no matter where they go.

Check the price on Amazon.

4. Real meteorite pendant necklace

This one is very cool. As a materials scientist, my favorite thing about astrophysics is the grain structure that develops in meteors as they slowly cool over millions of years in space. Astrophysicists often study these patterns to figure out how old certain rocks are, and where the came from.

This jewelry brand RTZN has a line of real meteorite pendant necklaces that are sharp but add a subtle nerdy touch that any astrophysicist would love to tell their friends about.

Check the price on Amazon.

5. Carl Sagan "Something Incredible" Canvas Wrap

From the famous astrophysicist Carl Sagan, this canvas wrap quote is your daily reminder to get out there and be curious, explore, experiment, and discover. It's impossible to know what remains to be discovered until you are running the experiment that can change everything. Carl Sagan is one of the most visionary scientists of our time. He always had a way to inspire and instill a sense of wonder in the next generation. Honor his memory and make your own discoveries.

This Carl Sagan “Something Incredible” Canvas Wrap is made for any science lover. It’s made in the USA, printed on museum-quality textured canvas with no glare or sheen, and wrapped around 1.25” thick to give a visual pop on a flat wall.

6. Desk Planets - Handmade Planet Gemstone

A truly unique gift for an astrophysicist is something that represents their passion or hobby. These natural gemstones are handmade to look like the planets of our solar system. All are natural stones that can be found around the world and were carefully selected based on appearance to perfectly represent each planet. It's well packed with a beautiful walnut base to keep each gemstone in place and enclosed in a clean crafted black box. An excellent way for them to help others visualize the solar system and keep perspective on our little home.

Check the price on Amazon.

7. LEGO Ideas - International Space Station

We can study space...from space, thanks to the International Space Station. This LEGO version of the ISS will let them build their own model of the Earth’s premier space research laboratory! Let’s be honest - LEGOs were designed for kids but are secretly a ton of fun for adults too! It’s a great way to reduce stress and anxiety, exercise your creativity, and spend some quality time with your kids.

Check the price on Amazon.

8. Rocketbook Matrix cloud-connected reusable paper notebook

Astrophysicists do a lot of work both on paper and with software. Rocketbook finally solved the problem of merging your hand-written notes into your favorite digital services. You simply use their app to take a photo of your pages of notes and the QR code and marked symbols on each page trigger the app to send the digitized page to any of the 9 pre-set digital destinations you choose. This includes OneNote, Evernote, Google Drive, Dropbox, and even specific emails. Want a shortcut to send notes via email straight to your colleague or boss? This is what you’re looking for.

The Rocketbook Matrix is my personal favorite because it's designed for more technical engineering work. It's got 30 pages of graphing paper and one regular lined page for taking notes, plus a built-in ruler on the inside cover. Did I mention they are reusable? Use their "Pilot Frixion" pens and then wipe the page with a damp cloth after uploading your notes to use it all over again (and win one for the environment!).

Check the price on Amazon.

9. High-end graphing calculator with touchscreen and stylus

Calculators may seem a bit old-fashioned but most aerospace engineers I know still prefer to have one on their desk. Instead of getting distracted with a browser-based or phone-based calculator, doing quick calculations next to your keyboard helps you stay focused.

This particular touchscreen graphic calculator is a high-end model that has everything an aerospace engineer will ever need out of a calculator - they'll never outgrow it. It stands out from other versions because of the full-color screen which IMO helps quite a bit by color-coding functions and different variables. The stylus is also a nice touch - pun intended!

Check the price on Amazon.

10. Earth and Space: 100 Postcards

This set of NASA postcards provides an out-of-this-world gift for anyone interested in space or science, as well as everyone who appreciates the wonders of the universe. It’s a collection of 100 different NASA postcards, featuring astonishing images of Earth from above, the phenomena of our solar system, and the celestial bodies of deep space that will make any space fan geek out. Each postcard contains an informative description to help your astrophysics lover share the wonders of the cosmos with friends and family.

Check the price on Amazon.

11. Cosmic Queries: StarTalk's Guide to Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We're Going

Neil deGrasse Tyson is the most popular astrophysicist hero and role model, popularizing science with books and through his frequent appearances on television as a talk show guest or hosting his series about science. In this book, Neil deGrasse Tyson and his co-author James Trefil take on the big questions that humanity has been posing for millennia like “How did life begin?”, “What is our place in the universe?”, and “Are we alone?” They provide answers based on the most current data, observations, and theories. This is the ideal present for science nerds, space and physics enthusiasts, and anyone interested in learning about their place in the universe.

Check the price on Amazon.

12. Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout

This is by far my favorite author in the "productivity" space. Cal Newport has refreshing takes that get away from the "hustle" culture often promoted online by young guys trying to grind their way to success.

As a professor of Computer Engineering who deals with complex scientific theories and research himself, he knows what it takes to build a successful career in academia. And it's not cruising through 100 emails every morning!

His newest book "Slow Productivity" mixes his own experiences with stories of the greatest minds in human history (think Sagan, Feynman) to show that great achievements often happen slowly. I enjoyed reading this one at about one chapter a week to remind myself to focus on the "slow, deep work" and fit everything else around it.

Check the price on Amazon.

13. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry

This is another amazing book written by the famous Neil deGrasse Tyson that will make the perfect gift for an astrophysicist. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry is full of Tyson’s charm and wit as he attempts to explain some of the most complex astrophysics concepts in layman's terms. This book is easy to read and informative - perfect for people who love physics and space.

Check the price on Amazon.

14. Spaceteam: A Fast-paced, Cooperative, Shouting Card Game

A space-themed game made for space lovers. Spaceteam is a fast-paced, cooperative shouting card game in which players must work together to repair a broken spaceship. As they struggle to escape an imminent black hole, coordination with the rest of the crew is essential. The only way to save the spacecraft is to work together with their Spaceteam to fix it before it's too late!

Check the price on Amazon.

15. Deep Space Mysteries 2025 Calendar

The Deep Space Mysteries Calendar brings a year of amazing photos, fascinating facts, and more! It’s filled with dramatic images of nebulae, spiral galaxies, planets, star-forming regions, and other mysteries of deep space. As a bonus, it’s also packed with detailed astronomical events, planet visibility, meteor showers, conjunctions, and other observing opportunities, as well as moon phases that an astrophysicist will surely love.

calendar gift for astrophysics majors in astronomy

Check the price on Amazon.

16. JSWT Earrings

The recently launched James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is dazzling astronomers with gorgeous images of the galaxy. The key to its sharpness is it's gold-plated hexagonal mirror array. These beautiful mini-versions of the mirror from Science Socks also make for dazzling earrings for any physicist.

17. Subscription to AI-powered Research and Writing Software (SciSpace)

For any astrophysicist involved in academic research and publishing papers (90% of them), this new tool is a life-saver. SciSpace is a new software tool that combines AI search engines with reference/bibliography management to quickly get answers to highly technical questions - all sourced from peer-reviewed journals.

The Copilot feature is my favorite! It can scan those clunky PDF files to make summaries and even pull tables out into an editable format! That would have saved me hundreds of hours in grad school...The other neat thing is that it lets you take notes on every journal article, link it to that file, and search your notes later with the AI engine.

The best move here is to gift them a 1-year subscription! Just create an account here with your email, and then print out the login details to put into a gift box for the big day! They can move the account to their email address right after.

SciSpace Subscription

18. Observatories set

A subtle nerdy touch to a physicist's Christmas Tree, this 4-ornament set of four influential orbiting observatories makes for an excellent holiday-themed gift. The Hubble, Chandra, Compton and Spitzer telescopes have changed the way we view our solar system. Let them orbit your tree this Christmas!