Father's Day gifts for a dad who loves space

Updated October 2026.

Father's Day 2027 is Sunday, June 20, in the US and Canada. For a dad who loves space, the best gift matches how he enjoys it: something to look up with, something to read or join, or something for his wall. June 2027 helps: on Father's Day evening, Jupiter and Mars shine in the west after sunset.

What can Dad see in the sky around Father's Day 2027?

Father's Day 2027 falls on the eve of the June solstice, which arrives on Monday, June 21, at 10:11 a.m. EDT (7:11 a.m. Pacific time). That makes it one of the shortest nights of the year. The sky isn't fully dark until somewhere between about 10 and 11:30 p.m. local time, later the farther north he lives.

Here's what's worth stepping outside for that month, as seen from the US and southern Canada. Times are local unless marked.

On Father's Day itself, Jupiter sets between about 11:20 p.m. and 12:10 a.m., and Mars about an hour later, so the best window is the hour after dusk. June's full Moon is the one many almanacs call the Strawberry Moon; our full moon names guide has the story behind it and the rest of the year's names.

A nearly full Moon washes out faint stars, so Father's Day weekend is a night for the Moon and the planets rather than the Milky Way. For that, the next new Moon is on July 3, and our guide to seeing the Milky Way core says where to look. If he's curious about Saturn's tilt, here's why its rings seemed to vanish in 2025.

What should you get a dad who wants to look up?

Start smaller than a telescope. NASA's Night Sky Network calls binoculars an excellent first instrument, easier to use and more versatile than most telescopes. It suggests sizes from 7x35 to 10x50, and nothing much more powerful than 10x50 at first, because bigger pairs are hard to hold steady.

The timing suits June 2027. Aim a pair at Jupiter on Father's Day evening and, as NASA notes, most binoculars will show at least one or two of its moons as faint points beside it. Resting the binoculars on a fence post or a car roof steadies the view. On other nights, the same pair shows craters on the Moon about 6 miles (10 km) across and larger.

Two small things make every night out easier:

• A red flashlight or headlamp. The National Park Service notes that red light is the most gentle on dark-adapted eyes, so he can read a chart without losing what he's waited to see.
• A planisphere. A rotating star wheel: turn it to the date and hour and it shows which stars are up. It needs no battery and no signal.

If he already owns binoculars and wants more, a small telescope is the next step: NASA notes that small telescopes show all four of Jupiter's large moons when they're on view. Choosing one well takes more space than we have here; our gifts for astronomy lovers guide covers telescopes and more for any stargazer.

What about a dad who'd rather read about it or join in?

Some dads love space from the armchair: the missions, the photographs, the news of what a probe found. For him, a membership can outlast any single object.

• The Planetary Society offers gift memberships. Members get The Planetary Report magazine, in print or digital, plus online events and classes.
• A local astronomy club. NASA's Night Sky Network keeps a finder for clubs and events across the US, and many clubs hold public star nights. In Canada, the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada has 30 local clubs across the country.
• A night out together. A club's public night, or an hour outside on the evening of June 20 finding Jupiter together, is a gift you share.

What space gift can he keep on his wall, or in his pocket?

For a dad who wants space around him every day, this is where we can help.

• A poster of his favorite world. Our Planet Posters are nine single-world prints, Mercury to Pluto. Each one carries four numbers: the world's diameter, the length of its day, the length of its year, and how long sunlight takes to get there. For June 2027, the Jupiter poster pairs well with an evening of finding the real one; a day there lasts under 10 hours.
• The day he became a dad. The Date Print shows the solar system from above on any date you choose: the Sun at the center and the eight planets and Pluto, each on its own ring, where it stood that day. His first child's birthday is the natural date, and it needs no time or place. If this is his first Father's Day, our new baby gift ideas cover that date and its wording. You can also see how the solar system looked on any birthday before you choose.
• The same date, for his pocket. The Sky Code Case writes a date as nine bars, one per world, each showing how far around the Sun that world had traveled. Earth's bar is blue and the Sun is yellow.

When should you order for Father's Day?

Our prints and cases are made to order, so give them a little time.

• The Date Print, framed or frameless, is made in 2 to 5 business days and ships free to the US and Canada. Most arrive within 1 to 2 weeks. To arrive by Father's Day, order by Thursday, May 6, 2027.
• Planet Posters and the Sky Code Case are made to order too. Order them by the same date, and earlier if you can.
• The Date Print's digital file is the last-minute option, emailed in 24 to 48 hours, ready to print or to send.
• Binoculars, telescopes and memberships depend on where you buy them, so check each seller's timing.

If you're planning well ahead, the date and a few words are all you need to choose. And Live View is free: pick the day he became a dad, watch the planets move to where they stood, and send it to him on the morning of June 20.

A gift that holds his day

For a dad who looks up, the best gift is often the one that sends him outside. For the date that made him a dad, the Date Print keeps the planets where they stood, with up to 80 characters of your words on two lines. Each planet's position is calculated from NASA JPL's published orbital data. It comes in a Black or a White edition, from 8x10 to 16x20. Create his print of the day it all began.