BlissLights Sky Lite EvolveThe nebulas are bright and endearing, complimented perfectly by the hue of the blue/green lasers.This is a great option for anyone shopping for a mood-enhancing star projector (rather than a scientific one). ★★★½ Designed for home offices, home cinemas, gaming rooms, spas, bedrooms and house parties, this laser-powered 'galaxy projector' takes viewers on a journey through multicolored clouds. When we reviewed the BlissLights Sky Lite 2.0 review, we found it very easy to set up and liked its easy operation. While the terms are often used interchangeably, star projectors can also be used to refer to unrealistic night and ambient or mood-enhancing lights that aren't scientifically accurate. Planetariums on the other hand are strictly realistic and accurate depictions of the night sky, which are sometimes even time and location-sensitive to show you the night sky as it appears at a given time. How do I choose a star projector? For those that want to bring the awe and splendor of the night sky into their homes, night light star/galaxy projectors are the way to go.

As discussed in our Create a Night Sky Projection Kit review, this is a great learning device when assembled with a guardian. The goal is to create a globe-like night sky that shines and projects the constellations. Before moving on to the stars, children learn about the northern and southern hemispheres. Then, they make holes with a sharp tool where the major stars should be, which introduces them to the important stars and constellations in the night sky. Thankfully, star projectors have changed the game for many parents with young children and cosmos enthusiasts alike.Determine if remote control of your projector is important. Some users prefer to keep their projector on the other side of the room to provide maximum coverage. If you don’t want to get up and walk to the projector every time you want to make a change, make sure there is a smartphone control app or physical remote to implement. You will need to set up your phone's Bluetooth before you begin, but this is a seamless experience, with the device being up and running within moments. Bresser Junior Astro-Planetarium DeluxeThis Bresser planetarium star projector, designed for kids, has true-to-life projections, a five-year warranty and is simple to operate. It has a time and date selector, a shooting star function and a sleep timer, and it ships with two disks.★★★½ The operation of the motor is very smooth and quiet, so it would be fine as a night light to drift off to sleep. As we mentioned in our review, the lighting module seems to be the same — if just a tiny bit less impressive — as other star projectors we have reviewed, including the BlissLights Sky Lite 2.0and the Encalife Atmosphere Smart Galaxy Star Projector. They are by no means scientific, but they can be customized using the supplied remote control to a speed and color configuration to suit you. This Northern Lights projector is compatible with all Android and IOS smartphones. You can customize the visibility of the stars, full moon activation and the 'Aurora Borealis' colors to suit your mood. The LED light and green lasers are adjustable from barely visible to highly vivid.

This model is dual powered, meaning you can either connect a USB cable or install batteries, making it extremely portable. The included sleep timer helps you conserve energy as much as possible. The projection brightness is fanatic without giving up much in the way of contrast. At nearly half the price of other projectors on this list, this option is worth considering. What We Liked: Pococo Galaxy Star ProjectorIt does what it is supposed to — it projects high-quality imagery onto any surface to immerse you in the wonders of what the universe has to offer, maintaining a static picture or slowly rotating image.★★★★

Looking for something higher end? The POCOCO Home Planetarium provides maximum coverage at 5K resolution. Control is simple, using three buttons — power, rotation and sleep timer — and it is powered by a battery which you can charge with a USB-C cable. You're not tied to a power source like with the Homestar Flux, and you don't have to keep changing the batteries as you do with the National Geographic model—again — another happy medium.

You’ll want to determine how much customization and control you want over your projector. Some people love to swap out colors, change nebula presets and create a laundry list of timers. Others simply want to press the power button and go to sleep. Your choice in this area will be a major factor. Why it made the cut: This night light and starry galaxy projector combo is the perfect inexpensive option for kids and anxious sleepers to dream under 9 different color modes with minimal noise. To give you an amazing night sky experience in the comfort of your own home, we rounded up the best galaxy projectors on the market. The downside of the Pococo design is that you only have 30 degrees of movement to shine the lights, though as you'll typically be shining this at the ceiling, this isn't a deal breaker. Durability and Warranty: Especially with small children, drops and spills are likely to happen. While no projector stands up against major abuse, we did our best to include models that have been able to navigate the occasional drop decently well.The same Astro Planetarium Multimedia disks are included — one featuring a starry night sky and the other featuring overlays of constellations, and it's all entirely accurate for the time and day you're using it. Some galaxy projectors use batteries, while others require a plug. Both versions have their advantages, but it just depends on what you’re looking for or what’s available to you. We obviously recommend avoiding disposable batteries whenever possible. Settings and special features It serves no other purpose or provides any scientific accuracy. Still, it is a discrete, affordable, high-quality device that puts out visually stunning lasers to transform your surroundings while drawing very little energy. The Atmosphere Smart Galaxy Projector is super easy to use, and you can use voice control to change colors, adjust brightness and control the speed. You can also use your smartphone with a Smart App (for Android and iOS) to give commands. The device has a color wheel where you can choose from a wide range of tones, from cool blue to warm fiery red. However, during testing, we found that most of the 16.7 million different colors were hard to tell apart with the naked eye.

The faceted dome shape means the lights can be projected and dispersed over 180-degrees, meaning the whole ceiling is covered with lights. There are 30 additional discs available when you visit Astrial, Sega Toys' official online store. Simulations of the aurora borealis and the aurora australis are perhaps the highlights. There is a disc that displays the planets of the solar system as well, but it is the ones that show galaxies, nebulas and other NASA-based imagery that really stand out. For example, the North America nebula as taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and the weird seven-star system called Jabbah (officially called Nu Scorpii and IC 4592) as imaged by NASA's WISE mission. You can also buy disks that simulate fireworks, 'night jellyfish' and a hot-air balloon festival. The only downside with the Atmosphere Smart Galaxy Projector is that the nebulas and stars aren't scientifically accurate. Still, we enjoyed the experience so much that we didn't feel short-changed. We were especially happy with the option to adjust both the brightness and the projection speed, which makes the device great for setting a calm environment or an energetic party scene. Another thing to consider is the power source and how portable you would like your projector to be. If you are wanting to take it from room to room or out with you while traveling, making sure your projector is battery powered will be important. If you want to leave it in place, you could save some money by going with a power chord option. Kid-friendly and soothing, the night light projector by Rossetta works great for those who want a little light while they sleep. With 14 adjustable lighting effects, from shining stars to nebula clouds, you or your child can make a darkened bedroom feel like a safe place to sleep and dream for anxious sleepers!

The most stellar model on the market:

In reference to Class IIIa lasers (like laser pointers or some used in star projectors), the FDA says: ' Depending on power and beam area, can be momentarily hazardous when directly viewed or when staring directly at the beam with an unaided eye. Risk of injury increases when viewed with optical aids.' Unlike some other models, we found it to be near silent in its operation, which is great if you're using it to get to sleep or whilst watching a film. In fact, galaxy/star projectors can be extremely satisfying for people of all ages. Some users even report experiencing lower levels of stress and anxiety. For others, they make falling asleep much more soothing. Best Galaxy Star Projector