The Best Planetarium Projectors
You don't have to be an astronomy major to love looking at the stars. The night sky is as mysterious as it is dazzling, so it's no wonder that we can't help but gaze up at its big, beautiful expanse. And now, with a planetarium projector, you can stargaze from the comfort of your own living room couch. See all that that space has to offer without worrying about weather conditions or uncomfortable viewing locations with any of the great planet-presenting projectors below. Whether you're looking for a serious star show or something lighter for the kids, we've got the home planetarium for you. A good planetary projector should be easy to use, display a sharp image, and be bright enough to use in different rooms of the home. With those features in mind, we happily recommend the Sega Toys Homestar flux projector, which uses hi-tech LED technology to show off the night sky in more detail than almost any other on the market. And for kids, we also love the Discovery #Mindblown projector, which features a dual-sided design in the shape of a space station. Read on to discover our other top planetarium picks and to find a projector that will help bring the wonders of space into your home.
Sega Toys Homestar Flux Star Projector
Project like the pros
Let’s be honest — no projector will be able to perfectly mimic the entirety of the majestic universe above our heads. But if there’s one that comes the closest, it has to be the Homestar Flux Star Projector by Sega Toys. You’ll get over 60,000 twinkling hi-def stars projected onto your ceiling and wall every time you turn on this superstar space-caster. And thanks to the advanced LED technology, every star will stand out against the rest as your sky map rotates throughout the night. The projector comes with two discs that show you the full northern and southern hemisphere, and you can even purchase up to 30 others for more projection possibilities. Best of all, this baby looks just as good off as on thanks to its satin black finish and realistic lunar crater design.
Pros:
- The projector’s operation is super quiet, so you can stargaze without distraction.
- The focus dial is super smooth and allows you to find the sharpest image no matter where you place it.
- We love that its USB-compatible, which makes charging easy.
Cons:
- It is a bit more expensive than other options.
Discovery Kids #Mindblown 2-in-1 Reversible Planetarium Space Projector
Teach for the stars
Getting our kids into STEM subjects from an early age can be a struggle. Fortunately, there are toys out there that are as entertaining as they are educational. We love this reversible planetarium projector by Discovery Kids precisely for this reason. Help your kids get to sleep while also showing them the marvels of the universe on their very own bedroom walls. This double-sided projector has a stationary and moving mode so your kids can watch the night sky pass and stop it when they have a question. Best of all, you’ll also get a double-sided activity poster thrown in the mix so your children can practice what they’ve learned with the included STEM trivia questions.
Pros:
- The stand is fully adjustable, so we can find the perfect position no matter where we put it.
- It comes with 32 photo slides in total, enough to keep us entertained for hours.
- An auto-shutoff feature ensures that no energy is wasted after use.
Cons:
- You have to manually rotate the projected images
RCMo Galaxy Projector
Personalize your space
Though our bedrooms are designed for sleep, we do a lot more than snooze in our cozy rooms. From romantic nights with our partners to reading in our favorite chairs, this range of activities means our bedrooms should be as relaxing as they are personalized. And the RCMo Galaxy Projector can help you with both requirements. Choose from 32 different color modes to make your room feel just right for the night’s activities. Plus, thanks to the adjustable rotation speed, you set the pace to make sure the atmosphere is as dynamic or as relaxing as you want. And of course, because everything is better when done in bed, you can control all of these settings from the comfort of your own pillow using the handy remote feature.
Pros:
- In addition to a planetary projector, this also works as a Bluetooth speaker.
- We like the intuitive timer function, which makes scheduling star gaze sessions easy.
- The adjustable brightness ensures that the picture is visible despite the amount of ambient light in the room.
Cons:
- This projector only shows one planet at a time in planet mode.
BlissLights Sky Lite Projector
The cosmos is just a click away
One of the best things about going to the local planetarium is that the stars are always there, ready for us to gaze at them. And while star projectors help us fill the void at home, they can be quite difficult to set up and use when we just want to relax. Now, here’s where a projector like the Sky Lite by BlissLights can come in to help. With clear button controls that cycle through light effects, adjust the brightness, and start/stop rotation, this projector can’t be beaten when it comes to ease of use. Best of all, once you’ve practiced all the simple settings, you can easily move this baby to any room in the house for even your kids to use when they want.
Pros:
- Given its compact size, this projector covers a good amount of surface area.
- With several different light effects, this is great for adding ambiance to any space in your home.
- This makes a great gift for the space-lover in your family.
Cons:
- The stars are more like dots rather than an accurate representation of the night sky.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do planetarium projectors even work anyways?
Different projectors use different technologies. Some rely on a bright LED bulb that lights up and magnifies different images of the night sky. Others, like traditional planetariums, use two rotating spheres with a bright lamp inside them. This lamp then shines light through different lenses, which represent the stars you see.
Will my projector work during the day?
Generally, the projected image from your home planetarium will always look more impressive in a super dark room. Unless your projector uses a very advanced LED bulb, you’ll probably want to keep the light levels in your room as low as possible to see the most detail in your night sky.
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