Best galaxy and star projectors 2024: home planetariums for all ages

Star projectors and home planetariums are a great way to get to grips with the night sky.

While standing under a dark-sky and looking up at the constellations above is one of the joys of astronomy, it’s not always possible to get out and observe every night through a telescope.

For those nights you can’t venture out, star projectors and planetariums are a great item of home decor for any astronomy or space fan, offering a way to turn the walls of any living room or bedroom into a glorious night sky, giving new meaning to the term ‘home’ observatory.

Many of these star projectors offer up views of the brightest stars in the night sky, helping you learn your way around the constellations before heading off to search for true dark skies.

Perhaps you’re no longer able to go out and observe the stars yourself or are after a space themed gift for the kids. Or maybe you want a relaxing light show to help you drift off to sleep.

Whatever you’re after, there’s a star projector to suit.

These home planetariums work by shining a light through a slide and using a lens to focus it on the walls of your home.

The ones listed here all come with slides intended to mimic the actual constellations and can be rotated (either automatically or by hand) to show different views of the night sky.

The angle and focus can be adjusted to best fit your space. These star projectors are designed to give a subtle lighting effect, so are best shown off in a darkened room.

Here are six of the options available on the market today. If you fancy making your own, read our guide on how to make a planetarium projector.

SQUIRREL_ANCHOR_TEXT

Read our guide to the best telescopes for kids

Best star projectors and home planetariums

Sega Toys Homestar Matataki

SQUIRREL_TEXT_13052520

The SEGA Toys Homestar Matataki home planetarium has a special disc that allows up to 10,000 stars of the northern hemisphere to twinkle across the walls of your room, rather than remaining a static image.

Or you can swap to the second disc which depicts 60,000 solid stars.

Fire up the shooting star mode for an even more realistic feeling of being under the night sky.

The 3-watt bulb shines with a white-light to protect the colour fidelity of the slides, and there's an in built speaker which plays natural sounds to help you relax.

The motor that rotates the view is designed to be as quiet as possible so you can use the projector to help lull you to sleep, and the adjustable timer will even turn off the device for you once you’ve nodded off.

SQUIRREL_13052520

Pococo galaxy projector

SQUIRREL_TEXT_13148871

The Pococo can be more than a home planetarium, as there are many other discs available for this star projector.

As well as an array of space themed selections, there are also majestic nature scenes, floating sea creatures and even Halloween and Christmas themed images.

The projector itself comes with two discs, one of the Milky Way, another of the Westerlund 2 star cluster.

The home planetarium itself needn’t stick out from the rest of your home décor as it is available in a variety of colours – black, white, silver, or a delightful pink and blue.

The stylish packaging also makes this an attractive gift for the star lover in your life.

The Pococo galaxy projector has an in-built battery which can hold a 6-hour charge, or you can operate it from the mains via a USB-C power cable.

SQUIRREL_13148871

If you want even more ways to add a little space to your home, take a look at our lists of best home decor gifts for space and astronomy fans

Bresser junior AstroPlanetarium deluxe

SQUIRREL_TEXT_13052522

As well as watching the star show, you can listen to it as well, as the Bresser junior AstroPlanetarium deluxe comes with a speaker.

Either play the in-built FM radio, or connect it to a digital musical player for your own choice of background music (or perhaps the latest episode of the Star Diary podcast).

The device is supplied with two slides showing the night sky: one with annotations of the constellations and one without.

There are dials to set the time and date, which will adjust the view accordingly. The rotation speed of the night sky can also be adjusted. Select 'shooting star' mode to add meteors shooting across the view.

SQUIRREL_13052522

13-in-1 planetarium star projector

SQUIRREL_TEXT_13148859

Adorn your walls with the classic star scape of the Milky Way, the subtle shifting colours of a nebula, the familiar planets of our Solar System or the sparkling landscape of stars and galaxies.

You can adjust the speed of rotation of the home planetarium, or stop it all together as you prefer.

The projector is designed to help lull you off to sleep as its noiseless motor keeps sound to below 30dB.

The projector uses a 5W lamps, to create white a soft light that won’t discomfort your eyes and can be set to shut down after 1, 2 or 4 hours.

SQUIRREL_13148859

Encalife planetarium galaxy projector

SQUIRREL_TEXT_13052909

The Encalife home planetarium galaxy projector allows you to immerse yourself in the light of the Milky Way, or you can swap to one of five other films depicting calming scenes to help lull you to sleep.

This star projector comes with a remote control, allowing you to change the rotation speed, brightness, projection options and timer - all without having to get up once you've started nodding off.

The projector uses LED lamps that are designed to be long-lasting and energy-efficient.

SQUIRREL_13052909

Universe2Go

SQUIRREL_TEXT_13052224

Rather than turning your entire room into a planetarium, this device instead creates your own virtual VR home planetarium using your smartphone.

Download the free app then slot it into the Universe2Go headset to see the heavens appear before your eyes in 3D.

Universe2Go can either be used as a totally virtual device or you can remove the window cover to see the constellation lines and information projected on the actual night sky.

SQUIRREL_13052224

Best star projectors for kids

A Star projector is a great way to get kits interested in the night sky, plus they can double as a nightlight or sleep aid to help young stargazers drift off to sleep.

If your looking for the perfect present for the young space lover in your life, check out our list of the best space toys and gifts for kids and the best telescopes for kids

Gift Republic planetarium projector

SQUIRREL_TEXT_13052521

This home planetarium features a dome inscribed with the constellations, which it projects onto the surrounding walls when you turn on the lights.

If you would like to see a bit more colour, then this device comes with a colour changing option allowing you to see the stars in a multitude of different hues.

Powered via 4 AAA batteries (not included), or via the 5V DC plug.

SQUIRREL_13052521

Brainstorm Space home planetarium and star projector

SQUIRREL_TEXT_13055741

Transform your child’s room into a glorious tour through outer space using this device which doubles as both a planetarium and a still image projector.

One end features a changeable dome that showcases the stars of the night sky or the constellations as they rotate across your ceiling and walls.

Flip around to the projector end, however, and you can display one of 24 NASA colour images, featuring nebulae, planets, astronauts and more.

The images come on three disks each with eight images each.

SQUIRREL_13055741

Create a Night Sky projection science kit

SQUIRREL_TEXT_13052146

Want to learn about the stars and have a fun practical project? Then this star projector kit might be the option for you.

The kit comes with the pieces needed to create a spherical-ish projection dome showing the stars of the northern and southern hemisphere.

These then slot into the easy to assemble base, containing a light bulb that will shine through the holes of the domes to project the stars onto the walls creating your own home planetarium.

A great STEM activity for a children and adults alike that leaves you with a beautiful lighting piece.

SQUIRREL_13052146

This Book is a Planetarium

SQUIRREL_TEXT_13052144

The pop-up home planetarium gives a 3D structure perforated with the major constellations of the northern hemisphere, which then instructs you to turn on the torch of a smartphone and place it inside to project the stars across the walls of a darkened room.

Another great STEM activity for kids who love space, this pop-up book comes with six fully functioning tools, including a working planetarium to project the stars and constellations.

If your space-loving child then tires of the night sky, there are five other tools to investigate: a stringed musical instrument, a geometric drawing generator, an infinite calendar, a message decoder and an amplifying speaker.

Each page has short explanation of the science behind each tool, so you can learn while playing.

SQUIRREL_13052144

Looking for more cosmic literature? Take a look at our list of the best space and astronomy books

Have our these star projectors left you wanting to learn more about the night sky? Take our online Observing Masterclass, available on demand.

This list was last updated on 5 November 2024.