The Top 10 Best Star Projectors – [Reviews & Rankings]

Star projectors are a great way of exploring the deep space, the cosmos, ocean of emptiness or other intriguing elements in our universe of limitless planets and stars.

Certainly, it is difficult to deny how such is beautiful and fascinating, especially gazing in the vast blackness.

Rather than trekking for miles for large astral displays as many are used to, star projectors are a great way of bringing the universe home. These planetariums are a great addition at home for both adults and kids.

The projectors helps the kids educationally. Similarly, they can be installed in the house for special occasions such as parties and various holiday celebrations, especially for party maniacs.

That said, it is of immense importance that you purchase a planetarium that meets your needs, at least without spending a fortune on them.

The best star projector should deliver fine picture images, dual brightness technology and cost-effective.

Besides star projector, If you need a projector that has an ability to project a fairly large in-focus image from a “short” distance consider buying the best short throw projector.

What Is The Best Star Projector?

The SOAIY LED Night Light Lamp is capable of beautifully lighting up a room like the Aurora Borealis. It has 8 light projection modes, multiple colors, and a speaker that can be connected to your device. You can also tilt it up to 45 degrees to choose where it projects.

What Are Star Projectors? 

You or your loved ones might have a passion for astronomy and love looking at celestial bodies in the sky. However, that is not always possible, especially on a cloudy night. You cannot remove the clouds to enjoy the beauty of the sky, but you can enclose that beauty in a machine to enjoy it in a closed space. That is precisely what a star projector offers you.

Star projectors amplify an optical image to make it appear multiple times larger than original, and that too in high definition. This involves the use of convex lenses that project the image on a screen, much larger than the original.

Most star projectors come installed with an image of a celestial system, like constellations, planets, or other orbiting bodies in the space. You can use such projectors to educate and entertain kids, who find stars and planet fascinating.

Some star projectors can also be utilized as night lamps to add a gentle and soothing effect in dark rooms for children. That helps the sleep alone at night without the chance of being scared of the dark.

Comparing The Top 10 Best Star Projectors

1. SOAIY Color Changing Aurora Night Light Projector – Best Overall

The SOAIY Color Changing Aurora Night Light Projector not only looks beautiful externally but also gives life to a stunning view during the night. Its ability to create an aurora-like effect is perhaps the reason why this star projector won the contest to be the best on the market.

Some of the intriguing features of this star projector include:

Eight light projection modes – the projector has red, blue, green and the three colors allochroism color ingredients. With this, you can choose which color to display depending on your watching mood. Its color combination is a receipt for aurora relaxing environment, as the 45-degree tilt allows you to project the light straight in different directions, perhaps convenient for large are coverage.

Built-in speaker – this projector comes with a built-in speaker, which is volume adjustable. The audio cable makes it easy to connect to an iPod, MP3 device, iPhone, and other devices. This comes in handy especially when you need to play lullaby music or other relaxing and meditation music while watching the patterns.

Automatic shut-off – the SOAIY Color Changing Aurora Night Light Projector automatically goes off after one hour. This makes it convenient for kids bedroom when used as lullabies.

Safe for use – this projector is FDA approved and class IIIA classified, thus will not hurt your eyes during normal use.

2. Kingtoys LED Blue Light Projector – Most Versatile Star Projector

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If you are in the market for a star projector to be used in various rooms, the Kingtoys LED Blue Light Projector should be your choice. This lamp fits anywhere, from the form room, living room, baby room to the dining room. Besides, it is perfect for various circumstances ranging from home decoration to lighting a house party.

Key features of the Kingtoys LED Blue Light Projector include:

Eye protective design – the projector offers high-quality LED projection. This is soft, comfortable with anti-glare properties without flickering or ghosting thus protects your vision.

Convenient to use – it comes with three buttons, one for speed setting, another for flashlight setting and the third for LED cloud setting.

Educational use – the projector can be the best gift for kids who love astronomical science.

Versatile – it is suitable for recreation, home decoration, family parties, discos and bars, wedding, karaoke use, bedroom among other occasions.

3. LBell Star Sky Night Light Projector – Best Toddler-Approved Star Projector

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For sure, the LBell Star Sky Night Light Projector may not have it all in terms of galaxy accuracy, but it compensates this from its functionality and fun features. It may not display the best and accurate rendition of the nighttime sky like the first product in our review but offers various lighting and timer modes.

This projector rotates and projects images at a distance over 12 feet. Other top-notch features of this model include:

LED timer controls – being a new generation star projector, this product supports 5 – 95 minutes of time control based on your preference. This ensures that it doesn’t disturb your baby’s sleep. It automatically turns off once the set time ends.

Easy to operate – the projector comes with four push buttons. A total of five buttons are used to control the projector namely the power ON/OFF button, timer control button, rotation control button, color conversion – with the eight lighting modes – button and the warm white table night light button.

Two-power source choice – this projector is powered with four AAAA batteries that are not included. You can alternatively use the convenient 56-inches USB cable.

4. Lasers Stars Indoor Star Projector – Most Affordable

With first glances, you may think the Lazers Stars Indoor Star Projector is less of an average star projector. Despite using the simple conventional batteries, the projector projects thousands of stars with super bright LED lights that illuminate even those darkest rooms.

The base of this projector features a keyhole that allows users to mount it on any surface including walls. This provides the convenience when using, as you can project to any surface including the floor.

Like other top-notch products on the market, the Lazers Stars Indoor Star Projector comes with a four-hour timer, after which it automatically turns off. Besides, the green laser and holographic technology make it safe for the eye.

5. Sega Homestar Black Home Planetarium – Best Star Projector for Learning

The Sega Homestar Black Home Planetarium is a perfect planetarium of choice for those focusing on learning rather than soothing. This projector boasts of an accurately displayed night sky with various feature such as:

• Projects up to 60,000 stars
• Comes with a shooting star feature
• Projects the northern hemisphere with and without constellations
• Two realistic discs included with an option of four additional discs not included in the purchase
• Rotational movement with adjustable angle projection and focus
• Timer with an automatic shut off feature

The Sega Homestar Black Home Planetarium projects an accurate image, allowing you to view the night sky with similar quality, as you would see it outdoors. This makes it a great choice for use as a teaching tool. The constellation projection disc allows you to not only explore but also explain astronomy to kids.

6. Nat Geo Starry Night Lantern Star Projector – Multi-Functional Star Projector

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Purchasing the Nat Geo Starry Night Lantern Star Projector gives you two functions from one projector. This is not only a projector that projects stars to the walls and ceilings but also acts as a lantern that can be carried for nighttime expeditions.

The lantern functionality makes it ideal for camping trips where your kids can use it to project the night sky to the tent ceiling. The projector’s user-friendly switch can be flipped easily for both functionalities.

The lantern functionality is bright and can light up wide area allowing you to see clearly and safely. This is credited to the four tiny LED bulbs that glow brightly. With such, it is exceptionally good for use both at outdoors and indoors.

The Nat Geo Starry Night Lantern Star Projector’s battery life is good and lasts pretty long. This makes it possible to use the lantern in case of power cuts.

7. Cloud B Twilight Plush Toy Star Projector – Best Star Projector for Kids

If you are in the market for a cute, starry night light source for your nursery or kids room, the Cloud B Twilight Plush Toy Star Projector is the one for you. Its turtle shape with head and legs of a turtle will certainly make your kid happy, even before unleashing its functionality.

The turtle is available in three colors, classic mocha, blue, and green. It then automatically cycles through the light colors. Just like other best models, it comes with a built-in 45 minutes timer, which prevents battery wasting when your kid peacefully sleeps.

Talking of batteries, this product comes with three AAA batteries. Perhaps contributing to its long period of usage is the energy efficient LED bulbs that do an expert job in extending the battery life.

8. Newest Night Light Rotating Star Projector – Best for Both Kids and Adults

The Newest Night Light Rotating Star Projector is a perfect way to create a relaxing and comfortable scenic atmosphere at home. Having this star projector is an assurance of no more cries from your baby due to darkness.

Perhaps the feature highlight of this projector is that it is both a star projector and night light. The tough lanyard design is perfect for a nightlight. It produces soft lighting that can stay with you overnight regardless of your location, be it a garage or camping in the sea.

You will also like the auto time setting that shuts down automatically thus saving some battery power. All you need to do is set time and close the door. It will lure your baby to sleep and shut off automatically.

Simple operation is also guaranteed. There are three buttons, one for the light switch, the other for the color light switch and the third being for rotation control.

9. Backey Star Projector – Best-Designed Star Projector

The Backey Star Projector is a differently designed star projector compared to other products we have looked at in this review. The difference comes in where the central LED light should be covered by a film of your choice to display the starry magical universe setting.

The projector comes with six lighting modes and associated three brightness settings. This creates a perfect atmosphere for your kid’s playroom or bedroom. This product is powered by three AAA batteries but can also work when plugged into a PC using a USB cable.

Perhaps as a way of assuring customers, manufacturers provide two-year warranty period with money back guarantee.

10. Galaxy Beetlestar Twilight Star Projector – Best for a Great Night Light

If your kid doesn’t like his/her room, try introducing the Galaxy Beetlestar Twilight Star Projector. It gently transforms nurseries and bedrooms into a starry sanctuary that calms and comforts children like never before.

The projector’s multi-color LEDs project a starry night sky to your walls and ceilings of any room. There are also multiple color options including orange, green and blue for users to choose. It is also touch-activated with a selection switch and 45-minute timer that turns off the lamp.

For long-lasting use, the Galaxy Beetlestar Twilight Star Projector is made of high impact plastic that is ROHS compliant. Three AAA batteries power it.

How To Position A Star Projector Effectively 

To ensure the best viewing experience, you need to install the star projector in a relevant position. An appropriate place to set up such a system is right in the middle of the room.

Furthermore, it is advisable to always look at the instructions guide present in the box of the star projector. You might find some useful tips to place the unit in the right spot inside a room.

Additionally, you do need spacing between the projecting unit and the walls as well. Typically, a distance of six feet is enough for a small star projector, which will let you see clear images.

Bigger ones will need more space for beautiful images. Without proper space, the photos might become fuzzy or blurry, so make sure of choosing the right room for the equipment.

Type of Wall Necessary for A Star Projector 

While any type of wall is fine for projecting an image, yet you do need walls that have a light color and are visibly clear. Walls with complex patterns are a strict no-no, as they will hinder the definition of the images forming on the walls.

As a result, you might not find the projected images appealing. Avoid projecting in rooms with excessive amenities and furniture around the walls, such as draperies or curtains.

Some images might not be visible when you look at them on a dark wall. That’s one reason why projector screens are white.

Are Star Projectors For Kids The Same As The Ones For Adults?

With so many galaxy projector models available, you might feel that you can get anyone, and it will have the same features for both kids and adult units. However, that is not true.

As an adult, you will need to choose star projectors that have realistic projections for more relevant details. The designs used for kid star projectors are not that mature to look at either. You will find them whimsical or stylish, which attracts children.

Such devices that are meant for kids might have colorful images with music playing through them for entertainment. Additionally, they might also be used as night lamps. On the other hand, galaxy projectors for adults are meant for education purpose.

Such models can also be used by teenagers to study the universe and understand what is out there in the known part of the universe.

Things To Consider Before Buying A Star Projector

From the various models discussed above, it is evident that there are plenty of star projectors out on the market. To enjoy a calm and comforting starry night with your kid, it is of immense importance that you find the best product.

That said, various factors should be taken into account when searching for these products. They include:

Use And Purpose

You should begin by figuring out why you need the star projector in the first place. As mentioned before, some models are for children only while others accommodate both children and adults.

If you are searching for a star projector for your kids, find something that will soothe them to sleep. Besides, it should be soft, calming and free from harmful chemicals. Various kid friendly projectors have musical noises that soothe the little one.

Adult star projectors don’t need to be cuddly or cute. However, they should be sleek and stylish. Such models often have various projection options. There are also hybrid models that combine the best of both worlds.

In case, you are looking for a projector that minimizes eye fatigue and produces nearly zero radiation, buying a EUG projector could be the best fit.

Lighting Modes

Lighting modes for projectors also vary depending on your intended use. For instance, if you need one to help in putting your kid to sleep, a steady and smooth image is ideal. Similarly, if you need one for partying, get an erratic choice.

Apart from the speed that the projector moves, you should also consider one that offers various color modes. This will provide options to choose color depending on your mood or preferences.

Light Bulb Type

There are two bulb choices when it comes to star projectors. The cheaper but not long lasting models are incandescent bulbs. On the other hand, LED bulbs are more expensive and last longer. They are also brighter than normal bulbs, thus making them ideal for places you don’t need complete darkness.

Power Source

Star projectors have different power requirements. Nearly all models can operate on battery power, using either AA or AAA batteries. Similarly, others run on electrical power plugged in through USB.

It is good that you get a model that uses both power sources.

Materials

Regardless of the material that your star projector is made of, it should be durable and well designed. The material choice comes to question when choosing a projector for a little child. In such cases, avoid dangerous plastics as they can get these objects into their mouth.

Ready To Buy The Best Star Projectors?

Choosing the best star projector can be such a daunting task. This is perhaps due to the various options available on the market coupled with deficient knowledge in identifying the best features.

However, we hope that our planetarium projector review will make the selection process quite simple for you. It is prudent to choose a constellation lamp that is made of quality material, well designed, offers various lighting options, and has LED bulbs.

From the products outlined above, which one is your favorite? Share with us in the comments section below.

Also, check out the review on the quality motorized projector screen as an image projected onto the wall will not be near as bright as it would appear on a screen.