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.

Read our guide to the best telescopes for kids

Star projectors and home planetariums

Sega Toys Homestar Matataki

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.

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.

Encalife planetarium galaxy projector

Buy now from Encalife.

The Encalife 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.

Bresser junior AstroPlanetarium deluxe

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 Radio Astronomy 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.

New Fantastic Science Museum star projector lamp

Despite its strange appearance, this is actually a star projector!

The star projector comes as a kit designed to promote STEAM learning, and requires you to put together the electronic components as well as assembling the stand and shade (requires a Philip’s head screwdriver).

The lamp assembles into a black dodecahedron, with 2,000 holes pierced into the sides in the shape of the constellations.

The central lamp then shines through these, casting the image of the constellations onto your walls.

Universe2Go

Buy now from Universe2Go (£44.90).

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

Gift Republic planetarium projector

Buy it now from IWOOT (£11.99), WHSmiths (£15.99)

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.

Brainstorm Space home planetarium and star projector

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.

Create a Night Sky projection science kit

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.

This Book is a Planetarium

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.

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

If you'd like to take our new knowledge of the night sky our into the real world take a look at our list of the best telescopes for kids and best table top telescopes.

Or 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.