Best Star Projectors

(Image credit: Amazon)

Star projectors are a fun way to create a relaxing, fun, or romantic atmosphere. They are used as children’s nightlights, like a disco ball at dance parties and to easily decorate at a wedding reception. There are different styles with different colors and patterns depending on your event or need. The best is the SOAIY Star Night Light Projector because it is versatile enough to be used for any event or occasion. It has several colors and heavenly projections to choose from that can be displayed individually or layered together. 

Best overall projector

(Image credit: Amazon)

SOAIY Star Night Light Projector

The wonder of nature

The SOAIY star projector has other natural patterns, like clouds and ocean waves, to create the perfect ambiance inside your home. 

Pros:

  • 11 image patterns 
  • Several color light options 
  • Bluetooth connectivity 

Cons:

  • Bulky 
  • Not intended as a night light 

The SOAIY star night light projector has 11 different image patterns to choose from and four colors. Some of the images can be set to rotate and others will flash in time to the music you stream through the projector from your cell phone or other Bluetooth connected device. There are different brightness settings and it runs quietly to not disturb the atmosphere you’re creating. The base of the projector is a little bigger and bulkier compared to other models, and the dome doesn’t project as big. But the overall look is still beautiful and realistic. The projector must be charged using the including USB cable before it can be used This takes about three hours to complete. The projector will then run uninterrupted for about two hours before needing to be powered back up. While it looks cool in any room, the Jomst star projector shouldn’t be left unattended around children and isn’t suitable as a nightlight. 

Best laser projector

(Image credit: Amazon)

BlissLights SKYlight Laser Projector

A laser night show

The SKYlight uses lasers to project stars and galaxy patterns on your ceiling. You can set the images to stay still or move. 

Pros:

  • Control brightness of the projections
  • Choose green or blue light
  • Automatic shut off

Cons:

  • Makes noise after prolonged use
  • Uses a laser to project images
  • Not designed as a nightlight

This star projector is designed to give a quick change to your game room, bedroom, or home theater by projecting a little night sky to your ceiling. The dome light is recessed into the base a little bit, so it doesn’t cover as much space as fully free dome lights, but it is enough to create an impressive display. The projections are created using a laser, which is dangerous to look directly into. You can control the brightness of the light and have the stars and galaxy images remain stationary or move. The SKYlight laser projector by BlissLights comes with green or blue light colors, but there are additional laser colors and image projections available that you can purchase separately then plug into the projector. It isn’t made for outdoor use, and while the projector will turn off automatically after six hours the motor starts to make noise after being on a while. It’s not a good choice for a nightlight, either. 

Best night light projector

(Image credit: Amazon)

LBELL Night Light for Kids

For the little ones

This star projector doubles as a nightlight for your child’s bedroom, and as a charging port for your cell phone. 

Pros:

  • Control from your cell phone
  • Features eight light colors
  • Doubles as a charging port

Cons:

  • Star color is always green
  • Batteries are not included

This star projector is made to be used as a nightlight in your child’s room. It has three light settings, including dim and a flicker mode. It has Bluetooth connectivity, so you can control all settings from your phone. But it also has a remote control. You can also play music from your mobile device through the projector. There are eight different color settings, but the star projection pattern stays the same and the stars are always projected green. The projector is powered using the included USB cable and wall adapter. It also doubles as a charging station for your cell phone, tablet, or other mobile devices. The remote requires its own battery power. Batteries are not included. 

Best for kids

(Image credit: Amazon)

MOKOQI Star Projector w/ TImer

Easy for kids to use

This star projector has 17 different color settings and is easy enough for small children to figure out how to use. 

Pros:

  • Easy for children to use
  • 17 color modes
  • Portable with battery use

Cons:

  • Not for outdoor use
  • The timer isn’t very long

This star projector is easy enough for kids as young as 3 years old to work. It has a timer that can be set to turn off the projection between 5 minutes and 99 minutes. This is enough to help little ones fall asleep at night, but not enough time for late-night activities. For this, you will need to keep it continuously on and hope you remember to turn it off on your own. There is an impressive 17 color modes programmed into this projector, more than most other star projectors. The MOKOQI projects a crescent moon and several stars all over your child’s room. Because of the dome-shaped lamp, projections will cover the ceiling and most of the walls of the room, too. This star projector is powered in two ways. The first is through a USB charger. Using a wall adapter you can keep the projector continuously powered, or disconnect it after it is fully charged and use it until it needs recharging. You can also use 4 AAA batteries to power the MOKOQI star projector. 

Best projector for nurseries

(Image credit: Amazon)

Luckkid Baby Moon Star Projector

Works with nursery decor

This star projector has eight soft light settings that don’t disturb your baby as they sleep, nor are they too bright for eyes. 

Pros:

  • Suitable for nurseries
  • Use with or without star projections
  • Eight soft light settings

Cons:

  • Amature projections
  • Batteries are not included

This star projector is a fun piece to add to your infant’s nursery. There are eight different color settings and some of them let you project two colors at once. The top of the dome light comes off and you can remove the night sky plastic cover and use the projector as a table lamp. The different soft light colors are still available to use without the star projections, and won’t be too bright to disturb your child’s eyes or disrupt them as they sleep. While this projector can be used for parties or weddings, the projections are a bit amateur compared to other star projectors, which is one reason it is better suited for a baby’s room. The Luckkid star and moon night light projector can be powered with regular alkaline batteries, which are not included, or with the included USB cable to recharge the battery pack. 

Best portable star projector

(Image credit: Amazon)

BAILONGJU Auto Roof Light Star Projector

Stars on the go

The BAILONJU portable star projector plugs into your car’s USB port to create a fun and unique atmosphere. 

Pros:

  • Portable
  • Works in cars
  • Bendable cord for positioning

Cons:

  • Doesn’t project large areas
  • Not for long term use

This little projector is so small that it can be taken and used anywhere there is a USB charging port. It can plug it into the charging station in your car, or attach to your laptop to create a fun atmosphere wherever you go. The cord that the projector is attached to is stiff, yet bendable, so you can adjust the angle and the whole look for the projection. Because it is portable this star projector can be used outside. While it does project over a decent-sized space, it's not as big as traditional star projectors. This isn’t a good solution for children’s rooms, and if you want a projection to last for several hours, or be used often, this portable star projector isn’t the best choice. 

Best rotating star projector

(Image credit: Amazon)

SOONCOR Galaxy Star Projector

Feel the awe of the galaxy

The SOONCOR projector displays the entire Milky Way in great detail. Its rotating base helps create nature’s best star show. 

Pros:

  • Rotating lamp
  • Closely mimics the Milky Way
  • Connects to your cell phone

Cons:

  • Assembly required

The SOONCOR galaxy star projector is a different shape compared to traditional dome lights. This allows it to be more accurate in projecting the Milky Way on your ceiling and walls. It also covers an impressive 130 square feet and can project up to 12 feet away. The base of this projector includes a pedestal that rotates the top light around to mimic the natural movement of the night sky. It has three light colors and can be controlled by the included remote. It is also able to connect to your cell phone via Bluetooth and play your music as part of the ambiance. The SOONCOR star projector does require you to assemble it before you can use it. Most users find the included instructions clear to understand and the task of putting it all together quite straightforward and easy. 

Best projector with sound

(Image credit: Amazon)

SOAIY Aurora Night Light Projector

Relax and sleep

The SOAIY Aurora star projector includes six preprogrammed white noises to help your fall asleep. 

Pros:

  • Preprogrammed white noise
  • Remote control included
  • Portable

Cons:

  • One projection pattern
  • Single light color

If you’re looking to use a star projector to create a relaxing and soothing place to help you fall asleep, the SOAIY Aurora night light projector is the best. Not only does it project the night sky with minimally invasive light, but it also has preprogrammed white noise that has been proven to help babies, children, and adults fall asleep. It comes with a remote control to make it easier to dim or brighten the light, make it rotate and to control the sound level of the while noise. The six sounds preprogrammed include thunder, ocean waves, and summer night. It has a timer, with one that is four hours long, so you can set it and not have to worry about it playing all night. The SOAIY Aurora is small enough to take along on trips and uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery to operate. The biggest drawback is there is only one projection and one color option with this device. 

Stars within reach

Why you can trust Space.com Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test and review products.

The best star projector is by SOAIY. It has a voice control feature that lets you play your music list through it and will flash the projection in time to the song. It has six different light settings and 11 lighting modes. These include the traditional star and night sky, but there is also an ocean setting. You can choose to have these projected individually or together in layers. Some of the projection images don’t flash or rotate.

The base of the SOAIY star night light projector is really big in relation to the light dome. This gives your light a little stability, but it is also bulky. The projector must be fully charged for it to work properly. A USB cable and wall adapter are included. When fully charged this star projector will run continually for at least two hours.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

Nicole Johnston
Special Project Writer

Nicole writes for multiple Future Publishing brands covering topics from antivirus to kitchen appliances to SAS. She has over 15 years of research and writing experience, including eight years of testing and reviewing consumer products. Nicole earned bachelor’s degrees in both English and Political Science with a focus on empirical research. In her spare time, Nicole serves as a member of several school councils and volunteers for a local arts board.