Top 5 Best Home Planetariums for 2021

People have walked on the surface of the moon, sent probes out to outer space and planets and still continue to study the amazing outer space because its captivating wonder cannot be fathomed. And this is why others created the planetariums to bring the experience closer to our home. What easier way to help the humans on earth learn more about it than through planetariums? And whether it’s in the dome planetariums or the home planetarium, the thing they do is to impress humanity with the regularity, infinity and the absolute wonders of the cosmos. 

Planetariums also inspire the minds of people and offer an escape from the pressures of everyday life; they richly benefit both the spirit and the mind and this is what everybody is looking for, the starry skies bring tranquility and stimulate creativity and imagination in both kids and adults. With these endless rewards, planetariums are the future.

What’s a Planetarium?

It’s a place hosting a large room with a dome-shaped ceiling where you can go to see what the skies look like with stars, planets, constellations, galaxies and other galactic objects. A special projector is used to project galaxy images on this dome shaped ceiling. A home planetarium is when you use galaxy projectors to bring all this awesomeness right inside your home.

Source: Inyourpocket

A Short History of Planetariums

The earliest device that might be considered a planetarium, in the sense that it encircled a space for viewing an artificial sky was a tent with holes that was made by Arab craftsmen. This tent ended up in Europe as a crusade spoils where the emperor Friedrick II of Hohenstaufen took hold of it. 

It’s said that the sky viewers sat within it and a kind of a turntable spun the tent, the holes in the tent represented the stars. Therefore the sky and the constellation motions could be viewed during the day.

Some other sources consider that the Greek Archimedes is the genius creator of the first primitive device able to preview the moves of the Sun, Moon, and other planets. Ans this would be an archaic ancestor of today’s planetarium.

Fast forward 600 hundred years later, this idea led to the creation of several globes and domes for stars viewing. And inspired the creation of  solar system mechanical models that could be driven like the hands of a clock. 

A further development took place in 1900 when a German scholar, Oskar von Miller tried to create an astronomy section inside the museum of Munich, that would celebrate humanity's science and technology accomplishments. 

His idea was to create a planetarium, with a realistic night image of the sky and movement of the stars. Thus, he requested an optical company called Carl Zeiss to implement the idea. But its  execution was more than complex. 

After years of research, they came up with a genius hint: a fixed dome adorned with a projection screen where they would throw various images of sky objects. And in 1924 in Munich, the first planetarium saw the light of the day. Six years later the Zeiss planetarium was launched in North America.

Today, you don’t need to travel to North America or any other country with a planetarium to be able to see the galactic skies. You can bring your own planetarium projector home and enjoy the skies right in the comfort of your own space.

What’s the Best Home Planetarium Projector?

Here is a buyer guide to help you identify a home planetarium that offers the best value for your money.

A Home Planetarium Buyer’s Guide

These devices bring the grandiose night skies inside your walls or ceilings, creating that serene feeling, as if you were watching the real night skies, only without the bugs and the cold associated. 

So, whether you’re looking to buy the best home planetarium for your kids or for yourself, here are some things to consider when choosing the one that best suits your needs:

a.      The Quality of Images and Brightness

One of the most important features to look at is the wattage of the projector. The higher the wattage of the projector, the more bright and crisp the images get. The best home planetarium projector must have a 5-watt; this can still work well if the room has some ambient lighting. Lesser watts such as 3-watt will require your room to be completely dark in order to enjoy the full effects.

The quality of the images is also very important. Do those stars look real or are they blurred? You can consider checking out other customer reviews to see what they say about the quality of the images before you purchase.

b.     Power Source

This is also pretty important to consider when buying your home planetarium projector. 

For instance, if you intend to keep it in a fixed place within your house, then you should get one with an AC adapter to ensure your view will not be cut short. 

On the other hand if your plans are to use it outdoors e.g. during camping, consider getting one that runs on batteries. Only ensure to have them charged. You will notice that the batteries are about to end when the intensity of the light starts to go down.

c.      Light Source

It is different from the power source; this is about the LED lights or the laser lights. The best home planetariums use the LED lights. When the lens used is of high quality and the images are HD, then you’re guaranteed to get the highest quality images on your walls. The other reason why LED lights are the best is because they last longer and therefore maximizing the value you get for your money.

d.     The Number of Stars

60,000 stars' original home planetariums will completely transform your ceiling. Anything less will not offer the desired effect and will not have the capacity to generate the celestial universe feel. However, with this said, you can still get quality 10,000 stars for the kids and these home planetariums come at a cheaper price.

e.      Adjustable Heights and Angles

Look out for a home planetarium that is adjustable to various ceiling heights. The advantage of this is that you can use it on any kind of ceiling. Another feature is the projection. Ensure it’s adjustable to enable you to set the objects just how you want them, whether on a wall, ceiling or right above your head. You should be able to get the most out of it.

f.       Discs

A good home planetarium provides you with at least two discs to give you the possibility of choosing  different visuals rather than staring at the same shapes and images every night. Tonight you might want to sit under the Andromeda, the other night you just might feel like staring at the southern hemisphere. It’s better to have several  options at your disposal.

g.     The Design Matters

The truth is a home planetarium is a chic and interesting add-on to the interior décor of your room. Besides the lights show it offers, there is still much more it can do during the light day. You want one that offers both high quality functionality and suggests a glimpse of your décor style. This is why home planetarium projectors come in different shapes and sizes. Ones look like simple cute toys, while others look sophisticated and futuristic as if they just landed out of space. Pick your fit.

h.     Extra Features

Timer - It would be great to get one with a timer, as it would make it easier for you when you want to turn it off after a while. E.g. a sure interval after which you consider will have fallen asleep.

Rotation - this is great especially for helping kids to sleep; some will even let you pick the rotation speed.

Special effects - it would be nice if your home planetarium offered special effects such as shooting stars, any twinkling effects and so forth. This would be a sight to behold even for adults.

With these important details out of the way, what’s the best home planetarium projector for 2021?

Top 5 Best Home Planetariums for 2021

1.     Galaxy Lamps’ Galaxy Projector

This statement piece adds serenity and style in any room that it’s placed in. It offers the supreme quality in terms of functionality as well as aesthetics. This mini laser star projector is a mince but a very advanced holographic creation. 

It’s a masterpiece that infuses calm and relaxation especially during those days that have ripped you off of all your energy and all you need is to simply kick back and breathe.  It’s also a very useful gadget that can help kids who find it hard to settle in bed, and solve this issue in an easy, fun and dreamy manner.

Galaxy Projector has some handy features. One feature is that it comes loaded with a Bluetooth wireless speaker and a remote control.  Thus, you can connect your smartphone or other smart devices (laptop, tablet)  via Bluetooth and listen to your favorite music selection anytime at your convenience while under a “shiny star night”. 

The remote control allows you to change settings without moving out of your comfortable spot.  It tilts 360 degrees and this must-have feature lets you direct your galaxy images in whichever direction you desire.  

Another interesting feature is the ability to project 10 different colors and dozens of lighting modes to pick from. As such, you will not get bored staring at the same things every night, you can adjust your setting depending on how your mood feels.

It uses a universal USB input and it’s made of eco-friendly material. This home planetarium emanates little to no heat, and neither is it prone to breaking, thus its safety and durability are unquestionable.

2.      Galaxy Projector 2.0 by Galaxy Lamps

When experts improve on something that was already a market leader then another game-changer device pops up. On top of the existing features in the previous model, this new galaxy projector takes the things to the next level to shape a stellar experience. 

Unlike the original masterpiece, this one does not have a remote control. Instead, it’s controlled through an app on your smartphone (more convenient). Without this app you might have quite a limited functionality. Some of the functions you can operate without the app are the on and off button, and navigate through virtually any color you want as it is conceived to use RGB spectrum. With that said the app itself is really simple to install on either iOS or Android. 

The nuclear functionality of this new Galaxy Projector by Galaxy Lamps is that you can control your home projector with your voice. After setting up the app, you can go further and set it up with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to be able to control it by voice. Thus, you will not have to worry about where you dropped the remote last night after dozing off.

Other unique features include the ability to mix up to three colors of the main projection and use RGB dial for a plethora of options. 

You have the ability to set preferred default scenes with custom settings, set timers and schedules for it to turn on and off as per your desire, so you don’t have to worry about the home planetarium staying up all night. And with the Wi-Fi on, you can control this enchanting device from anywhere.

Galaxy Lamps has also managed to improve the quality of the projection on this latest device and bring it to the state of the art. And even though it doesn’t have a speaker, it can still create a dreamy atmosphere that you or your kids can sleep under.

3.    BlissLights Sky Lite -  Laser Projector

This Sky Lite Galaxy projector is a close third and can quickly set any mind to relaxation with its thousands of drifting stars that offer a cool atmosphere against a transforming nebula cloud. It uses laser technology to boldly project vivid colors.

This device only offers one color as a laser. It also doubles up as a night light that would be ideal for evening parties because of its blue projections. The display is not very bright, it’s only sufficient for projecting in the nebula. However it has such colorful stars that would impress anyone searching for a whimsical experience.

It has a timer that you can set for six hours, or it can set itself, but you cannot modify it after completing the time set up process. It has simple buttons that you can use to adjust the brightness, to set up or stop the motion. However, once you set the motion, you cannot control the speed of its rotation.

It uses a LED bulb which means the blue nebula is excellent. However you’re stuck with green stars, and that may be dull if someone is looking for more color. This product doesn’t run on batteries and thus it can be limiting if you want to use it outside.

Here are Bliss Lite Projector features compared to the top product - Galaxy Projector:

4.       National Geographic Astro Home Planetarium

This is another exponent of the best home planetariums for 2021 making it to the top. Because it’s not only perfect for both old and young, but it’s a fascinating device that delivers a splendid view of the night sky no matter the weather.

With its prestigious brand name, quality is definitely guaranteed. 

This home planetarium projects the stars in real time, so you get to see “live action” of the galaxies from the comfort of your home. 

Another reason it’s a top home planetarium is that this device has a motor feature that lets you see falling stars in their full epic glory. This is a magnificent show especially for kids and those wishes can be made sooner.

Among its best features we can indicate a projection screen at 2m range. It has Lumen power and can project at 2m ceiling height. It has built-in radio function with speakers and it can connect to MP3 player which is great if you want to listen to your favorite music while stargazing.

It comes with 2 slide discs that will give you options of what you want to view. And this device also comes handy with a battery and a stand, ideal for special nights away from the home.

5.     Smithsonian Optics Room Planetarium and Dual Projector

This list would not be complete if it didn’t include one top home planetarium that’s specifically made for kids. It may lack all the spectacular features that the top home planetariums have, but it’s perfect for the kids and the producers had this in mind.

One of its unique features is that it projects astronauts, rockets, planets and the usual Nebula plus galaxies. When using it, it may not be able to project the entire room, so you have to identify a place you would like to project, for instance over the bed.

This home planetarium has 24 HD images that are projected with a rotating star pattern. Once the best distance and angle are identified, the result is a marvelous spectacle for the kids.

Other features include the 15- 30 minutes auto turn-off timer, and slides with various views that kids can choose from. They can also combine these images together to get many more displays that may include the astronauts, the planets and stars. How amazing is that? This is ideal especially when you have kids that are into STEM. It’s one of the very few devices that have been created to support kids who enjoy finding out more about space and astronomy.

How do these features compare to the Galaxy Projector?

Bonus Tips on How to Use Your Home Planetarium

To get the best out of your home planetarium is really simple because there aren’t too many conditions to consider. However, the golden rule of using home planetariums that applies across all devices and models is that the room where you’re using it must be completely dark. This is obvious to avoid losing any atmosphere; it helps capture everything including the smallest details.

Another simple tip is to ensure that you set your device in an even manner in order to get an optimal image on your wall or ceiling.

And finally, for the devices that require batteries or charging, for best results, ensure that they have full power. If not you may get blurry images and you may also lose out on some details.

What is the Difference Between a Home Planetarium and a Star Projector?

Most people cannot tell the difference between a star projector and a home planetarium, but these are different devices with very different functions.

        The Function and Usage

Star projectors are very simplistic in nature and are mainly made for entertainment, their main job is to simply throw twinkly colorful stars on the wall or the ceiling e.g. at a party. The home planetarium on the other hand is designed to help users discover more about the skies, the nebula, planets, the galaxies and everything cosmic.

            The Pricing

You can use the pricing to tell the difference, star projectors are simply cheaper while home planetariums have a higher price tag.

Conclusion

We all need some space and now more than ever, these best home planetarium projectors will not only show you clear skies, they will also help you clear your mind. As such, let your kids or yourself widen the eyes and get lost into space.