The Best Galaxy Star Projectors for a Dreamy Ambiance Unlike Any Other

After seeing one too many ads on Twitter trying to sell me a cool galaxy projector, I caved and did what I do before making any purchase — obsessively read reviews, researched, and compared dozens upon dozen of products until I found the best one. This projector is the best for a number of reasons.

For starters, I love how it lets me easily adjust its settings from a smartphone app. I can adjust the speed of its rotation so it doesn't look too dizzying, play around with the colors, change the motion of the nebulas, and turn off the stars if I want to create a different vibe.

Another nice perk is that this is one of the few star projectors that let you set timers and schedules to turn it off or on automatically. I hid the projector on a shelf and made it power on right when the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Day. Even though it just added some extra ambiance, it made the moment much more memorable, and my friends were so wonderstruck.

Like our best overall pick, the Sky Lite lets users download a companion app that makes it easy to set just the right mood. You can adjust its brightness, the lighting effects, and change the color of the auroras.

The Sky Lite star projector has a useful rotation feature that's engrossing, and a shutoff timer so your giftee can have it automatically power itself off just before they drift off to sleep.

Testers at Space.com said the BlissLights Sky Lite projector is notable for its easy setup, its compact design, and vivid and bright colors.

“Unlike other models we tested we found it to be near silent in operation, great if you’re using it to get to sleep or whilst watching a film,” said reviewer Tantse Walter.

Most galaxy projectors have little green laser dots that act as stars that spin and dance around as the projector casts the galaxy image on your ceiling. I found myself turning these off on occasion since they are distracting.

The Sky Lite Evolve is one of the few projectors that eliminates the “star feature” entirely since it doesn’t have a green laser. This projector offers a subtle light that casts an incredible-looking nebula. We appreciate its compact design and thanks to its spherical shape the projector offers an impressive coverage area of up to 900 square feet.

The Northern Galaxy Light Aurora projector is the perfect gift for entertainers who enjoy creating a fun atmosphere for friends and loved ones. It even has built-in Bluetooth, so it plays music and its lights sync to the beat.

Tester Sean Abrams has owned (and loved) this projector for several months now. “It’s so much fun! We turn it on at night while watching movies or listening to books,” he said.

Compared to other models, this one lets users pick from 33 different light effects including 16 different northern light effects and five separate speed and brightness levels. It even doubles as a white noise machine and plays relaxing sounds including, rain, campfire, and waves. The galaxy night light projector comes with a convenient remote control for adjusting modes, volume, setting timers, and controlling power.

This astronaut-shaped projector casts engrossing and expansive galaxies onto its surroundings. It can glow steadily, slowly rotate, or switch between seven different colors. We like that the nebula and star silhouettes can be used simultaneously or separately.

The astronaut, which is also available in black, features an adjustable head, arms, and includes a removable base. It comes with a remote control that allows users to adjust the light pattern, brightness, and timer. The timer will definitely come in handy for parents who want to use it in a child's bedroom or nursery so it'll turn itself off shortly after their little one drifts off to sleep.

More: Best White-Noise Machines to Help Kids Sleep