Sega Toys Homestar Flux

Brand: Sega Toys

The Flux is the 2018 update of the Homestar line: a 160 by 160 by 150 mm sphere on a tilting base, with a 5 watt warm white LED instead of the 3 watt lamp of the Original, and glass optics that put up to 60,000 stars on the ceiling. Two discs come in the box, the projection spans roughly 2.7 metres, and rotation is almost silent. There is a shooting star function and a timer that cuts power after an hour. Around seventeen extra Sega discs are sold separately, and older Homestar Original discs still fit.

This is the pick for people who want a real starfield instead of coloured nebula clouds: pinpoint stars, correct constellation shapes, no speaker, no app. Controls sit on the unit, so a remote is not part of the deal. A dark room and a smooth pale ceiling matter more here than with laser lamps, and the manual focus needs a minute of patience.