What? You live in the middle of nowhere? I mean, the middle of high-quality desert or vast Eurasian steppe? Then, you're extremely lucky. Because you can watch the gorgeous night sky with millions of blinking stars for 360 odd nights. You can travel freely into the far space and universe and almost touch those beautiful stars and nebulae. You could easily imagine visiting strange alien lands and beings...

Since your Mobile Ojisan usually lives in crammed urban scape under cloudy weather, I can't remember when I have seen the clear night sky and blinking stars the last time. Therefore, I have to compromise with astronomy software, and sometimes, with planetarium. Sure, home planetarium.

Japanese toy giant Segatoys Co. has been quietly distributing Homestar series of planetarium to domestic star gazers. Homestar models have been a great hit. Sega shipped more than 100,000 of them already. The flagship model, Homestar Pro, costs around 30,000 yen (US$250).

Segatoy's egg-shaped Homestar Pure. Ceiling of your home turns into a planetarium.

Now, an entry model, somewhat a little bit more affordable, has come to the market. Homestar Pure. Performance of this model is basically the same as its more expensive brother, Homestar. Except that the former lacks the function of projecting shooting stars. Also, the hourly movement of night sky is operated manually, whearas expensive models have automatic movements.

Homestar Pure can cast around 10,000 heavenly bodies onto the flat ceiling 2m away. Its projection image spreads to 270cm in diameter. Everything is powered by only four AA batteries, no AC adapter. Light source comes from a single white LED. Homestar Pure sells at 9,975 yen (US$83).

Anyway, all Homestar models are tuned for the domestic Japanese sky. Those who live in a country of roughly the same latitude (35 north) can enjoy Homestar Pure without much trouble.

Homestar Pure Mini Peep in. You can see thousands of stars in this tiny egg.

At the same time, the baby version of Homestar Pure has been released, dubbed Homestar Pure Mini. No projection, but you have to peep in to see the stars through the lens at the top Powered by two button batteries, CR-1220. Only 840 yen (US$7).

 

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