BlissLights Sky Lite 2.0 star projector review

The BlissLights Sky Lite 2.0 is one of the best star projectors that worries less about night sky accuracy and more about atmosphere and mood. BlissLights have one of those backstories that makes you all warm and fuzzy inside. It all started when a dad called Randy wanted to alleviate his daughter’s fear of the dark. He used his knowledge of working with festival lights and lasers to make her a homemade projector. On finding that it did indeed help soothe her off to sleep, and with friends and family asking him to make them one too, the company was born. But this wasn't the reason we've named it one of the best star projectors you can buy today.

BlissLights has a collection of 'Galaxy lights', mood lights and seasonal lights available at a reasonable price point. Here, we look at the Sky Lite 2.0, the second generation of galaxy projectors from BlissLights. Unlike the first-gen version, the Sky Lite Classic, it has three colors, green lasers, is app-controlled, has a customizable timer and has more default light display modes.  We put it to the test to see if it's worthy of sitting among the top star projectors like the Sega Homestar Flux from our other reviews. If star projectors are your thing, you might also want to have a look at the actual night sky, too. Be sure to check out our guide to the best telescopes, best binoculars, or, if you want to image the stars have a look at our roundup of the best cameras for photos and videos, and best lenses for astrophotography.

Sky Lite 2.0: Design

• Simple three-button operation
• Compact and light
• Two angles

After unboxing it doesn’t take long to get the Sky Lite 2.0 and get up and running. Plug it in and press the power button. The default display on powering up is to turn every feature on. There are three tactile buttons that could easily be felt in the dark if needed, they are not backlit but it doesn’t seem necessary for them to be. One is for power and to cycle through the default displays, one starts and stops rotation, and one adjusts the brightness (or turns the device off if you hold it down).

The unit is a very compact and light wheel shape with two 'support panels' (legs) which means you can either point the light and laser straight up to the ceiling or position it at more of a 45-degree angle. This is a bit limiting and means it isn't as easy to position, compared to a star projector like the Sega Homestar Flux. The advantage of this shape however is that it would easily slip onto a bookcase or small bedside table, not taking up much more room than a book.

The projector comes in a compact box which serves its purpose, but we think it could be slightly better designed so it doesn’t look quite so much like a cheap-ish toy. This would be especially appealing when gifting it to adults, as it'd feel more like a premium product than a kids toy.

Sky Lite 2.0: Performance

• Vivid colors and lasers
• Near Silent Operation
• A reasonable price 

The colors are vivid and the lights shine bright, they can even be visible on the ceiling with daylight peeking through the windows. There are three levels of brightness so it won't light up the room if you don't want it to such as when you’re using it to drift off to sleep.

Although they are bright, we're personally not fans of the little green laser dots as 'stars' and find ourselves turning these off more often than not, though we're aware this may be a more subjective preference and we're aware others may love them. There are seven default modes, and 10 saveable and shareable custom modes available.

The marketing of this product says the lights have been 'inspired by the world’s natural beauty'. This feels like fair wording as it's immediately obvious the lights don’t look like the night sky as we see it. The colors, however, are vibrant and the combinations of colors are pretty so they do add a nice atmosphere to the room and could be doubled up as a party light. The lasers would also complement a party atmosphere.

When operating, you literally can’t hear the device at all without pressing your ear up to it, even when rotation is on. We’ve reviewed other models which claim to be quiet but there's usually still a little whirring, but we've found the Sky Lite 2.0 to be near-silent.

Bliss Lights Sky Lite 2.0: Functionality

• USB-powered gives flexibility
• App-controlled
• Allows creative control

The unit uses a USB-C cable for power and also ships with a power adapter or two, depending on your region of purchase. That means you can run it from anywhere with a USB port such as a power bank or laptop with USB output.

The device can be controlled via a smartphone app, which is very easy to connect via Bluetooth, but those that are privacy-conscious should be aware that it does ask for a list of permissions that some may feel intrusive. This aside, the app can turn the device on or off, power on or off the timer and select an effect to run.

There is a 'DIY' mode for custom color combos and control of lasers, rotation and fading functions. The downside of the Sky Lite 2.0 connecting via Bluetooth, and not connected over Wi-Fi, is that you have to stay relatively close to the device to operate it.

After a month or so, we did encounter a problem with the app (version 3.3.61) in that it 'forgot' our Sky Lite 2.0 and then would not reconnect until we restarted the phone and uninstalled/reinstalled the app. From the reviews on Google Play Store, it looks like this is a common problem. We're glad to have found a workaround though, otherwise, we would have missed the timer function. Hopefully, this can be fixed in the next update.

Should I buy the Sky Lite 2.0?

If you're interested in scientific accuracy or having a realistic view of the night sky and solar system then this definitely isn’t the device for you, the Sega Homestar Flux, although the pricier option would be more suitable. However, if you want to create a nice relaxing atmosphere to doze off to, or indeed create some cool party lighting loosely inspired by the colors of a nebula and other natural phenomena such as sunrises or the ocean then why not!