People have, for a long, laid on their backs and pointed at the starry sky, wondering how far these twinkling luminaries are. Measuring cosmic distances has been a point of scientific curiosity ...

Most people haven't witnessed a true night sky. They may have seen photos of starry skies full of cosmic light, but in person, they only see sprinklings of stars and the moon on a clear night.

Best overall Best overall The most realistic star projector, it projects bright, detailed images of the real night sky. This is a premium projector for all ages. Read more below Best for parties ...

Quipu, named after the Incan system of knotted cords used for recording information, spans an astonishing 1.3 billion light-years-a distance over 13,000 times the length of the Milky Way.

There, the sky appeared to come alive ... this star projector's soothing sounds and cosmic ambiance will get you there. (Amazon) With over 17,000 five-star reviews, this gadget has brought ...