Gadget of the week - Star Theatre Planetarium (£119.95)

Ever since the sad day in 2006 when the London Planetarium closed its doors (and suffered the indignity of a rebranding whereby the stars on show were celebrities rather than supernovas), learning about the heavens without worrying about light pollution and the right equipment has been tricky. But now, armchair astronomers can go on a virtual voyage through the galaxy with this sleek projector which uses ultra-bright light-emitting diode (LED) technology to beam 10,000 stars onto your ceiling. It shows the constellations and mimics celestial movement in both northern and southern hemispheres. You can also program the device to display shooting stars. Switch off the lights, plug in your own planetarium and watch the night sky in comfort – and fall asleep as the Seven Sisters and the Great Bear float above your head.

Firebox.com