Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
 Don't waste your money! September 8, 2008
R. Fort (Harrogate, UK)
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
We bought this as a present for our daughter (Argos 19.99) as she loves the stars and thought that as it doubles a nightlight, it was perfect! How wrong we were! The product itself looks really good on the packaging, but when you handle it, it feels very cheap and lightweight. The "rotating map" is made from thin plastic which in order for the motor to turn has to be placed EXACTLY correctly. It's a bit pointless really as the focus is so bad you can barely read or see the constellations. The best view we managed was when I stood on a chair holding it about 15cm from the ceiling, not what we expected at all. The commentary on the "accompanying soundtrack" is insane, it talks about the planets which on it's own would be interesting, but it bears no correlation to the constellations that are being displayed. It seems very confusing i.e. the wrong soundtrack! Finally, the motor (at least on ours) is either faulty or again badly designed. There are two buttons, one to turn the lamp on to illuminate the out of focus constellation and the other to turn on both the rotating motor and soundtrack (there is no option to have it simply rotate silently which is a shame!). The map rotated once then stopped and wouldn't start up again until the next day. One night I thought about trying it solely as a nightlight so left the lamp on and was surprised in the morning to find it had gone off (there is nothing in the instructions I had to indicate auto switch off), again it would not start so I assumed that perhaps the batteries has drained, which would have been a very costly exercise bearing in mind we'd only had it 3 days with limited use. As I was packing the product up to be returned, I thought I'd try it again, and it worked, very strange!
The light projecting pointer is nothing more than a cheap red torch which had a twist on/off function.
Needless to say, it has been returned and I would recommend AGAINST purchasing this item. There are other options out there that are far superior, better value and more interesting. I was surprised that a respected company like National Geographic could put their endorsement on such a poor product.
We'd have been better getting outside and stargazing for real!!
dreadful !!!! March 28, 2008
I. Cooke (Hertfordshire)
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
We bought this for our 9 year old who is space mad, and as avid National Geograhic Readers, which is a great magazine, thought it would be a quality product. BIG mistake. It is complete garbage!! As all other reviewers have mentioned the projected image is blurred. Unless that is, a devoted grandmother (as my son's did) stands on a stepladder with the product in her hands!!! STAY AWAY FROM THIS PRODUCT!
Not Fit for the Purpose it is Intended for January 20, 2008
Mrs. C. Julian (United Kingdom)
16 out of 16 found this review helpful
Absolute rip off. Don't buy this. Don't be fooled. National Geographic should be ashamed. Again, same as everyone else. Blurred focus/no focus at all. Totally pointless. Waste of Money.
Embarrassed that I actually fell for such a pile of c**p.
Contacting all companies concerned including consumer protection.
Very Angry.
DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT!!!!!!. IT DOES NOT WORK!!!!!!!!
 Very Disappointing January 6, 2008
Rach C (England)
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
I bought this for 12 in a sale, I don't think this is even worth 10! I tryed it out, but the projected images of the stars/constellations were distorted because the ceiling I was projecting it on to wasn't flat enough. Another big problem is that when you press the button to make the stars spin around, you have to listen to quite a long talk about the stars and the sound is quite fuzzy and quiet.
The only good thing about this is the laser used to point out he constellations and the cd provided with it! Definitely one to avoid.
National Geographic should be embarassed to put their name to this product January 3, 2008
D. Jones (UK)
13 out of 13 found this review helpful
We bought this for Xmas. To be honest it is out of focus and so poor that I can't believe that National Geographic dared put their name to the product. The book that comes with it is rubbish. There isn't one feature worth commending apart from the glitzy box whose advertising duped us into buying it.
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