diff --git a/openpilot/starpilot/galaxy/tests/test_ambient_stars.mjs b/openpilot/starpilot/galaxy/tests/test_ambient_stars.mjs
index 17baef574a..79bcb49cd2 100644
--- a/openpilot/starpilot/galaxy/tests/test_ambient_stars.mjs
+++ b/openpilot/starpilot/galaxy/tests/test_ambient_stars.mjs
@@ -1,19 +1,40 @@
 import assert from "node:assert/strict"
+import { readFile } from "node:fs/promises"
 import { test } from "node:test"
 import { spawnAmbientStars } from "../web/js/ambient-stars.js"
 
-test("ambient stars populate the decorative layer once without changing app content", () => {
+test("ambient stars populate one lightweight texture per star", () => {
   const children = []
   const background = {
-    ownerDocument: { createElement: (tag) => ({ tag, style: {} }) },
+    ownerDocument: { createElement: (tag) => {
+      const style = {}
+      Object.defineProperty(style, "setProperty", { value: (name, value) => { style[name] = value } })
+      return { tag, style }
+    } },
     querySelector: () => children.find((child) => child.className === "galaxy-hero") || null,
     appendChild: (child) => children.push(child),
   }
   assert.equal(spawnAmbientStars(background, () => 0.5), 14)
   assert.equal(children.length, 14)
   assert.deepEqual(children[0], { tag: "i", className: "galaxy-hero",
-    style: { left: "50.00%", top: "50.00%", animationDelay: "2.00s", width: "2px", height: "2px" } })
+    style: { left: "50.00%", top: "50.00%", animationDelay: "2.00s", "--galaxy-star-core": "2px" } })
   assert.equal(spawnAmbientStars(background, () => 0), 0)
   assert.equal(children.length, 14)
   assert.equal(spawnAmbientStars(null), 0)
 })
+test("ambient stars use a stable texture without promoting the static backdrop", async () => {
+  const css = await readFile(new URL("../web/css/galaxy.css", import.meta.url), "utf8")
+  const backdrop = css.slice(css.indexOf("#galaxy-bg {"), css.indexOf("#galaxy-bg::before"))
+  const starField = css.slice(css.indexOf("#galaxy-bg::before"), css.indexOf("#galaxy-bg .galaxy-hero"))
+  const star = css.slice(css.indexOf("#galaxy-bg .galaxy-hero {"), css.indexOf("@keyframes galaxy-twinkle"))
+
+  assert.doesNotMatch(backdrop, /will-change|translateZ/)
+  assert.match(starField, /inset: 0/)
+  assert.doesNotMatch(starField, /height:\s*200%/)
+  assert.match(star, /radial-gradient/)
+  assert.doesNotMatch(star, /box-shadow/)
+  assert.match(css, /rotateZ\(0\.05deg\) scale\(0\.9\)/)
+  assert.match(css, /rotateZ\(0\.05deg\) scale\(1\.2\)/)
+  assert.match(css, /body:has\([^)]*\.gx-route-workspace[^)]*\) #galaxy-bg \.galaxy-hero\s*{\s*display: none;/)
+  assert.doesNotMatch(css, /animation-play-state/)
+})
diff --git a/openpilot/starpilot/galaxy/web/css/galaxy.css b/openpilot/starpilot/galaxy/web/css/galaxy.css
index 50342282f4..01b235bcd1 100644
--- a/openpilot/starpilot/galaxy/web/css/galaxy.css
+++ b/openpilot/starpilot/galaxy/web/css/galaxy.css
@@ -105,7 +105,6 @@
 
   --content-width: 1200px;
     --panel-padding: var(--sp-5);
-  --gx-para-x: 0px;
 }
 
 [data-theme="light"] {
@@ -222,16 +221,18 @@ body {
     radial-gradient(ellipse at 85% 75%, rgba(85, 45, 180, 0.18) 0%, transparent 60%),
     radial-gradient(circle at 75% 15%, rgba(77, 232, 232, 0.12) 0%, transparent 48%);
   pointer-events: none;
-  transform: translateZ(0);
-  will-change: transform;
   isolation: isolate;
   contain: strict;
 }
 
-#galaxy-bg::before {
+#galaxy-bg::before,
+#galaxy-bg::after {
   content: "";
   position: absolute;
-  top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 200%;
+  inset: 0;
+}
+
+#galaxy-bg::before {
   background-image:
     radial-gradient(1px 1px at 30px 40px, #ffffff, rgba(255,255,255,0)),
     radial-gradient(1px 1px at 110px 220px, rgba(220, 200, 255, 0.8), rgba(255,255,255,0)),
@@ -242,14 +243,9 @@ body {
     radial-gradient(1px 1px at 890px 180px, #ffffff, rgba(255,255,255,0));
   background-size: 800px 400px;
   opacity: 0.5;
-  will-change: transform;
-  transform: translate3d(var(--gx-para-x), 0, 0);
 }
 
 #galaxy-bg::after {
-  content: "";
-  position: absolute;
-  top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 200%;
   background-image:
     radial-gradient(1.5px 1.5px at 80px 140px, #ffffff, rgba(255,255,255,0)),
     radial-gradient(2px 2px at 240px 390px, rgba(190, 235, 255, 0.9), rgba(255,255,255,0)),
@@ -258,29 +254,29 @@ body {
     radial-gradient(1.5px 1.5px at 730px 220px, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9), rgba(255,255,255,0));
   background-size: 900px 450px;
   opacity: 0.6;
-  will-change: transform;
-  transform: translate3d(var(--gx-para-x), 0, 0);
 }
 
 #galaxy-bg .galaxy-hero {
   position: absolute;
-  width: 3px;
-  height: 3px;
+  width: 8px;
+  height: 8px;
+  margin: calc((var(--galaxy-star-core) - 8px) / 2);
   border-radius: 50%;
-  background: #ffffff;
-  box-shadow: 0 0 6px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9);
+  background: radial-gradient(circle,
+    #fff 0 calc(var(--galaxy-star-core) / 2),
+    rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.15) calc(var(--galaxy-star-core) / 2 + 0.3px),
+    rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.04) calc(var(--galaxy-star-core) / 2 + 1.5px),
+    transparent 4px);
   animation: galaxy-twinkle 6s ease-in-out infinite alternate;
 }
 
 @keyframes galaxy-twinkle {
-  0%, 100% { opacity: 0.3; transform: scale(0.9); }
-  50% { opacity: 1; transform: scale(1.2); }
+  0%, 100% { opacity: 0.3; transform: rotateZ(0.05deg) scale(0.9); }
+  50% { opacity: 1; transform: rotateZ(0.05deg) scale(1.2); }
 }
 
 @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
-  #galaxy-bg, #galaxy-bg::before, #galaxy-bg::after, #galaxy-bg .galaxy-hero {
-    animation: none !important;
-  }
+  #galaxy-bg .galaxy-hero { animation: none !important; }
 }
 
 /* Keep decorative animation out of route viewers, modal backdrops and drawer content. */
diff --git a/openpilot/starpilot/galaxy/web/js/ambient-stars.js b/openpilot/starpilot/galaxy/web/js/ambient-stars.js
index 044d4e5964..2e7d1cecdd 100644
--- a/openpilot/starpilot/galaxy/web/js/ambient-stars.js
+++ b/openpilot/starpilot/galaxy/web/js/ambient-stars.js
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
+const STAR_COUNT = 14
+
 export function spawnAmbientStars(background, random = Math.random) {
   if (!background || background.querySelector(".galaxy-hero")) return 0
-  for (let index = 0; index < 14; index++) {
+  for (let index = 0; index < STAR_COUNT; index++) {
     const star = background.ownerDocument.createElement("i")
     star.className = "galaxy-hero"
     star.style.left = `${(random() * 100).toFixed(2)}%`
     star.style.top = `${(random() * 100).toFixed(2)}%`
     star.style.animationDelay = `${(random() * 4).toFixed(2)}s`
-    star.style.width = star.style.height = random() > 0.6 ? "3px" : "2px"
+    star.style.setProperty("--galaxy-star-core", random() > 0.6 ? "3px" : "2px")
     background.appendChild(star)
   }
-  return 14
+  return STAR_COUNT
 }