Planets from Star Wars in real life. What planets are mentioned in the Star Wars films: names, descriptions, interesting facts
On big screens new movie the Star Wars sagas. the site recalls the main locations of action in previous episodes and tells whether the fictional planets have real analogues.
Rogue One was released this week. Star wars: Stories". This is a spin-off of the epic film, telling about what preceded the events of episode IV “A New Hope”. Spoiler (please remove those who have not yet seen the new film from the screens): several more will be added to the countless list of fictional planets in the Star Wars universe - Scarif, Jedha and La'ma. The first named planet is not at all like those deserted cosmic bodies that viewers have become accustomed to - Scarif is covered with tropical forests. It is quite difficult to imagine something like this on other, actually existing planets. But history has repeatedly proven: what once seemed like an absolute fantasy of science fiction writers, one day became reality.
By analyzing data on more than 3,400 confirmed exoplanets, scientists use computer modeling to recreate all possible characteristics of celestial bodies. Some planets turn out to be even more unusual than the creations of the imagination of the author of Star Wars. Other bodies from distant galaxies seem almost the same as in the movie saga.
On Scarif good weather, or It's Raining Again on Camino
Astrobiologist Nancy Kiang, a research fellow at the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, studies hypothetical flora on other planets. If life appeared on Earth in the ocean, then, first of all, we should look for it on other planets. Ocean, similar to that, what exists on Scarif has not yet been discovered on real planets. But amazing information has been obtained about the subglacial oceans on Enceladus and Europa. This is what inspired the launch of a mission in the 2020s to the named moon of Jupiter. Two probes will search for extraterrestrial life forms on Europa.
Kamino, a planet of oceans and continuous rains, a leader in the production and export of clones, presumably corresponds to the super-Earth GJ1214b, orbiting a star in Ophiuchus. Judging by how close the planet is to its star, there are all the conditions for water condensation, and it itself is shrouded in thick water vapor.
Everything is like people
Unlike Scarif, Jedha is a cold, desert planet with long winters. Desert celestial bodies are a favorite setting for science fiction writers: this is Arrakis in Frank Herbert's Dune, and Plyuk in Kin-Dza-Dza! Georgy Danelia. The textbook example of a true desert planet is Mars. According to Kiang's colleague Sean Domagala-Goldman, the love of science fiction writers for desert planets is explained by the fact that the existence of life on them is most possible. “The lack of water on the planet is what could make it more habitable. Water greatly changes the climate, causing some planets to become hot, like Venus, or, on the contrary, very cold, like Europe,” he said.
Another fictional space object most similar to planets solar system, - Bespin, where the famous Cloud City is located. This planet is a gas giant, making it similar to Jupiter.
The most famous space object in the Star Wars universe, the Death Star, also has an analogue. Saturn's satellite Mimas is surprisingly similar in appearance to a black star. It is especially curious that A New Hope was released in 1977, and only then, in the early 1980s, scientists received photographs exact copy Death Stars.
This is your homeland, son
Another desert planet in the Star Wars universe is Tatooine, the small homeland of Luke Skywalker. The peculiarity of Tatooine is that it rotates in the orbit of two stars. Imagine the surprise of astronomers when they discovered a similar thing in the constellation Cygnus celestial body, orbiting a double star. An exoplanet the size of Saturn received official name Kepler-16b. By the way, according to astronomers, in the Milky Way galaxy, about half of the stars have a pair, in contrast to the “loner” Sun.
“This is the first true planetary system where you can see a double sunset of two suns,” says Lawrence Doyle, an astrophysicist at the SETI Institute who discovered the planet using the Kepler telescope. How can one not recall the footage from Episode IV of Star Wars: young Skywalker thoughtfully looks at the setting of two suns.
Observing two suns is not the only thing possible on Kepler-16b. A person who finds himself there will be pursued by two shadows at once, and after a thunderstorm he will see two rainbows in the sky. Each sunset will be different from the previous one because the stars are constantly changing their configuration. The only sad thing is that the exoplanet Kepler-16b is too cold to become the home of another star battle hero. The temperature on it varies from -70°C to -100°C.
Hot and cold
A slightly cooler planet compared to Kepler-16b is Hoth from Episode V of The Empire Strikes Back. All year round The average temperature on the planet of ice and snow is slightly below -40 °C. The name of the real analogue of the fictional planet is longer and less euphonious - OGLE-2005-BLG-390L b. This exoplanet in the constellation Scorpius was discovered in 2006 when a team of astronomers from America and Poland conducted the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE).
To face off in the final battle in Episode III of Revenge of the Sith, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi chose Mustafar, a hotter planet. This is a relatively small space object, a source of a valuable resource - lava. According to astronomers, the exoplanet CoRoT-7b in the constellation Monoceros is most similar to Mustafar. Average temperature on this planet it is approximately 2500°C. On one side of CoRoT-7b, facing the star, an ocean of lava boils, and on the other there is snow from pieces of cooling rocks.
Of. the Star Wars site published an article about the planets of Episode VII authored by Mark Newbold, co-owner of the British site Jedi News. Mark plots the locations of the planets on maps from the Star Wars Atlas and talks about how to get to them and who their neighbors are. Although the Atlas itself does not canonize this, there is not much difference, because Lucasfilm still continues to use this edition.
WHERE ARE THE FORCE AWAKENS PLANETS LOCATED IN THE GALAXY?
Plan a trip from Jakku to Takodana and beyond! The Star Wars galaxy has been expanding since 1977. Back then - when the word "flares" was associated with jeans, not lenses, and birds tweeted, not Twitter users - the Star Wars galaxy included only a handful of worlds: Tatooine, the Death Star, Dantooine, Alderaan and the fourth moon of Yavin. That was all there was to know about the galaxy, but since then it has continually grown, increasing in size with the release of more and more films, comics, novels and television series. Initially, we may not have known exactly where these worlds were located on the map - such a concept did not even exist yet - but, of course, with the help of our imagination we imagined how to get there.
Let's fast forward four decades to 2016. "The Force Awakens" brought with it a whole collection of new places, adding to the huge and detailed map, on which the saga unfolds. These are Jakku, Takodana, Hosnian Prime, D'Kar, the planet of the Starkiller base and other locations of the film, and we, travelers, can now get to know them better. Who are their neighbors? What place do they occupy in the galactic community? There are so many surveys, but there is very little information about these worlds. However, we know exactly where some of them are located. Let's see.
Jaku
Western Frontiers, Inner Ring
Take a look at the galaxy map from The Complete Atlas and compare it to the map on pages 8-9 of The Force Awakens Visual Dictionary. You will see that the lonely and desolate planet of Jakku lies far away in the Western Reach in the Inner Rim. Of course, the absence of other planets on the map does not mean that there are not many other worlds there. Like the Wild West, this area of the galaxy has not yet been properly explored. The pioneers who began to populate the galaxy thousands of years ago moved mainly towards the Outer Rim and to the east. The vast expanses of the Western Frontiers and the Unknown Regions remain precisely unexplored. This is the place where Jakku is located, further away are only Zonama Sekot (to the west) and also Rakata Prime (to the northwest, in the mysterious Unknown Regions). Despite its remoteness, Jakku actually lies closer to the heart of the galaxy than many richer and more prosperous worlds. A relatively short hop through the Colonies into the Core takes you to the trade planet of Abregado Rey and the start of the Rimman Trade Route. Despite this, few people visit Jakku, and very few stay.
Takodana
Tashtor Sector, Western Frontiers, Middle Ring
Moving southeast from Jakku, through the Inner Rim and Expansion region, to the border of the Middle Rim into the Tashtor sector, you will find yourself in Takodana. This forested planet temperate climate located at a busy intersection in the Outer Limits. The path to the northeast leads to the Core Worlds, to the south - to the Outer Rim. Takodana attracts travelers in both directions, so there are many smugglers and independent traders who frequent Maz Kanata's castle. Traveling southwest along the nearby Great Gran Road takes you to Calcedon, the center of the galactic slave trade, and from there a short hop northeast takes you to the jungle planet Noi'kha'on. If you continue along the Great Gran Road, you will find yourself at the Quinyen Junction of the busy Corellian Trade Arc. 
D'Kar
Ilinium System, Outer Rim
From Takodana, turn east. Moving through the Middle Rim along the Corellian Trade Arc, the Rimman Trade Route, and the greatest of all hyperspace routes, the Hydian Route, you will find yourself in the Outer Rim, specifically in the Sanbara sector. Here - if you are a member of the Resistance - you will find the Ilinium system and the planet D'Kar, where the Resistance base is located. D'Kar lies near the Rugosa system, where Toydarians like to vacation, and the Balmorran Way, which crosses the Outer Rim. To the east, in the neighboring Bon'niuw Lak sector, is Arbra, and if you move due north, the road will lead you to the Middle Ring, to the Enark Road and the planet Naboo located next to it. The location of the Resistance base illustrates the political situation in the galaxy at the time of The Force Awakens. In the past, when the Rebel Alliance fought the Galactic Empire, the rebels had to hide either in the jungles of the moon Yavin 4 on the Gordian Frontier, or on the distant ice planet Hoth in Javin Greater. While D'Qar is not a popular address in any particularly busy or densely populated area of the galaxy, it does lie close to major space routes.
Hosnian Prime
Hosnian System, Core Worlds
From D'Kar, head north onto the Corellian or Hydian Routes and follow them through the Middle Rim, Expansion Region, and Inner Rim to Denon. Taking the Corellian Trade Arc will take you to the Core, where you will find the Hosnian System and the planet Hosnian Prime, the current seat of the Republic Senate. This urban world, covered in giant cities, is located in the traditionally prosperous region of the galaxy - the Core. Planets in this region that lie close to the Corellian trade arc, which runs north toward Corellia and Duro, often have large financial and political influence. Having won the right to become the next seat of the Senate, the planet Hosnian Prime figuratively painted a target on its back and went down in history as the most famous and significant victim of the First Order. 
Starkiller Base
Unexplored Regions
From Hosnian Prime, continue along the Corellian Trade Arc to Corellia, follow the Corellian Route to Coruscant, and from there head northwest into the Mid Rim to Ansion. After flying through Wild Space and into the Unknown Regions, you will eventually find Starkiller Base, located near the legendary planet Ilum. This isolated and inhospitable planet was covered by perhaps the most powerful planetary shield ever created. The planet's real name remains unknown, although it should be noted that the Unknown Regions were named so for a reason. Explorers have rarely ventured this far, and most inhabited worlds lie east of Coruscant. By sucking entire suns dry, the Starkiller, true to its name (Starkiller), could fire its stored energy through sub-hyperspace. The First Order was determined to destroy the Republic, and the weapon served its purpose before being destroyed itself. small detachment resistance fighters.
In the film we visit another place. But little is known about him...
Whether you like it or not, there is no doubt that Star Wars has had an immeasurable cultural impact on our society. Producing iconic moments and revolutionizing the sci-fi genre, Star Wars will always be a beloved franchise, even among non-movie goers. George Lucas created beloved and intriguing characters and a phenomenal universe full of... unique planets. Some of them have counterparts that may exist in our own Universe.
While it should be noted that Lucas did not personally write all of the Star Wars novels, comics, games, television shows, and other forms, they are all considered canon. The planets and moons mentioned in the list below all appear in at least one of the six existing Star Wars films and are Lucas's creations, although of course the finer details may have been added by someone else. Either way, it's absolutely amazing that all of these beloved literary and film planets with incredible ecosystems and other features could exist in star systems far, far away.
Kepler-47c: Home of Tatooine's Famous Double Sunsets
Perhaps one of the most iconic scenes from Star Wars: A New Hope, if not the entire franchise, is the awe-inspiring binary sunset on Luke Skywalker's home planet of Tatooine. They always gave goosebumps to film lovers. And the most interesting thing is that such a world can exist, which cannot but please fans.
In 2012, astronomers discovered Kepler-47c, an exoplanet 5,000 light-years away, lying in the all-important potentially habitable zone of the binary star system Kepler-47. Kepler-47c is in an intercomponent orbit that provides Tatooine with stunning views of dual sunsets. An intercomponent orbit means that the planet revolves around two stars, not one, and therefore the planet could not have formed in such an orbit, but simply migrated to it.
Before you start packing your things and lightsabers, you should remember that although Kepler-47c is in the habitable zone, the planet itself is an uninhabited gas giant. Of course, a desert moon may well be orbiting it. Until astronomers take a closer look at the system, let's not lose hope.
Enceladus: Hoth's Twin
Sadly famous battle under Hoth, it cemented The Empire Strikes Back as the favorite film of the vast majority of Star Wars fans. The snowy homeland of the tauntaun may well exist and be closer than you might think. Saturn's icy moon Enceladus exhibits extreme cryovolcanic activity on south pole, which means the eruption of water and gases instead of lava. Cold conditions mean that water falls back to the surface as snow, albeit at an unusually slow rate of about 0.0001 centimeters per year.
However, snowdrifts 100 meters deep were discovered on Enceladus. Due to the moon's extremely low gravity, snow particles form only a few microns across (making them smaller than talc particles), meaning that an unsuspecting AT-AT walking around would easily drown in some of the deepest snowdrifts.
Europe: smaller and younger than Mijito
The frozen planet Mijito holds the body of Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, who was betrayed by his clones and tragically shot dead by CC-1138. You are unlikely to remember this scene. And although the events on Mijito were quite unpleasant, the similarities between this planet and Europa are striking.
The fictional planet Mijito has a cold, barren, icy surface due to a lack of tectonic activity. Jupiter's fourth-largest moon, Europa, may be a younger version of Mijito (though it is a moon, not a planet), with a smooth, icy, cratered surface that suggests geological activity. ( General rule planetology is that the fewer craters on the surface, the younger and more active it should be, since lava hides any craters). Once this young moon cools completely, tectonic activity stops and only ice remains, thus creating a smaller version of Mijito in our own solar system.
Europe is also covered in jagged blades of ice extending up to 10 meters above the surface, making it ideal place for some unimportant battle involving characters that few people care about.
Kepler-86c: the future site for a cloud city
Floating high above the toxic clouds of the gas giant Bespin, the crystal clear Cloud City is hidden securely in a layer of oxygen. There are many gas giants in the Universe, but very few of them are located in the habitable zone of their star. Kepler-86b is one of these few giants.
Obviously, a huge floating city will not appear on its own, so people need to colonize this planet, and this, by the way, is quite possible for a number of reasons. Firstly, it lies within the habitable zone, so people will not freeze or burn if they land on it. Secondly, they can introduce cyanobacteria into the atmosphere. Cyanobacteria obtain energy through the process of photosynthesis, the product of which is oxygen. By the time humans have the technology to reach Kepler-86c, which is more than 1,200 light-years away, it is possible that we will also have the technology to create a floating city in the clouds. Let's hope we have the willpower to resist dark side Strength.
Mars: Geonosis's twin
Battle of Geonosis, the first conflict sad famous war clones from "Episode II: Attack of the Clones" took place on this desert planet. If that name doesn't mean anything to you, this planet is littered with similar Grand Canyon faults caused by raging flash floods, which also gave Geonosis deserts with a reddish glow. Obviously this is Mars.
At about 12,000 kilometers in diameter, Geonosis is almost twice the size of Mars and closer in size to our own planet. However, at least in terms of surface features, Geonosis is almost identical to Earth's second closest neighbor. Both planets have a small amount of water (Mars 2%, Geonosis 5%), are covered in wide deserts (and are desert planets), have erosion on the surface and are called Red Planets. Mars is a smaller version of Geonosis.
Earth: Alderaan 2.0
The home of the beautiful Princess Leia, the peaceful planet of Alderaan, was on screen for only a couple of seconds before it was sadly blown to smithereens famous Star Death. Images of Alderaan's atmospheric clouds over its vast oceans and abundant landmass suggest that there is no planet in the Star Wars universe more like ours than this one. It's possible that George Lucas deliberately used Earth as a base when creating Alderaan, and the details of this planet clearly point to this similarity.
Alderaan's rotation period is 24 hours, its orbital period (year) is 365 days, and the diameter of the planet is 12,500 kilometers. At the same time, there is one moon in the planet’s orbit. With breathable air, generous oceans, lush grasslands, a functioning government and a rich heritage, it is clear that Alderaan is the closest option to Earth. Let's just hope that an evil empire doesn't appear in our solar system anytime soon.
Mimas: Death Star Cosplayer
This is not a space station, it's a moon... and it's hiding in our solar system. Discovered in 1789 by William Herschel, Mimas is Saturn's seventh largest moon, and its huge craters bear an uncanny resemblance to the planet-destroying Death Star. Although the original Death Star was 160 kilometers in diameter, and its successor, Death Star II, was about 900 kilometers across, Mimas fits nicely in the middle, with a diameter of 397 kilometers. A sort of Death Star 1.5.
The first images of Mimas emerged only when Voyagers flew past the tiny moon in 1980, three years after the release of Star Wars, making the moon's resemblance to the Death Star uncanny. Maybe the Force told Lucas about Mimas?
In a strange coincidence, the signature of the Herschel crater (named after the moon's discoverer) almost perfectly matches the focus of the Death Star's superlaser. The Herschel crater is about 140 kilometers across, while the Death Star's superlaser dish is 40 kilometers across. Since the Death Star is 2.5 times smaller than Mimas, the superlaser dish can be increased to 100 kilometers (70% of the Mimas crater), and although this coincidence will not be entirely accurate, by the standards of astronomers it is quite possible.
If Mimas is the Death Star, are we safe? Well, Mimas is 1.2 billion kilometers away, while the Death Star's superlaser has a maximum range of 420 million kilometers. On the other hand, the Star has the ability to move. She is equipped with a Class 4.0 hyperdrive, which allows her to travel hundreds of thousands of light years in a few hours, and the distance to Earth in a matter of seconds. Besides, given the laser's charging time, we won't even have time to respond. Bad news.
The Forests of Endor may well exist
The forest moon of Endor is the famous Ewok sanctuary where the final scenes of the Star Wars saga took place. Armed with furry courage, the feral teddy bears defeated the Galactic Empire by destroying the Death Star's shield generator. Helped the rebels blow up the Death Star for the second time. Although, unfortunately, the existence of Ewoks is highly unlikely, a forested moon may very well be possible.
Not many gas giants have been discovered outside the Solar System that lie within the potentially habitable zone of their star. Although no exomoon has been discovered yet, all of these distant exoplanets likely have at least one moon. Look at our gas giants for example: the list of moons of Saturn and Jupiter includes 120 objects.
The best gaseous candidates that were detected include 47–Ursae Majoris b, HD-28185b, Upsilon Andromedae d, and 55-Cancri f. However, before you start packing your travel bag again, consider that the closest candidate to Endor is 41 light year We have 55-Cancri f, so for now it’s better to get yourself a plush version of the Ewok. It will be less noisy and destructive, but what can you do?
UCF-1.01: another Mustafar
Mustafar was the site of the final battle between Obi-Wan and Anakin. With lava flowing all over its surface, Mustafar may remind you of Jupiter's volcanic moon Io; they are even similar in size. The diameter of Io is 3,600 kilometers, and Mustafar is 4,200 kilometers. However, Io is a moon, not a planet, and there are many other lava planets: Kepler-78b, COROT-7b, Alpha Centauri–Bb and others.
All of the above candidates, by the way, are much larger than Mustafar, so even more best example will be the newly discovered UCF-1.01. UCF-1.01 is twice the diameter of Mustafar (8,400 kilometers) and is 2.7 million kilometers from its parent star (Earth, for example, is 150 million kilometers from the Sun), raising the planet's surface temperature to 540 degrees Celsius. No wonder Anakin was so burned.
The epic duel on Mustafar required 910 special effects artists and 70,441 man-hours of work to create 49 seconds of footage. With such resources on hand, one could go to a lava planet, remove everything on the spot and still have time to breathe some air.
Kepler-22b: Camino twin
Also known as the planet of storms, Kamino's surface is covered by a global ocean that causes severe climate change. But even despite the huge ocean, life feels great in the form of a high-tech and at the same time elegant race of Kaminoans living on seabed. They are also known for advanced cloning techniques, which were later used in Episode II: Attack of the Clones. While the idea of cloning is not so foreign to us humans, nor is the concept of an evil, corrupt political empire, the water world of Kamno may also exist in reality.
There are many recently discovered planets that are considered water planets: Kepler-62e, GJ-1214b, 55–Cancri Ae, but Kepler-22b is an ideal candidate for Camino. Although they are slightly different in size (Kepler-22b is 33% larger than Camino), both planets are covered by vast oceans and are in the habitable zone of their star. To confirm the existence of Kamino, we will need a telescope powerful enough to detect a civilized race 600 light years from Earth. Time will pass, before we acquire such powerful telescopes and learn to overcome such great distances, however, there is always hope that the Kaminoans will visit us sooner.
In filming the cult epic fantasy saga "Star Wars", George Lucas created not only the most interesting characters, but also a phenomenally developed universe, complete unusual planets. However, some planets from Star Wars, according to scientists, have real doubles in our universe.
1. Kepler-47c: Home of Tatooine's Double Sunsets
Perhaps one of the most iconic scenes from Star Wars: A New Hope is the awe-inspiring double sunset on Tatooine, Luke Skywalker's home planet. This scene gives goosebumps to all movie buffs. It turns out that such a world can actually exist. In 2012, astronomers discovered Kepler-47c, an exoplanet nearly 5,000 light-years from Earth. This planet is within the "habitable zone" of the binary star system Kepler-47, and given its orbit between two stars, it could have beautiful double Tatooine sunsets. Unfortunately, despite its location in the "habitable zone", Kepler-47c is assumed to be an uninhabitable gas giant.
2. Enceladus: Hoth's Twin
The Battle of Hoth is an iconic scene from The Empire Strikes Back. This snowy tauntaun habitat may very well exist and may be a lot closer than everyone thinks. Saturn's icy moon Enceladus is rife with cryovolcanic activity at its south pole. This means that on Enceladus, during eruptions, it is not lava that breaks through to the surface, but water. Given the bitter cold on the moon's surface, water freezes and falls back to the surface as snow at an incredibly slow rate of 0.0001 cm per year.
3. Europe: Mygeeto's little brother
The frozen planet Mygeeto, a wealthy industrial colony, is the grave of Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, who was betrayed by his clones and shot to death by CC-1138. The similarities between Europe and this frozen world are truly striking. The fictional planet Mygeeto has a cold, barren, icy surface due to a lack of tectonic activity for many years. Jupiter's fourth largest moon Europa may be younger brother Mygeeto (although it is a satellite and not a planet), since it also has a smooth, icy surface.
4. Kepler-86c: the future location of Cloud City
Floating high above the toxic clouds of the gas giant Bespin (at an altitude of approximately 60 km), the crystal clear Cloud City was located in atmospheric layer oxygen. There are many gas giants in the Universe, but only a few of them are located in the habitable zone of their star. Kepler-86b is one of the few such planets. Obviously, a huge flying city will not appear on its own, people first need to colonize this planet, and this is worth doing with Kepler-86c for a number of reasons. First of all, this planet lies within the habitable zone, and therefore people do not risk instantly freezing or burning there. Secondly, cyanobacteria can be introduced into the planet’s atmosphere, which receive energy from photosynthesis and release a byproduct - oxygen. By the time humans have the technology to fly to Kepler-86C, which is located more than 1,200 light-years from Earth, it is possible that the technology will exist to build a flying metropolis on a distant planet.
5. Mars: Twin of Geonosis
The battle on the desert planet Geonosis, the first conflict of the Clone Wars, was featured in Episode II: Attack of the Clones. The planet was notable for its huge canyons and sandstorms. Doesn't it sound like Mars? Although it is worth saying that the diameter of Geonosis was 11,370 km, which is almost twice the diameter of Mars and much closer in size to Earth. However, in terms of surface features, Geonosis is almost a twin of Earth's neighbor. Both planets have minimal amounts of water (Mars 2 percent and Geonosis 5 percent) and their surfaces are vast deserts.
6. Earth: Alderaan
Home to the beautiful Princess Leia, the peaceful planet Alderaan was shown on screen for just a few seconds before it was blown to smithereens by the notorious Death Star. Alderaan with his atmospheric clouds, huge oceans and continents is practically a copy of the Earth.
7. Mimas: Death Star
This is not a space station, this is the moon. And it's hiding in our own solar system. Discovered in 1789 by William Herschel, Mimas is Saturn's seventh largest moon and, due to its massive crater, bears an uncanny resemblance to the Death Star. The first Death Star was 160 kilometers in diameter, and its successor, which began to be built, Death Star II, was already 900 kilometers in diameter. The diameter of Mimas is 397 kilometers. The first photographs of Mimas emerged when Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 orbited the tiny moon in 1980, three years after Star Wars was released, making the resemblance between the moon and the Death Star even more incredible.
8. Endor Could Exist
The forested moon of Endor is home to the Ewoks, small, furry creatures who helped defeat the Galactic Empire by destroying the Death Star's shield generator. Similar forested satellites may well exist. Outside our solar system, very few gas giants have been discovered that lie in the habitable zone of their star. Although current equipment cannot detect moons, it is likely that all of these distant exoplanets have at least one moon. The most likely candidates for such a planet were found in the systems 47 Ursa Major (planet b), HD-28185b, Upsilon Andromeda (planet d) and 55 Cancer (planet e).
9. UCF-1.01: another Mustafar
Mustafar was the site of the final battle between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker (the future Darth Vader). The lava streams that flow across the surface of Mustafar may be reminiscent of Io, the volcanic moon of Jupiter. Io has a diameter of 3,600 kilometers, while Mustafar is 4,200 kilometers across. There are also numerous examples of discovered lava planets, notably Kepler-78b, COROT-7b and Alpha Centauri-BB. All of these candidates, however, are much larger than Mustafar, making the recently discovered UCF-1.01 a perfect match. The diameter of UCF-1.01 is only 2 times larger than Mustafar (8400 kilometers), and it is located 2.7 million kilometers from its parent star (for reference, the Earth is 150 million kilometers from the Sun), which is why the temperature on the surface of this The lava planet is an insane 540 degrees Celsius.
10. Kepler-22b: Camino twin
The entire surface of Kamino, also known as the Planet of Storms, is covered by an ocean that has flooded the continents due to global climate change. Despite the vast ocean that covers the entire planet, it is home to a technologically advanced, sophisticated race of Kaminoans who live in pod dwellings above the raging waves. The Kaminoans are known for their advanced cloning techniques, which were later used in Episode II: Attack of the Clones. There are numerous recently discovered planets, which are assumed to be water planets, such as Kepler-62E, GJ-1214b and 55-Cancri Ae, but Kepler-22b is an ideal candidate to be Camino's twin. Although they differ in size (Kepler-22b is a third larger than Camino), both planets are completely covered in ocean, and both lie in the habitable zone of their parent star.
Science fiction writers are often called demiurges - creators of worlds. But do they have the moral right to do this? Of course, over the century of SF’s existence, more than one or two thousand “original and unique” worlds have been invented - however, in reality, most of them turn out to be banal clones of Mother Earth with minor changes. Particularly resourceful authors follow the second, even easier path - borrowing worlds from ancient mythology (this is what, for example, the respected Terry Pratchett did with his Discworld). But truly original and unique SF “scenery” rarely appears - nevertheless, they often live and develop completely independently of the work that gave birth to them.
The Star Wars universe, painstakingly created by George Lucas, can be attributed to this “elite” category. The planets familiar to us from the silver screen received a second life in computer, board and video games, on the pages of books and comics. Here - in the so-called Expanded Universe - we first became acquainted with many other worlds, often no less interesting than those shown in the films.
Galactic coordinates
The answer to the question of where all this wealth is located, at first glance, is simple: in one far, far away galaxy. But every explored galaxy must be divided into something, otherwise it’s easy to get confused in it. In Star Wars, the structure of the universe is made up of conventional concentric rings.
At the very center of the galaxy is its core - a place almost unsuitable for life due to the enormous concentration of stars and their instability. However, after the fall of the Galactic Empire, it was here that the armies and fleets that had not been killed by the rebels were hiding.
Around the core are located Core Worlds, or worlds Inner Ring- the cradle of human and not only civilization. The colonization of the galaxy began from here; the governing bodies of the Empire and both Republics - Old and New - were located here.
Between Internal And Middle Rings the so-called Region of Expansion- a close cluster of planets and systems favorable for life, which fell victim to the first millennia of active colonization of space.
Finally, on the very outskirts of space are the worlds Outer Rim. Due to their remoteness from the main trade routes, these territories are practically isolated - many residents of the Center do not even suspect their existence, and the Outer Worlders reciprocate their feelings. It is not surprising that it was here that the rebels began their activities - as well as numerous smugglers, hired killers, pirates and others interesting personalities.
There are also small territorial units: sectors, clusters. For example, Hutt Space completely controlled by the Hutt crime bosses. Corporate sector- an area of free enterprise from thousands of star systems with its own government. Hapan Cluster also has state sovereignty. A huge piece of the galaxy bears a proud name Unexplored Regions- for a completely understandable reason.
Tatooine
Most famous planet movie series, Tatooine orbits a double star in the Outer Rim. It is obvious that this planet was inspired by the Dune saga. Here you have the Fremen - j A You With Tusken Raiders, and sandworms - Great Sarlacc from Return of the Jedi. Tatooine is a typical sand planet: a constant lack of moisture, official authorities and the “sand mafia” turning a blind eye to everything.
There are only two native intelligent species on Tatooine. Jawas are small, foul-smelling humanoids, possibly of inorganic origin, who scavenge the desert for lost droids, crashed starships, and other debris. They wear long brown mantles with large hoods, from under which only their brightly sparkling eyes are visible. Tuskens are the complete opposite of the peace-loving Jawas. Suffice it to say that they got their name after the brutal massacre at the fort of the Tusken colonists, accidentally built on the “holy land” of these thugs. Tusken Raiders primarily live by slave trading and plunder.
There are few cities on the planet: the majority of the population lives on moisture-producing farms scattered across the desert. The largest spaceport, Mos Eisley, is an attractive place for all sorts of criminals, smugglers and scammers. Until the Sixth Episode, the main boss of all the dark affairs of the planet was the gangster Jabba the Hutt. With his light hand, the famous car races flourished on Tatooine, one of the winners of which was little Anakin Skywalker.
Naboo
A planet with a temperate subtropical climate in the system of the same name, which is located on the border of the Outer Rim. There is only one indigenous intelligent species here - the amphibious Gungans.
The most interesting feature of Naboo is the absence of a core in the usual sense of the word. The interior of the planet is corroded by caves and filled with water. As we could see in “ The Phantom Threat”, the voids at the core of Naboo are inhabited by huge and extremely dangerous monsters.
But on the surface, Naboo is a surprisingly peaceful planet, so the people who colonized it are, for the most part, extreme pacifists. Despite their high education, the Naboo are somewhat naive and consider their pleasant life given to them by birthright. They are almost unable to defend themselves from external aggression.
The Naboo people established an elective monarchy and developed science and art. The planet became a respected member of the Republic, and its leaders became widely known. It was Naboo that became the target of the Trade Federation's aggression. Several large-scale battles took place on the surface of the planet and above it, the last of which was brilliantly completed by the young pilot Anakin Skywalker.
Coruscant
This planet is designated on galactic maps as coordinate zero, the reference point. Government bodies of both Republics and the Empire have long been located here, as well as the Jedi Temple. The construction of Coruscant began at the dawn of the Old Republic, and since then the gigantic city has grown across the entire surface of the planet - both in breadth and height and depth. The seas and oceans of Coruscant have long since dried up, and the inhabitants extract water from the planet's ice caps.
Many Star Wars fans consider Coruscant a warning to humanity. Bogged down in the endless race of technology and stepping on the throat of nature, people can turn the Earth into a semblance of Coruscant, where even the sky is crowded with traffic, and residents are forced to wear special raincoats and helmets to protect themselves from pollution.
After Palpatine's death, Coruscant was ruled by rulers trying to stop the destruction of the Empire. However, the New Republic soon realized that to rule Coruscant was to rule the galaxy, and through devastating wars it eventually took control of the planet.
Hot
The icy planet Hoth is located in the Outer Rim near the asteroid belt of the same name. The fauna of Hoth is limited to only a few species, including the wild snow monsters Wampas and the docile riding Tontons. The dangers of Hoth don't stop there low temperatures: the surface of the planet is regularly shaken meteor showers. Despite these troubles, or perhaps because of them, the Rebel Alliance chose Hoth as the site of their Echo base. Constructed over two years in a giant ice cave, it consisted of seven levels and housed most of the rebel forces. During the Battle of Hoth, Echo Base was destroyed by Imperial forces.
Endor and Kashyyyk
Initially, the planets Endor and Kashyyyk were one world. In the original version of the Sixth Episode, the Wookiee tribes were supposed to rebel against the Empire - and then, for unknown reasons, Lucas remade them into cute “bear cubs”. But there is still a lot in common between the two planets.
Kashyyyk- a planet in the Mid Rim, covered with jungle and tall trees wroshir. Hordes of dangerous predators lurk at the roots of the trees, while furry humanoid Wookiees inhabit the upper tiers. Their cities are vast complexes built on the branches and trunks of wroshir trees. In these settlements there are spaceports, hotels, cantinas... One of these cities, Rvookrrorro, stretches for a whole kilometer.
Endor is a silvery gas giant located in the remote Moddell sector (Outer Rim). Endor has nine moons, the largest of which is the Sacred Moon (or simply Endor), a planet with lush vegetation. The Endor system is difficult to reach because it is poorly explored and the gas giant casts a powerful gravitational shadow. Due to the isolation of Endor, the Empire chose its orbit to build the second Death Star.
The Sanctuary Moon is home to a wide variety of animals, from the gentle Endorian ponies to the vicious boar-wolves. The most common intelligent species of Endor is the semi-wild “winnipooh” Ewoks. It was the Forbidden Moon that became the scene of the final battle of the saga.
Yavin 4
The fourth moon of the gas giant planet Yavin in the Outer Rim. Best known as a base for the Rebels during their fight against the first Death Star and the location of Luke Skywalker's Jedi Academy.
Yavin 4 is a hot tropical world. The planet has wet and dry seasons, and violent hurricanes sweep across the surface every few months. At times, unique rainbow storms are observed when the sun rises behind the gas giant Yavin and light is refracted by ice crystals high in the atmosphere. Jungle life is varied, from semi-intelligent woolamanders to slimy salamanders and purple jumping spiders.
Closely connected to Yavin is the story of a Sith lord named Neiga Sadow. During the Old Republic, he fled here with his followers to practice dark alchemy in peace. The result of Sadow's experiments were numerous monsters that more than once disturbed the peace of the Jedi Academy.
Camino
It also always rains on the Camino. |
Undoubtedly, water-covered Kamino is one of the most stylish Star Wars planets. She appears to the viewer’s gaze only in “Attack of the Clones.” High above the raging waves, gray cities hang lonely on huge stilts. The end of the Ice Age, when Kamino turned into one continuous ocean, became a turning point for its inhabitants. On the brink of extinction, the Kaminoans perfected cloning technology and took control of reproduction. The constant fear of death has made the Kamino people a race of ascetics for whom perfection lies in simplicity. Outwardly polite, the inhabitants of this planet do not tolerate imperfection: they see it as a threat to the ideal gene pool.
For a very long time, the Republic knew almost nothing about this planet: the information was deleted from the archives by an attacker. And the Kaminoans themselves were least likely to seek external contacts.
Bespin
Due to its unique structure, Bespin in the Outer Rim is one of the few gas giants that supports life. At the center of the planet is a solid metal core covered with a thick layer of molten metal. The layer of multi-colored clouds is about a thousand kilometers high. Inside it there is a Life Zone - a thirty-kilometer layer of air suitable for breathing. There are entire colonies of floating algae here, as well as many species of living creatures.
Although construction in Bespin's atmosphere is extremely difficult and dangerous, several floating colonies have been built here to extract tibanna gas, which is widely used in cooling systems. The main attraction of Bespin is the grandiose Cloud City, a giant metropolis in literally soaring in the skies.
| Creating a distant galaxy |
To Lucas' visual effects team - Industrial Light & Magic- I had to work hard to reproduce on the screen a string of “Star Wars” worlds. Of course, technological progress did not stand still, and the scenery of the Original Trilogy was completely different than in the prequels. Tatooine from Episodes Four and Six was filmed in the deserts of Tunisia. There was no need to build large-scale sets, but the heat and ubiquitous sand really spoiled the nerves of the film crew. The actors and staff were able to take a break from the heat in snowy Norway, where the landscapes of cold Hoth were captured. Yavin 4 was lucky enough to be filmed in the jungles of Guatemala, in national park"Tikal". The ancient Mayan ruins acted as abandoned Sith temples. To film views of Endor from space, many drawings were created, as well as a hemispherical model. The forests of the Reserve Moon were filmed in the vicinity of California's Crescent City, on the shore Pacific Ocean. The role of the Cloud City on Bespin was played by models and many drawings on glass, and impressive decorations were built for the interior. During filming, they were kept pristinely clean: special pads were attached to the soles of the shoes of actors and staff. Many types of planets were modified in a special edition of the Original Trilogy. In particular, scenes of celebrations on the occasion of the fall of the Empire appeared here, for example, on Coruscant. Sad Kamino is the only planet in the saga created entirely on a computer. All other prequel worlds (new Tatooine, Naboo, Geonosis) were created using foam models, miniatures and digital graphics. Set designer Ralph McQuarrie worked on the appearance of almost all the Star Wars planets. It is to him that we owe the stunning splendor of Coruscant, Cloud City, Hoth, Endor - and the lion's share of the visuals of the space saga. |
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The Star Wars universe is limitless. In its vastness you can find hundreds and thousands of unique planets - worlds that were created by real demiurges. I would like to recall the words of the “father of Half-Life” Gabe Newell, who suggested that aliens really exist. It’s just that they have long known the boundlessness of the fictional universe - and they are exploring it, because it is much more interesting than real life.
Something similar is happening here... A universe in which you can immerse yourself ad infinitum, where you can live lives over and over again - and they will never be repeated.
See you in outer space!