The fictional galaxy where the setting of the Star Wars saga occurs is known simply as the Star Wars galaxy while in the canon it is referred as the Galaxy or the Known Galaxy. Fans refer to it as the Galaxy Far Far AwayorGFFA for short. Judging from the maps, it appears to be a galaxy of Sb type. According to some sources the length of the galaxy is 120,000 light years across.[citation needed]
There are approximately 400 billion stars and around half of these have planets that can support life. 10% of those developed life, while sentient life developed in 1/1000 of those.[citation needed]
The Galaxy is divided concerning the type of life it holds and the distance from the core.
The Deep Core is at the center of the galaxy, even closer than the Core Worlds like Coruscant and Alderaan.
It has countless stars packed together in a relatively small area, so hyperspace travel is slow and dangerous. The intense radiation and relatively young stars mean that it has very few habitable worlds compared to the rest of the galaxy. After the Battle of Endor, Imperial forces loyal to the resurrected Emperor Palpatine fortified the Deep Core as a bastion of Imperial might.
The few known worlds of the Deep Core include Byss, Khomm, Ruan, and the Empress Teta system. The Koornacht Cluster is one particularly dense area of stars, located at the edge of the Deep Core bordering on the Core Worlds, and contains numerous planets including N'Zoth, the homeworld of the Yevetha. The moon Ebaq 9 was the setting for a major battle during the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, resulting in a New Republic victory following the successful execution of a trap for the Yuuzhan Vong.
The Core Worlds are the known worlds, or planetary systems, that are near the core of the Star Wars galaxy. The core worlds are the richest, most populated worlds in the Star Wars Galaxy, and it was the Core Worlds that first formed the Old Republic. Coruscant is by far the most important of the Core worlds and is the source of the first humans. However, there are numerous other worlds which can be found in this dense region of the galaxy. The Core can be divided into three regions: The Deep Core, the Core Proper and the Colonies (sometimes considered a separate region). The Deep Core is the location of the Koornacht Cluster, Byss, Ebaq and countless other worlds; so many, in fact, that hyperspace travel through the Core is tedious and even treacherous. It was to Byss that the dis-embodied consciousness of Emperor Palpatine fled to in the years following his death at the Battle of Endor.
The Core Worlds contain millions of systems, including Coruscant, Alderaan, Corellia, Chandrila, Kuat, Nubia, Duro, and Ciutric. Less dense than the Deep Core, the Core Worlds are the center of commerce and society in the galaxy as they lie on the intersection of the many great hyperspace lanes. The Colonies include Commenor, Cato Neimoidia, and Bilbringi, as well as numerous other worlds which have served as stage for the great Galactic Civil War in the fight between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance.
The Colonies were some of the first planets settled outside the Core Worlds by the Republic, especially the region known as "The Slice", defined by the edges of the Perlemian Trade Route and the Corellian Run. There were also Worlds in the Colonies that were founding members of the Republic. After 25,000 years, the worlds are almost as influential as the Core, being just as industrialized and with firmly established cultures, with many worlds supporting vast shipyard complexes. Important manufacturing planets are Fondor, where the Super Star Destroyer Executor was built, and Balmorra, a major TIE producer. Arkania is home to the Arkanians, a near Human species skilled at genetics and cybernetics. Mrlsst, home of the Mrlssi, is a famous university world also located in the Colonies. Many of Kuat Drive Yards' factory worlds are located here, as are the Neimoidian purse worlds, Neimoidia, Cato Neimoidia, Deku Neimoidia, and Koru Neimoidia.
During the Galactic Civil War, the Empire ruthlessly controlled the region. After the death of Emperor Palpatine, the region was eventually liberated by the New Republic.
The Inner Rim is the section of the galaxy between the Colonies and the Expansion Region. Some planets in this galactic ring include Rendili and Omar. There is no reason given as to why the Inner Rim comes prior to the Expansion Region. During the growth of the Republic, the Inner Rim was colonized after the Colonies region, and was then known simply as "The Rim". Later, the Expansion Region was opened up to colonization. A sudden boom after this led to the establishment of two more regions, the Mid Rim and Outer Rim, and saw the "Rim" renamed as the Inner Rim.
The Expansion Region is precisely what it sounds like; it is territory colonized during a sudden expansion from the Inner Rim territories. During most of the Old Republic, it was considered a vast field of raw materials. The Empire treated the Expansion Region as an area to obtain slaves, and strip-mined the entire belt of worlds. Mandalore, Nkllon, and Kalarba are planets located within this region.
The Mid Rim is a galactic ring located between the Outer Rim and Inner Rim/Expansion Regions. On the border of the division lies Nam Chorios and the Meridian Sector. Other planets in the area include Naboo, Ithor, and Ord Mantell. Not long after the Battle of Endor, most of it was seized by the Imperial warlord Admiral Teradoc.
The Outer Rim Territories is the outermost part of the explored portion of the Star Wars galaxy. During the long period of the Galactic Republic, the Outer Rims were very isolated, this is due to many uncharted regions and planets, untouched for countless centuries. Because of this isolation from other worlds, it became a breeding ground for criminals and scum. Seen in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, the Galactic Empire's presence is made known in the area. This region was free of Imperial control, though this usually meant criminal lords like Jabba the Hutt had free reign. Outer Rim worlds include Dantooine, Tatooine, Yavin, Hoth, Endor, Bakura, and many others. The Death Star was created to rein in the Outer Rim, as was Grand Moff Tarkin's jurisdiction.
Wild Space is on the frontier of the known galaxy, and is the blurred edge separating civilization from the Unknown Regions. Planets in this region lie so far from the galactic centers of power that they are virtually ignored. Very few people have ventured into Wild Space and into the Unknown Regions. Technically speaking, Wild Space extends beyond the galaxy in some areas. Outbound Flight, a Jedi project to explore realms beyond the known galaxy, crossed through Wild Space en route to the Unknown Regions.
The Unknown Regions lie beyond the region known as Wild Space. They are uncharted by any of the known galactic powers.
After the Mandalorian War Revan and Malak led a fifth of the Republic fleet, claiming to be searching for more Mandalorians, into this region. It should be noted that these regions were considered unknown at the time, but were later included in the outer rim because the "unknown" regions is only uncharted regions for the given time. The fleet vanished for months and was presumed lost. Later the fleet returned with ships of alien design and started attacking the Republic. This lead to the start of the Jedi Civil War. After the Jedi Civil War, Revan left into these unknown regions again and has not returned since. It is rumored he went to fight the true Sith. Little is known of where he went or when Revan will return, but many are waiting. The Jedi Exile went to the Unknown Regions 5 years later to help Revan with this task. The fate of the two Jedi remains unknown, though Jedi Master Kreia remarked that the "true Sith" lay in this area, and were presumably hostile to the rest of the galaxy at the time.
Csilla, home to the Chiss, is one of the only known inhabited planets in the Unknown Regions. The Chiss Grand Admiral, Thrawn, was tasked by Emperor Palpatine to lead a pacification mission into the Unknown Regions, a duty that Thrawn carried out until five years after the Emperor's death. Furthermore, the ancient insectoid Killik race inhabits this region of space; their territory borders Chiss space. Rakata Prime, the Rakatan homeworld, is also located in the Unknown Regions. Another species that seems to live in the Unknown Regions are the Vagaari.
In the New Jedi Order book series, the living planet of Zonama Sekot flees into the Unknown Regions after being attacked by the "far outsiders" (Yuuzhan Vong). The Jedi find record of the planet's travels after extensive searching, and the Jedi Luke Skywalker leads a team of other Jedi to search for the world in the Unknown Regions; record shows it repelled the Yuuzhan Vong in the past and the Jedi now seek a new ally to help once again thwart the invading Yuuzhang Vong. They eventually are successful and persuade the living planet to attempt a hazardous return to known space.
As of the Emperor's New Order, a constellation of 50 or more planetary systems is defined as a Sector. Sectors of Note include (followed by a notable system or planet):
Also see Sectors of Star Wars and Systems of Star Wars
Other minor political areas include:
Bothan Space — A region between the Mid Rim and Outer Rim, which is home to the Bothan race. The capital of Bothan Space is Bothawui. The Caamas incident, involving the genocide of the planet Caamas, took place in this region.
Hutt Space — A region in the Outer Rim Territories, which is controlled by criminal gangsters known as the Hutts. It was subjugated by the Yuuzhan Vong during their invasion after the Hutts attempted to double cross them. The space is comprised of planets such as Nal Hutta and Ylesia. The Y'toub system is the location of both Nal Hutta, and the Smuggler's Moon, Nar Shaddaa. It is surrounded by the planets Bimmisaari, Kubindi, Kessel, Honoghr, Barabi and Gamorr. The Tion Cluster is the right and Bothan Space to the left.
Corporate Sector Authority — The government of a free enterprise fiefdom known as the Corporate Sector that was formed in 490 BBY to free the Republic lawmakers and the Corporate moneymakers from their differences. During the height of Emperor Palpatine's rule of the galaxy, the Corporate Sector Authority comprised of 30,000 star systems. Shortly after the battle of Hoth, the Corperate Sector found it profitable to develop technologies for the Rebel Alliance. At a research space station called Pondunt Corperate Sector scientists created the Mag Pulse warhead. This warhead could temporarily nutralize the weapon systems on an enemy ship. They then handed the Mag Pulse over to the Rebels, who in turn used it in a raid at an Imperial Research space station. A Rebel B-Wing carring the warhead was captured in the fight. An analysis of the Mag Pulse traced its orgins to the Corperate Sector. Emperor Palpatine dispatched Grand Admiral Zaarin to capture the research station Pondunt to seize the Mag Pulse schematics and teach the Corperate Sector a lesson. The Imperial raid was a success, and afterwards relations between the Corperate Sector and the Galactic Empire were at an all time low. During the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, the Corporate Sector isolated itself from the Galaxy.
Tion Hegemony — Also known as the Ancient and Honorable Union of the Tion Hegemony, this sector of the Tion Cluster is a collection of 27 star systems. It is far from the Core Worlds, but embraces some of the oldest and most ancient human civilizations in the galaxy. As time went on, the Hegemony lost power, but the it remained the breadbasket of the Tion, providing foodstuffs for all three of the Tion's sectors.
Cronese Mandate — A small government within the galaxy.
Hapes Consortium — An female-dominated alliance of sixty-three worlds. It originated as a base for pirates and privateers, but soon turned into a high class society with elegant ship designs and sprawling cities. The chief of state is the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother is also head of the royal family. It is the task of the prince to find a wife who will give birth to the next Queen Mother.
Ssi-Ruuk Star Cluster — Also known as the Ssi-ruuvi Imperium, this cluster of planets was inhabited by the technologically-advanced Ssi-Ruuk. It is located beyond the Outer Rim.
The Centrality — An independent government in a large and remote region of space nestled between Hutt Space and the Cron Drift. It was an empty region lacking many stable hyperspace routes, with areas so devoid of systems that some travelers would run out of fuel before finishing their journeys even halfway.
Imperial Remnant — The remainder of the Galactic Empire that came about following the Bastion Accords that ended the Galactic Civil War. Its capital of Bastion, located deep in the Outer Rim.
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Star Wars covers numerous space anomalies and locations, such as nebulas, asteroids, clusters, and black holes. Minor star clusters include the Aramand, located within Brak Sector; and Koornacht, a Deep Core cluster featuring the planet of J'p'tan. The Tion Cluster, located near the Cron Drift in the Outer Rim territories, is home to Sienar Fleet Systems and the planets Lianna, Dellalt, and Rhen Var. It has a rich history with the Jedi Order, and was one of the choke points during the Clone Wars.
Asteroids are also commonplace in the Star Wars setting. Cairn is an Outer Rim asteroid that was once a base of operations for the Imperial Remnant, before being conquered by the New Republic. Kyle Katarn visits the asteroid in the game Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast.
Various nebulas exist throughout the galaxy, serving as plot devices and scenery for the stories. The Cowl Crucible is a minor nebula located between Lahara and Oricho Sectors. The Dragonflower Nebula, on the other hand, plays a central plot role. It is located near and around the Gamorrean colony world of Pzob in the Outer Rim. Site of the Imperial battlemoon Eye of Palpatine until it undertook its mission to Belsavis eight years after the Battle of Endor. Finally, the Spangled Veil Nebula (from the Meridian Sector) and the Nyarikan Nebula (near Garos IV and Sundari) round out the list of nebulas.
There are several other points throughout the Star Wars galaxy. The Maw is an unstable and almost completely unnavigable cluster of black holes located near the planet Kessel. The Maw was the site of Grand Moff Tarkin's Maw Installation, which built the Death Star superweapon, among others. The Rishi Maze is a satellite galaxy located beyond the frontier of the main galactic disk. Finally, Tingel Arm is a region of the Corporate Sector that extends off of one of the galaxy's "arms".
Numerous artificial landmarks and stellar arrangements also appear in the saga's various storylines. Lupalnia Satellite Moons is a collection of articial moons created by the Empire, located on the outer rim, to monitor the nearby planets. Stenness Node is a collection of seven mining worlds in three star systems located in the Colonies region. There are 25 humanoid species, who collectively are often referred to as 'Nessies. Due to the demand for the ores mined, Stenness Node was given its own hyperspace jump very early on. While the mines are played out now, the wealth generated still provides good lifestyles for the planets' inhabitants, who are highly addicted to spice.
Various established 'ways' pass through the sectors.
The Sisar Run is one of the most minor trade routes in the galaxy. On the other hand, the Corellian Run is large, originating in the Corellian System and ending somewhere in Wild Space. Another route that starts in Corellia is the Corellian Trade Spine, which crosses the Rimma Trade Route at Yag'Dhul, and branches into the Ison Trade Corridor in the Outer Rim. The Hydian Way also begins at Corellia, intersects the Perlemain Trade Route at Brentaal, and snakes up the Tingel Arm to its termination in the Corporate Sector.
The Ison Trade Corridor is a lightly populated minor trade route in the Outer Rim of the Star Wars galaxy. It branches off from the Corellian Trade Spine and passes through such backwater planets as Varonat, Bespin, Hoth, and Ison before meeting back up with the trade spine. Additionally, the Perlemian Trade Route is a major hyperspace corridor. Beginning at Coruscant, it crosses the Hydian Way at Brentaal and ends in the Outer Rim in between the Corporate Sector and the Tion Cluster.
The Rimma Trade Route rounds out the major trade routes of Star Wars. It was initially established by Tapani Sector merchants around 5,500 BBY. It begins in the Core worlds near Fondor, intersects the Corellian Trade Spine at Yag'Dhul, and travels through Sullust and Sluis Van before its end, in the Kathol Sector.
The Kessel Run is a pathway from planet Kessel used frequently by smugglers in the transport of precious Glitterstim spice.
A well-known but confusing description of the Kessel Run is made by Han SoloinA New Hope when he boasts to have made the run with the Millennium Falcon in "less than twelve parsecs." A parsec is a unit of distance, not a measure of time or speed. Some have explained this apparent error by postulating the presence of a black hole cluster (The Maw) close to Kessel, which is used by pilots to shorten the distance of the run. Indeed, Lucas reveals in the DVD commentary of A New Hope that Solo was referring to distance. Lucas points out that a shorter distance traveled results in a shorter time. In the Star Wars galaxy, he explains, racers of the Kessel Run had the goal of plotting the shortest distance through space in order to reach this shorter time.
According to Expanded Universe literature, navigating the Maw black hole cluster is extremely hazardous. Ships making runs must take long complex courses to avoid the dangerous singularities and gravity distortions of the cluster. However, it is speculated that Solo brazenly shaved by the gravity wells, thus achieving a run under a distance of 12 parsecs where a safer route would be much longer. This shorter run, by necessity, would require a faster ship than more circuitious routes, since a slower ship would not be able to resist the gravitational pull of the closer black-holes.
The question of whether Solo was boasting about the speed of his ship, or his skillful abilities at piloting is still debated amongst fans. One could also look at the wording of the quote and consider Solo may have been mentioning another aspect of the Falcon's fame that is unrelated to its speed - that she earned prestige for surviving a dangerous short-distanced Kessel Run, as well as being "fast".
A more straightforward explanation is that George Lucas, in writing the script, did not remember or realize that parsecs are not time measurements. According to some sources, Lucas did realize this, but wished to portray Han Solo as an absent-minded braggart who simply did not know what he was talking about.[citation needed] The bemused reactions of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker to Han's quip suggest that this could be the case.
