Star Wars


The Science of Star Wars:
An Astrophysicist's Independent Examination of
Space Travel, Aliens, Planets, and Robots
As Portrayed in the Star Wars Films and Books

by Jeanne Cavelos



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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my research assistant, Keith
Maxwell, for his dedication and hard work. I honestly believe he can find
valid scientific research on any topic, no matter how unusual. Keith was an
invaluable help throughout the writing of this book. I would also like to
thank the many scientists quoted within this book, who graciously shared
their time and expertise and brought their own fascinating perspectives to
the Star Wars universe . Special thanks to my Internet group of scientists
and Star Wars fans. I'm very grateful for the help they provided,
brainstorming ideas, serving as sounding boards, contributing expert
knowledge, and offering valuable feedback: Tom Thatcher, Dr. Charles Lurio,
Dr. Michael Burns, Dr. Stuart Penn, Dr. John Schilling, Dr. Korey Moeller,
Elizabeth Bartosz, Dr. Stephanie Ross, Dr. Andrew Michael , Megan Gentry, M.
Mitchell Marmel, Dr. Paul Viscuso, Reed Riddle, Carrie Vaughn, Patricia
Jackson, John Donigan, Dr. Michael Harper, Janis Cortese, Dr. Michael
Blumlein, Joellyn Crowley , Dr. David Loffredo, Beth and Ben Dibble, Jay
Denebeim, Bruce Goatly, Dr. Gail Dolbear, Dr. Gary Day, K. Waldo Ricke, Dr.
Dennis C. Hwang, Bill Hartman, Patrick Randall, and Margo Cavelos. Thanks to
Sue Gagnon, Mark Purington, and the rest of the staff at Saint Anselm
College's Geisel Library, who went to incredible lengths to get me massive
amounts of materials in a timely manner, and bravely fought off overdue
notices. Thanks to my editor, Joe Veltre, for his wisdom and enthusiasm ,
and to my agent, Lori Perkins, for all her support. Thanks to George
Lucasfor creating this rich, wonderful universe to explore. And on the home
front, thanks to Igmoe, my iguana, for providing exciting work breaks as he
chased me around the house trying to mate with me. And to my husband, thanks
for understanding when I only left my computer to eat and sleep (and to run
from Igmoe), and for living withall the disorder my work generated. With a
little water, my office could look just like the inside of a Death Star
garbage masher.

Planetary Environments

Sir, it's quite possible this asteroid is not entirely stable.
-C-3PO, The Empire Strikes Back

It comes into view as a small, pale dot against the blackness of space.
Dim, inconsequential beside the brilliance of a star. Yet for us, it is a
safe haven in the endless vacuum of space. Only here, on this fragile bit of
rock or others like it, can life develop and survive. It formed billions of
years ago, the right elements combining in the right proportions at the
right distance from its sun to bring it to dynamic life. Volcanoes breathed
out an atmosphere . Life-giving rains fell, the bit of rock evolved. As it
grows closer, the dot gains color and definition.

Major features are revealed: rock, water, ice, clouds. Within the
atmosphere , that protective, nurturing envelope, more details become
apparent. Only on the surface, though, does the unique character of the
planet become clear: the shapes and colors of the topography , the peculiar
quality of the star's light scattered through the atmosphere, the
composition and scents of the air, the strength of the gravity, the texture
of the ground beneath our feet, the bizarre life forms that are another
expression of the growth and development of the planet.

We have visited many such balls of life-giving elements. Each landscape
is committed to memory.

A flat plain of sand broken only by harsh, jagged rocks.

A vast, snow-covered waste. A fog-shrouded swamp chattering with life.

An ancient forest stretching high into the sky. A planet-sized city of
level upon level.

Some seem mysterious; others feel almost like home. We've seen planets
and moons; we've even traveled through an asteroid field. Each has unique
characteristics. Anakin's and Luke's home world, Tatooine, is part of a