Astrophysics

"The system's orbital dynamics are—as you can see—extraordinarily complex. The local government expended significant resources studying and modeling the effects of the black hole. Wartime activity caused additional disruption in the debris field, which in turn resulted in minor collisions between uninhabited planetoids. I'm quoting the reports now—astrophysics isn't my field, but the Edict's main computer double-checked the math."

―Soran Keize, to several Imperial colleagues

The field of science known as astrophysics included the observation of astronomical objects such as nebulae and black holes. During the High Republic Era, the Nihil Doctor Zadina Mkampa studied astrophysics. The doctor applied what she had learned in the field of study to build light intensifiers that allowed her to control the Drengir, a species of sentient plants, by having the devices emulate the wavelengths of light given off by the sun of the Drengir's homeworld.

By 41 BBY, a Jedi Master specializing in astrophysics began training a Padawan, Jape, in the field, with the latter quickly grasping the concepts of the field. After being rescued off the planet Vallt in 21 BBY, the scientist Galen Walton Erso visited the Institute of Applied Science's astrophysics building on the planet Coruscant. By the time of the Imperial Era, the Cerberon system's government expended resources to have those knowledgeable in astrophysics—known as astrophysicists—study the system's black hole, the Cerberon singularity.

Description

Astrophysics was a field of science in which individuals observed astronomical objects such as nebulae and black holes. Pocket novas were a phenomenon that was known to astrophysicists—those knowledgeable in the field—and occurred when a planetary core was ignited by an outside force, resulting in the formation of a star. Others studying astrophysics studied stars, including their levels of radiation and the wavelengths of the light they emitted.

History

Republic times

Zadina Mkampa studied astrophysics as part of her wider efforts to find a way to control the Drengir.

While working for the Nihil marauders during the High Republic Era, the Doctor Zadina Mkampa studied many fields of science. Although she had rarely delved into astrophysics by 228 BBY, around that time, she began to study the field with more interest. Mkampa tasked herself with understanding select concepts in astrophysics most relevant to her plans to find a way to control the Drengir, a destructive, sentient species of plant.

Mkampa's research in the field led her to become familiar with stars, learning how to study their levels of radiation and the wavelengths of the light they emitted. She eventually began studying Drengir cuttings directly to learn more about the compact neutron sun of the Drengir homeworld. With this information, Mkampa developed a light intensifier device to emit the same wavelengths as the Drengir homeworld's star, which they were naturally predisposed to be drawn toward, thus allowing her to control them. At some point, the Nihil operative Nan became aware of Mkampa's attempts to create such a device using her astrophysics research, although she did not learn of the doctor's success. In 228 BBY, Mkampa reflected on her studies of astrophysics and how they had benefitted her. Not long afterward, several Jedi, the young scientist Avon Starros, and Nan—who had by then defected from the Nihil—discovered some of Mkampa's light intensifiers. Familiar with some astrophysics concepts, they discussed how she might have used them to control the Drengir by emulating the light of their homeworld's star.

Later in the reign of the Galactic Republic, a Jedi Master specialized in astrophysics and, by 41 BBY, took the Force-sensitive individual Jape as their Jedi Padawan. Jape easily grasped the concepts of astrophysics and became passionate about learning his Master's scholarly field, forming a close bond with his teacher. By 40 BBY, Jape was taken by his Master to see unique phenomena such as nebulae and black holes in the galaxy as part of his training in astrophysics and later sent holos of his adventures to his friend, Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi. When not traveling, Jape spent time in the Grand Orbital Observatory of Coruscant, a structure designed to observe astronomical occurrences.

Imperial Era

Galen Erso visited the Institute of Applied Science's astrophysics building on Coruscant.

By the time of the Clone Wars between the Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the Institute of Applied Science had an astrophysics building on Coruscant, the Republic's capital planet. Shortly after being rescued off the planet Vallt in 21 BBY, the scientist Galen Walton Erso met with one of his former colleagues from the Republic Futures Program—Professor Reeva Demesne—in the then-busy building's solarium, taking note of the heightened security measures and access restrictions imposed on the building because of the war.

The Republic's successor, the Galactic Empire, eventually rose to power in 19 BBY, and the Cerberon system fell within its domain. By the time of the later Imperial Era, the system's local government had spent significant resources to have those working in astrophysics research the effects of its black hole, the Cerberon singularity, on surrounding space. In 5 ABY, the 204th Imperial Fighter Wing's advisor Soran Keize proposed striking against the New Republic forces who had taken control of many Cerberon system worlds by planning an attack on one of its planets—Troithe. To support his argument, Keize mentioned the peculiarities of the system's orbital dynamics and how its asteroid field had been affected by wartime activities. However, he indicated he was quoting from available reports since he was not an expert in astrophysics and offered to forward the relevant data to others if they proceeded with the plan.

Behind the scenes

In the current canon, astrophysics was first explicitly mentioned in Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel.

In the current Star Wars canon, the field of astrophysics was first indirectly mentioned via the introduction of the position of astrophysicist, which was included in the 2015 adult novelization of the film Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens by Alan Dean Foster. Astrophysics was first fully introduced and identified by name in the 2016 novel Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel, which was written by James Luceno.

In the Star Wars Legends continuity, the field of astrophysics was likewise first introduced via a mention of the position of astrophysicist in the 1984 reference book A Guide to the Star Wars Universe, written by Raymond L. Velasco. Astrophysics was first mentioned by name on its own in the 1987 The Star Wars Sourcebook, which was written by Bill Slavicsek and Curtis Smith and released by West End Games for use with Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game. The occupation's first full appearance was marked by the astrophysicist Danni Quee carrying out work within the discipline in the 1999 novel The New Jedi Order: Vector Prime, written by R. A. Salvatore as the first installment of the Star Wars: The New Jedi Order series. In the real world, astrophysics is a field of scientific study focusing on applying the laws of physics and chemistry to create physical theories describing small- to medium-scale astronomical objects.

Appearances

• The High Republic: Into the Light (and audiobook) (Mentioned only)
• Padawan (and audiobook) (Mentioned only)
• Master & Apprentice (and audiobook) (Mentioned only)
• Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel (and audiobook) (Mentioned only) (First identified as astrophysics)
• Shadow Fall: An Alphabet Squadron Novel (and audiobook) (Mentioned only)
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens novelization (and audiobook) (First mentioned) (Indirect mention only)

External links

• Astrophysics on Wikipedia