From: nnhill@david.wheaton.edu (Nathan N Hill)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.starwars
Subject: Re: Endor Moon?
Date: 6 Nov 92 03:46:10 GMT
Article-I.D.: wheaton.1992Nov6.034610.26820
Organization: Wheaton College, IL

In article <1992Nov3.190315.7452@ll.mit.edu> shoham@ll.mit.edu (Daniel Shoham) writes:
>In article <Bx4C3o.7sB@news.cso.uiuc.edu> sjs28257@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Steve Stelter) writes:
>>shoham@ll.mit.edu (Daniel Shoham) writes:
>>
>>
>>
>>>BTW, I think the name Endor (like Degobah, Hoth, Tatooine, Bespin, Yavin, etc)
>>>is the name of the system! We never see a system where more than one planet or
>>
>>Actually, Bespin is located in the Anoat system.
>
>Anoat is where the MF (attached to the star destroyer) was at. Bespin is a
>nearby system. (but at sub-light speed, it is "pretty far :-)
>
>LEIA: "No. Where are we?"
>
>HAN: "The Anoat system."
>
>...
>
>HAN: "Bespin. It's pretty far, but I think we can make it."
>
>Dan Shoham
>shoham@ll.mit.edu


The use of the word "system" is a little irregular in the SW Trilogy, or in
ESB anyway. When Vader says "set your course for the Hoth system." he
presumably means the star system containing Hoth, as does General Veers when
he says "the sixth planet of the Hoth system." But later Darth says "...deploy
the fleet so that nothing gets off the system," and he clearly means the
planet [Hoth 6] itself; it is the center of its own system of moons. (At least
three moons are visible when Luke takes off.)
 
In the original script by Leigh Brackett, Dagobah, Hoth, and Bespin were all
in the same solar system. This was apparently changed because it is hard to
believe that three planets in the same system would have breathable
atmospheres. It is still concievable, however, that Hoth and Bespin are in the
same system...except that Vader and Veers always call it the Hoth system, not
the Anoat system. Yet I find it strange that the Imperial Fleet could have
chased the Falcon all the way from one system to another at sublight.

...Except that, in realspace at sublight speeds, relativity presumably applies.
Thus, while the journey between systems might really take a couple of years, 
to the passengers of the ships, it would seem like less time was passing. But
considering this possibility, they could also fly from one system to the next
(i.e. Anoat to Bespin) at nearly-lightspeed with out experiencing more than a
couple of weeks, though for a "stationary" person, years had passed. This would
give Luke plenty of time for detailed training. 

I think the trip from Anoat to Bespin might have been as described, but I'm
not sure about the chase. What I do know is that the word "system" can be used
to describe a single planet. Perhaps "Anoat system" refers to the asteroid belt
in the Hoth system...or not.

With all of this considered, I suppose we should remember that Star Wars ain't
too technical. So ships travel to other systems at sublight...maybe we have to
just buy it and forget physics...we have before. In any case, neither Anoat
nor Bespin need be their own system. But they probably are. And those who've
read the Star Wars sourcebook may know about the "backup hyperdrive"
explanation, which is a fairly good.

						local Star Wars guru
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"You bet your asteroid." --Ham Salad 

					Nathan Hill (nnhill@david.wheaton.edu)
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