Jedha Jedha was a small desert moon which orbit ed the planet NaJedha . Located in the Jedha system of the galaxy ' s Mid Rim , the moon had a cold climate due to its lasting winter . The historical and spiritual significance of Jedha led the moon to become a world of worship for those who believed in the Force , and a holy site for pilgrim s who sought spiritual guidance . Some time before the Battle of Yavin , the Galactic Empire occupied the moon to control its kyber crystal resources that were once used by the Jedi Order as components for their lightsaber s . The occupation later provoked an insurgency to oppose the Imperial tyranny , coordinated by the rebel extremist Saw Gerrera . Jedha ' s heritage and Gerrera ' s resistance — the aptly named Partisans — led to it being chosen in 0 BBY for a test of the Death Star ' s superlaser , a superweapon capable of destroying entire planets . Though Director Orson Krennic had planned to destroy the moon , Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin overrode him , stating that the destruction of the Holy City would serve as a sufficient test . Description . Jedha was a moon located in orbit around the planet NaJedha , situated in the Jedha system of the galaxy ' s Mid Rim , due galactic west of the Deep Core . 11 , 263 kilometer s in diameter , Jedha was a small desert moon defined by its jagged rock formations , broad mesa s , and narrow spires . Frosted by a permanent winter , Jedha had a cold climate and an atmosphere breathable to oxygen - breathers , such as human s . Within the moon ' s sandstone crust were rich deposits of kyber crystal s — Force - attuned crystal s that were fundamental in lightsaber construction . Many settlements on the moon , such as the ancient Holy City , sat atop the world ' s natural mesas . Though Jedha ' s sands remained parched for much of its year , there were instances of powerful torrents of rainfall , a cause for celebration among the people of Jedha . Jedha ' s ancient structures were some of the earliest examples of architecture known to exist in the galaxy . The weathered sandstone structures and statues dotted Jedha ' s landscape , a testament to its ancient past . Being an antiquated destination , Jedha was surrounded by uncharted systems , making it a reliable replenishment port for travelers . History . Early history . The ancient world of Jedha was home to one of the first civilizations to explore the nature of the Force and was considered a spiritual home of the Jedi Order , with many scholar s believing the moon owes its name to the ancient religion . Some scholars made a case for Jedha as the location of the Jedi Order ' s first Temple , alongside other candidate worlds , such as Ahch - To , Coruscant , Ossus , and Tython . As well as the Jedi , the Disciples and Guardians of the Whills represented a dominant faith on Jedha . They , along with the Church of the Force , were centered at the Temple of the Kyber , a great temple located in the city of NiJedha . This spiritual history led to Jedha becoming an important location for pilgrim s of various faiths , including those of the Brotherhood of the Beatific Countenance , the Clan of the Toribota , and the Central Isopter . As more of the galaxy was mapped , more direct hyperspace route s were discovered . These new passages made the old , winding routes , such as those connecting with Jedha , obsolete . The once - popular Jedha became an antiquated curiosity rather than a relevant destination , a location for those who desired spiritual guidance , a deeper purpose , or to simply exile themselves from the larger galaxy . Age of the Empire . Sometime after the fall of the Jedi Order and the Galactic Republic , its successor state — the Galactic Empire — occupied Jedha in order to mine its kyber crystal deposits . Unknown to all but the most high - ranking officials in the Empire , the crystals were being used as components in the construction of an Imperial superlaser capable of destroying entire planets . The Imperial occupation included specialized units , due to its urban landscape and importance to the Death Star project . These units were charged with restricting access to the Temple of the Kyber and protecting kyber crystal mining operations . The streets of Jedha were patrolled by stormtrooper s , scout trooper s with speeder bike s , combat assault tanks , and AT - STs . The scout and tank trooper s wore lighter armor for better mobility in the urban environment and were specially trained for reconnaissance and urban warfare . However , the occupation did not go unopposed . Under the coordination of Onderon ian rebel extremist Saw Gerrera and his Partisans , an insurgency was formed , targeting the Empire ' s kyber shipments . The increasing violence prompted the Empire to place the " Dauntless " , an " Imperial I " - class Star Destroyer , directly over the Holy City . In 0 BBY , an Imperial defector by the name of Bodhi Rook was captured by Gerrera ' s rebels , claiming he had a message from Galen Erso , an Imperial scientist whose research helped create the Empire ' s superweapon . Tasked with retrieving this message , Rebel Alliance soldier s Cassian Andor and Jyn Erso , the daughter of Galen , undertook a mission to Jedha to meet with Gerrera and retrieve the former Imperial pilot ' s message . Making their way through Jedha City , the pair became involved in a firefight between Imperial and insurrectionist forces but managed to escape . Minutes later , they were captured by Gerrera ' s insurgents and spent the night trekking through the desert outside the city before reaching a weathered monastery known as the Catacombs of Cadera . At the same time , all Imperial forces on Jedha were ordered to evacuate immediately . Unknown to them , the Empire ' s colossal , superlaser - equipped battle station , the Death Star , was moving into position above the moon . Though the Death Star project ' s director , Orson Krennic , intended to destroy the entire moon , Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin ordered only the Holy City be destroyed using a single - reactor ignition blast from the station ' s superlaser . After a short exchange , Gerrera revealed to Jyn the holographic message of her father . As she watched , the Death Star moved into position over NiJedha , eclipsing the sun before firing its emerald beam and completely obliterating the city . The immense explosion caused the surrounding land to crumble , sending swaths of rubble into the air and allowing some to reach escape velocity . Before the blast could reach the Catacombs of Cadera , however , Andor , Jyn and Rook , along with two Guardians of the Whills named Chirrut Îmwe and Baze Malbus , managed to escape into hyperspace aboard a U - wing starfighter and relay the event to Alliance High Command . To prevent word getting out about the nature of the Holy City ' s destruction , the Imperial Senate on Coruscant was informed that the explosion was due to a mining disaster . Galactic Civil War . Following the Battle of Yavin , several of the partisans under Benthic continued to fight the Empire on Jedha . The Empire under Commander Befa continued to harvest the remaining kyber crystals from surface . Befa however was unable to deliver a single shipment of kyber crystals and the Empire sent Queen Trios of Shu - Torun and Commander Kanchar to retrieve the remaining kyber crystals . Prince ss Leia Organa , Luke Skywalker , Han Solo , R2 - D2 and C - 3PO traveled to Jedha to make contact with the surviving partisans and to convince them to rejoin the Alliance . Inhabitants . The moon of Jedha had a human - dominant population , with many other species being pilgrims from other worlds passing through to bask in Jedha ' s spiritual heritage . Most of Jedha ' s 11 . 3 million inhabitants were centered around elevated settlements on rocky mesas , whose streets were filled with priest s , scholars and holy men and women . The natives of Jedha were as a whole a spiritual people and were gracious and tolerant of outsiders who practice peace and respect . After Imperial occupation , prohibitions on trade and commerce lead to the cultivation of a black market , with some cynical entrepreneurs making a profit off the disadvantaged populace . Local merchant s would offer Imperial officer s goods — both legal and illicit — to ensure they were happy and that their attention was diverted from possible infractions . Transportation of goods to and from Jedha became a lucrative business , with only specially licensed spacer s allowed access to the moon ' s spaceport s . The subsequent insurgency made life dangerous for the civilians of Jedha , especially with the rebels preferring guerrilla tactics , meaning anywhere could become a warzone instantly . Jedha was the homeworld of the Imperial - turned - Rebel pilot Bodhi Rook , the warrior monk Chirrut Îmwe and his freelance assassin friend Baze Malbus . Shortly after the destruction of NiJedha , the trio took part in the Battle of Scarif as part of the Rebel squad " Rogue One " and were instrumental in stealing the plans to the Death Star . Locations . Jedha had several settlements across its surface , the most prominent being the ancient Holy City of NiJedha . This large walled city stood atop a large mesa and was a spiritual hub for many faiths . At its edge was the Temple of the Kyber , a towering triangular structure that rose high above the city walls and was held sacred by followers of the Whills and the Church of the Force . Other significant locations in the city included the Holy Quarter , the Path of Judgments , and the Dome of Deliverance . Located half a day ' s walk from the city were the Catacombs of Cadera , an ancient monastery that was used to hold the skeletal remains of the dead . At some point , the monastery was occupied by the religious group known as the Church of the Contained Crescent . During the Imperial occupation of Jedha , Saw Gerrera made the Catacombs the base of operations for his Partisans , naming it the Gut . Located thousands of kilometers away from NiJedha were the desiccated tablelands , an area consisting of massive , barren mesas . Behind the scenes . Jedha is a moon that was created and developed for the 2016 film " " . The moon ' s holy city was inspired by real life such as and . The city also has influences with its narrow market alleyways , desert sands , and . First footage of Jedha was released with the teaser trailer for " Rogue One : A Star Wars Story " , on April 7 , 2016 . The moon was fully revealed during the " Rogue One " panel at " Star Wars " Celebration Europe 2016 , on July 15 , 2016 . In various sources , Jedha was mistaken for a planet , but it was later clarified and Jedha was identified as a moon with the addition of Jedha ' s Databank entry on the official " Star Wars " website , on August 10 , 2016 . Early concept art for " Rogue One " used the planet Mimban , before Jedha was settled on .