The Quest for a Comprehensive Sci-Fi Star Map: Is It Possible?
For fans of science fiction, the idea of a complete star map showcasing where major series and movies are located can be a long-sought treasure. However, achieving a truly comprehensive map is far more challenging than it might seem. Most sci-fi franchises are either vague or completely imaginary, lacking a concrete basis in reality.
Star Wars: An Internal Galaxy Map But Limited Expanse
Take, for instance, the iconic Star Wars universe. While the series features its own internal galaxy map, showing iconic locations like Coruscant, Naboo, Tatooine, and Mustafar, there is no official scale or absolute location for the 'Star Wars galaxy'. The most recent addition, the show 'Ahsoka,' provided a glimpse of distant galaxies, though these still remain beyond our current understanding and scale.
The Case of Warhammer 40,000: A Partial Map But Incomplete
Another notable franchise is Warhammer 40,000, which does offer a detailed mapping of its settings. However, the map is incomplete, omitting key locations such as the extragalactic Tyrannids, the supposed 'main fleet,' and the Eldar webway. Eldar webway maps are especially unreliable, given their mystical and unknowable nature.
Hilariously Inaccurate Maps of Other Franchises
Some other franchises, like Firefly and Guardians of the Galaxy, offer maps that are often hilariously inaccurate. For example, in a promotional poster for Firefly, the ‘Verse is portrayed as being at the edge of the Milky Way, where in fact, systems like Serenity and Lionel are closer to the core. This confusion highlights the prevalence of unofficial and inaccurate maps in these franchises.
The Status of Official Star Trek Maps
Unlike Star Wars and Warhammer 40,000, the official Star Trek universe has never published an official map. Instead, there are numerous unofficial versions circulating, most of which depict a meticulous representation of Alpha Quadrant powers, the journey of the USS Voyager, and the location of the Dominion. These unofficial maps are fascinating, even when they are inconsistent with each other.
Reboots and Space Franchises
In the realm of space franchises, there have been some efforts to create more accurate maps. For instance, there are estimates of the stellar landmarks in the rebooted Battlestar Galactica. Furthermore, the positions of stars relative to Sol in series like Star Trek Babylon 5 and Dune have been calculated. However, most of these stars are located in the same general area, making the maps relatively simple and less convincing.
A Video Presentation of Sci-Fi Maps
video meticulously goes through these concepts and presents a comprehensive look at the relative sizes of Alpha Quadrant powers, the journey of the USS Voyager, and the location of the Dominion in Star Trek. It also estimates the positions of stellar landmarks in Battlestar Galactica and contrasts it with the relative positions of Sol in Star Trek Babylon 5 and Dune. This video is a fascinating exploration of the space sci-fi franchises and their attempts at mapping their vast and often contradictory universes.
While the quest for a complete sci-fi star map is an intriguing one, it often reveals more about the challenges and inconsistencies within these universes. Despite some advancements and efforts, the majority of sci-fi settings remain as ambitious fantasies, with only a few franchises making real strides towards a comprehensive, yet accurate, star map.