For those who have seen Star Wars, even those who may not be huge fans, there are some planets that stick out in the films. Tatooine, the sand planet, home to Anakin and Luke Skywalker, Hoth, the ice planet from The Empire Strikes Back, and Naboo, Queen Amidala’s home planet. Though these planets are in a galaxy far, far away, there are some real planets that resemble those featured in Star Wars, in our own Milky Way galaxy!
NASA published an article in 2023 highlighting 8 planets that could pass off as somewhat accurate representations of the beloved Star Wars planets. As a massive Star Wars nerd, I thought I would judge the accuracy of NASA’s observations and compare and contrast the real planets and their fictional counterparts.
First up is the iconic sand planet, Tatooine. Anakin famously states, “I don’t like sand.,” and given the harsh conditions he grew up living on this planet, I don’t blame him. The entire planet is covered in sand, dirt and subjected to frequent sandstorms. Because this planet orbits 2 suns, there is a lack of liquid water, and it would be completely uninhabitable to us, as we lack the technology that exists in the Star Wars universe that allows the residents of Tatooine to pull moisture from the air to survive. In our universe, Kepler-16b was discovered in 2011 and resembles the fictional planet of Tatooine. Kepler-16b also orbits 2 suns, but unlike Tatooine, Kepler-16b is a gas giant and lies outside of its star's habitable zone. This makes it impossible for liquid water to exist, similar to Tatooine.
The next planet is actually formally nicknamed after its Star Wars doppelganger. OGLE-2005-BLG-390 was discovered in 2005 and was nicknamed Hoth because of its striking resemblance to the Star Wars planet. This planet is described as Neptune-like and orbits an unknown star type. Not much is known about this planet as it is one of the farthest exoplanets that we have been able to identify. It’s almost certainly uninhabitable as most substances like water, nitrogen, and methane are frozen solid, as temperatures reach a frigid minus 364 degrees Fahrenheit. The fictional Hoth has similar conditions. Any attempts to build a permanent civilization on the planet were unsuccessful due to the extreme temperatures and weather conditions. OGLE-2005-BLG-390 is one of the most similar planets that exist in our universe and the Star Wars universe.
NASA’s article had me wondering which planet in Star Wars resembles Earth the most? The planet Naboo seems to be the obvious answer. The home of Padme Amidala is one of the most featured planets in the movies. We are able to see a lot of the landscape and geography of the planet, and the planet bears a striking resemblance to our planet, minus a molten core that is replaced by a massive underwater cave system that lies beneath the surface of Naboo. The lack of molten core in the fictional planet means it most likely does not have a magnetic field and defies the laws of astrophysics. Despite its lack of a magnetic field, Naboo has a breathable atmosphere that allows both flora and fauna to survive. We do not see any variety in biomes, however, contrasting with Earth's many different biomes like deserts, mountains, oceans, and various types of forests. The abundance of liquid water and vegetation is likely the biggest similarity between Naboo and Earth. With the environment and ability to sustain life, it is clear that Naboo is within its star’s habitable zone. Despite being smaller than Earth, the planet would most likely be a solid candidate for colonization if it were to actually exist in our solar system, if we ignore its lack of regard for physics.
Whether they are habitable or not, I find it amazing that there are planets in our own universe that could pass for settings of my favorite movies. It makes me wonder: if there is the possibility of real-life Star Wars planets, is there a possibility that I could have my own lightsaber?