The Galaxy is the location in which the Homeworld series takes place. It is a spiral galaxy with a very pronounced shape. A small satellite galaxy is located nearby[1].
Overview[]
The galaxy is divided into distinct geographic areas or zones, with different worlds claiming control over different parts of the galaxy. Interstellar travel is only possible through the medium of hyperspace. Most civilisations and vessels are equipped only with Short Jump drives, which allow them to jump a few light years at a time. A tiny number of factions have access to Far Jump technology, allowing them to transit thousands of light years in a single leap.
The recently-rediscovered Great Network of Hyperspace Gates is a collection of hundreds of freestanding hyperspace portals, allowing Far Jumps to be made even by fighters and scout ships without a mothership to carry them.
The galaxy is approximately 80,000 light years across, with the distance from Kharak to Hiigara being between 35,000 light years [2] and 40,000 light years[3].
Regions of the galaxy include:
- The Animius Arm
- The Buran Hinterlands
- The Far Rim
- The Galactic Core
- The Great Boreal Sea
- The Great Wastelands
- The Inner Rim
- The Kalan Wastes
- The Kashmin Sea
- The Kursius Arm
- The Mid-Rim Dust Banks
- The Outer Rim
- The Shamal Clusters
- The Shining Hinterlands
- The Sobani Arm
- Star's End
- The Suraat Frontier
Known civilisations of the galaxy include:
- The Bentusi
- The Hiigarans, also known as the Kushan
- The Frerrn Aggregate
- The Incarnate
- The Kalan Raiders
- The Progenitors (extinct)
- The Radaa
- The Taiidan
- The Turanic Raiders
- The Vaygr
Maps[]
The Kushan people found a map of the galaxy on the Guidestone, which revealed the path from Kharak to Hiigara with three-dimensional coordinates. The map was instrumental, alongside the discovery of the Second Hyperspace Core, in allowing the Kushan to escape dying Kharak and return to Hiigara in the Homeworld War.
Considerably more accurate maps were given to the Hiigaran people by the Bentusi during and after their voyage.
Galactic Regions[]
Galactic Core[]
Main article: Galactic Core Centre of the Galaxy. Within was a cluster of black holes, known as Balcora, where the Progenitor warship, Sajuuk, was located.
Inner Rim[]
Main article: Inner Rim The Inner Rim was the region closest to the Galactic Core. Later, it became a centre of conflict between various factions including the Taiidan Empire and the Hiigaran Empire, as well as the Vaygr under Makaan.
Mid Rim[]
An area of the galaxy located between the Inner Rim and the Outer Rim, notable for Mid Rim Dustbank. The majority of the Great Wastelands lay here.
The Great Wastelands[]
Main article: Great Wastelands The Great Wastelands was a large mineral-rich region of the galaxy located to the west of the Core and which overlapped both the Mid Rim and Outer Rim. During the Homeworld War it was a prominent battleground. The Great Nebula lay here.
Outer Rim[]
Main article: Outer Rim One of the largest regions of the galaxy. The Exile homeworld of Kharak lies there.
Vaygr Reaches[]
Main article: Vaygr Reaches The Vaygr Reaches were located at the eastern end of the galaxy.
Companion Galaxy[]
A dwarf galaxy located a short distance outside of the central galaxy, connected through a thin trail of stars. Little is known about this companion, as it appears to have taken no part in any of the major events of the galaxy. In Homeworld: Cataclysm, the Beast-infected ship known as the Naggarok appears to have originated from this companion galaxy.
Other galaxies[]
It is believed that both the Progenitors and the Naggarok originated from other galaxies and travelled via incredibly powerful forms of hyperspace beyond the technology of any extant galactic species. Given the range of the Three Hyperspace Cores, it might be possible to travel to another galaxy in a matter of months or years, despite the distances to other major galaxies being in the millions of light years, but the risk of losing the Cores is considerable.
However, this point was rendered somewhat moot when the Great Hyperspace Gate Network was discovered. The Duzumi Gate led not another location within this galaxy, but to the Nimbus Galaxy. Hiigaran exploration of this galaxy began under conditions of great secrecy. So far, the location of the Nimbus Galaxy in realspace has not been determined[4].
Behind the Scenes[]
Maps and images of the galaxy in the Homeworld games are based closely on the real Whirlpool Galaxy, also called M51, located 23 million light years from Earth in the constellation of Canes Venatici. It is unclear if the Homeworld galaxy is literally supposed to be M51 or if it was merely used as a model for it.