Encyclopedia Galactica: Difference between revisions

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* {{inlineref|Age of the Philosophers}}: an era of the [[#Second Millennium|Second Millennium]], likely similar to the [[w:Renaissance|Renaissance]] period of Earth's history, when the [[#Books of the Lords of Kobol|Books of the Lords of Kobol]] were written.<ref name="p20">''Ibid.'', 20.</ref>
* {{inlineref|Age of the Philosophers}}: an era of the [[#Second Millennium|Second Millennium]], likely similar to the [[w:Renaissance|Renaissance]] period of Earth's history, when the [[#Books of the Lords of Kobol|Books of the Lords of Kobol]] were written.<ref name="p20">''Ibid.'', 20.</ref>
* {{inlineref|antiscientific period}}: the period where the Colonials rejected technology after the exodus from [[Kobol]].<ref name="p24">''Ibid.'', 24.</ref>
* {{inlineref|Astralon}}: high-velocity particles, similar to [[w:meteoroid|meteoroids]] and micro-meteoroids, that are grouped together like a cloud. Armored battle craft are shielded from astralons, but can cause damage to unshielded civilian vehicles, compromising the hull and ship's atmosphere. Smaller astralons are said to be undetectable by low-power [[scanner]]s.<ref>''Ibid.'', 14.</ref>
* {{inlineref|Astralon}}: high-velocity particles, similar to [[w:meteoroid|meteoroids]] and micro-meteoroids, that are grouped together like a cloud. Armored battle craft are shielded from astralons, but can cause damage to unshielded civilian vehicles, compromising the hull and ship's atmosphere. Smaller astralons are said to be undetectable by low-power [[scanner]]s.<ref>''Ibid.'', 14.</ref>
* {{inlineref|Books of the Lords of Kobol}}: semi-mystical books complimenting the [[Book of the Word]], chronicling the events of the exodus from [[Kobol (TOS)|Kobol]]. They were composed during the [[#Second Millennium|Second Milennium]]'s "[[#Age of the Philosophers|Age of the Philosophers]]". The written style is described as "uneven and various", with "beautiful poems telling the loss and separation of the final days [... interspersed] with stark lists of individuals and their possessions".  In comparison to the Book of the Word, the later Books contain "proverbs and parables" that have nebulous and varied meanings depending on the person reading the text. This so-called ambiguity "cannot be held to be a flaw", for it "reflects the greater uncertainty about the universe and the fate of humankind felt during the last days of Kobol".<br/>After the establishment of the Colonies, the books became influential in creating the many religious sects, mainly due to Kobol destruction due to science and technology. These sects created "elaborate mathematical interpretations of particular words, even particular sequences of symbols", believing that the fate of the entire universe was coded into the Books (e.g. ''[[w:The Da Vinci Code|The Da Vinci Code]]'') and that it was the "mission of humankind" to decipher them. A majority of these sects died out by the [[Seventh Millennium]].<ref>''Ibid.'', 20-21.</ref>
* {{inlineref|Books of the Lords of Kobol}}: semi-mystical books complimenting the [[Book of the Word]], chronicling the events of the exodus from [[Kobol (TOS)|Kobol]]. They were composed during the [[#Second Millennium|Second Milennium]]'s "[[#Age of the Philosophers|Age of the Philosophers]]". The written style is described as "uneven and various", with "beautiful poems telling the loss and separation of the final days [... interspersed] with stark lists of individuals and their possessions".  In comparison to the Book of the Word, the later Books contain "proverbs and parables" that have nebulous and varied meanings depending on the person reading the text. This so-called ambiguity "cannot be held to be a flaw", for it "reflects the greater uncertainty about the universe and the fate of humankind felt during the last days of Kobol".<br/>After the establishment of the Colonies, the books became influential in creating the many religious sects, mainly due to Kobol destruction due to science and technology. These sects created "elaborate mathematical interpretations of particular words, even particular sequences of symbols", believing that the fate of the entire universe was coded into the Books (e.g. ''[[w:The Da Vinci Code|The Da Vinci Code]]'') and that it was the "mission of humankind" to decipher them. A majority of these sects died out by the [[Seventh Millennium]].<ref>''Ibid.'', 20-21.</ref>

Revision as of 03:13, 9 October 2007

Encyclopedia Galactica
Encyclopedia Galactica
A book of the Original Series reference line
Book No. 1
Author(s) Bruce Kraus[1]
Adaptation of
No. of Pages {{{pages}}}
Published September 1979
ISBN 0525610391
Chronology
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The Official Battlestar Galactica Scrapbook Encyclopedia Galactica none
Paperback Version
Available at Amazon.comPurchase
Available at Amazon.co.ukPurchase
Available at BOOKSAMILLION.COM - Purchase
Available at Half.com by eBay - Purchase
Audiobook Version
Available at iTunes – [{{{itunes}}} Purchase]


Encyclopedia Galactica: From the Fleet Library aboard the Battlestar Galactica (Windmill Books and E.P. Dutton 1979, ISBN 0525610391), edited by Bruce Kraus, is an encyclopedia of the Original Series.

Encyclopedia Galactica is presently out of print, although copies of it, at times, are available either through Amazon.com or eBay.

Due to its various inaccuracies, misspellings, and contradictory information, it is not considered a fully canonical source text for the Original Series. Battlestar Wiki does aim to note the difference between this text and aired information however, though makes no guarantees on its status in Battlestar canon.

Errata[edit]

A listing of errata in the book that deviates from already established canonical material.

Other items[edit]

These are items that cannot fit in any other location, due to the lack of canonicy.

  • Age of the Philosophers: an era of the Second Millennium, likely similar to the Renaissance period of Earth's history, when the Books of the Lords of Kobol were written.[13]
  • antiscientific period: the period where the Colonials rejected technology after the exodus from Kobol.[14]
  • Astralon: high-velocity particles, similar to meteoroids and micro-meteoroids, that are grouped together like a cloud. Armored battle craft are shielded from astralons, but can cause damage to unshielded civilian vehicles, compromising the hull and ship's atmosphere. Smaller astralons are said to be undetectable by low-power scanners.[15]
  • Books of the Lords of Kobol: semi-mystical books complimenting the Book of the Word, chronicling the events of the exodus from Kobol. They were composed during the Second Milennium's "Age of the Philosophers". The written style is described as "uneven and various", with "beautiful poems telling the loss and separation of the final days [... interspersed] with stark lists of individuals and their possessions". In comparison to the Book of the Word, the later Books contain "proverbs and parables" that have nebulous and varied meanings depending on the person reading the text. This so-called ambiguity "cannot be held to be a flaw", for it "reflects the greater uncertainty about the universe and the fate of humankind felt during the last days of Kobol".
    After the establishment of the Colonies, the books became influential in creating the many religious sects, mainly due to Kobol destruction due to science and technology. These sects created "elaborate mathematical interpretations of particular words, even particular sequences of symbols", believing that the fate of the entire universe was coded into the Books (e.g. The Da Vinci Code) and that it was the "mission of humankind" to decipher them. A majority of these sects died out by the Seventh Millennium.[16]
  • Borallians: the name given to the Borellian Nomen.[17]
  • Caprica City: a city on Caprica where Boomer was raised.[17]
  • Cygnus: an asteroid containing an outpost of the Picon colony, in addition to a tylium mine owned by Baltar's family. It was captured by the Cylons a century before the Battle of Cimtar and held for five yahren until the Colonials retook it. Baltar later turned Cygnus' tylium mine operation into the "largest intercolonial Tylium trading firm in the Galaxy".[18]
  • Interstellar Age: presumably the age that humanity rediscovered interstellar travel.[17]
  • nutron cased laser torpedo: a Cylon weapon included in the basestar's armament; upon detonating, it not only inflicts physical damage, but also emits rays that break down the cellular structure of both food and human tissue, likely similar to pluton poisoning.[7]
  • Pan-Colonial Unification Party: a social and political movement that sought to unify the Colonies under one government politically, economically, and militarily; it was prominent on the colonies on Picon and Virgon. Adar worked to develop this party on Virgon, which ushered him into a role of president of this organization and later the presidency of the Quorum of Twelve.[19] Baltar also generously contributed to this party and was influencial in bringing the party to power on his own colony of Picon.[18]
  • Second Millennium: the second millennium of time, insinuated to be 2,000 years (or more) after the exodus from Kobol; a period during this time saw the creation of the Books of the Lords of Kobol.[13]
  • University of Picon: an educational institution on Picon where Baltar studied "political economy".[18]

External links[edit]

References[edit]

Please note that page numbers reflect the numbering in the PDF file that is linked above, and not in the actual encyclopedia itself, as the pages are not individually numbered in the actual book.
  1. Due to the nature of Kraus' entry on page 7, it is unknown whether or not the name is a pseudonym.
  2. Kraus, Bruce (1979). Encyclopedia Galactica, p. 59.
  3. Ibid. 11.
  4. Ibid. 12, 57.
  5. Ibid., 12.
  6. Ibid. 13.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Ibid. 19.
  8. Ibid. 22-23.
  9. Ibid. 23.
  10. 10.0 10.1 Ibid., 23.
  11. 11.0 11.1 Ibid. 34.
  12. Ibid. 39.
  13. 13.0 13.1 Ibid., 20.
  14. Ibid., 24.
  15. Ibid., 14.
  16. Ibid., 20-21.
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 Ibid., 22.
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 Ibid., 16.
  19. Ibid., 12.