Celestial chamber

Apollo scans Gamma frequencies for a signal.

Celestial chambers (or celestial temples) are areas on Galactica and other battlestars where navigational readings were taken hundreds of yahren prior to the destruction of the Colonies.

Over the hundreds of yahren in the later-half of the Thousand-Yahren War, celestial chambers were mostly removed from battlestars in the Colonial service, as their use was superseded by advanced technologies.

At the interior center of the dome is a single-user console with a crane-suspended sextant-like device. The console features a scanner that allows for visual reception of transmissions, including those on the later-disused gamma frequency band.

Celestial chambers are built with a semi-spherical shell of transparent tylinium, which could be shuttered over when not in use ^{(TOS: "The Hand of God")}.

A Fateful Signal

Apollo accidentally toggles a switch at the chamber's console before leaving, allowing receipt of a cleaner transmission... ^{(TOS: "The Hand of God")}.

In the aftermath of the Exodus, Captain Apollo happens upon an unused and, perhaps the last remaining, celestial chamber housed near one of Galactica's engines accessible by a lone hatch. Being the only known celestial chamber in existence, Apollo repairs it over time, introducing it to Lieutenants Starbuck and Sheba, and Cassiopeia, during a personal excursion. During this introduction, they happen upon a distorted gamma frequency signal, which is later lost during the Battle at Galaxy's Edge.

Apollo attempts to rediscover the transmission, but fails to do so... although, unbeknownst to him, he trips a toggle switch on his way out, and this allows a cleaner version of the signal to be received ^{(TOS: "The Hand of God")}.

Notes

• The celestial chamber is reminiscent of a 17th century Earth seafarer's navigational tool called a sextant. Sextants are all but obsolete as GPS and other technologies have supplanted them, thus making this anachronism a popular collectors' item.

Related Imagery

• 
  Captain Apollo seats himself at the console ^{(TOS: "The Hand of God")}.
• 
  Captain Apollo seats himself at the console, with the chamber's shutters opened ^{(TOS: "The Hand of God")}.
• 
  Captain Apollo shows off at the console of the chamber, with Sheba, Cassiopeia and Starbuck looking ou into space ^{(TOS: "The Hand of God")}.
• 
  Lieutenant Sheba and Captain Apollo receive an interesting transmission at the console ^{(TOS: "The Hand of God")}.
• 
  In the aftermath of the Battle at Galaxy's Edge, Captain Apollo looks through the eyepiece of a crane-mounted sextant-like device ^{(TOS: "The Hand of God")}.
• 
  As he departs, Captain Apollo's laser pistol handle hits a button on the console... ^{(TOS: "The Hand of God")}.
• 
  The console is given a new directive but the handle of Captain Apollo's laser pistol, with him unaware ^{(TOS: "The Hand of God")}.
• 
  Captain Apollo and Lieutenant Starbuck leave through the hatch ^{(TOS: "The Hand of God")}.

 

Original Series definition: unit of time akin to a "year" (see: Yahren)