Editing 1458: Small Moon

{{comic
| number    = 1458
| date      = December 10, 2014
| title     = Small Moon
| image     = small_moon.png
| titletext = GENERAL JAN DODONNA: An analysis of the plans provided by Princess Leia has reinvigorated the arguments of the 'artificial moonlet' and 'rogue planet-station' camps. I fear this question is fracturing the Rebellion.
}}

==Explanation==
The comic depicts a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVekNsgUqn4 classic scene] from {{w|Star Wars Episode IV}}, in which the heroes trail a {{w|TIE fighter}} to the never-before-seen {{w|Death Star}}: a super-weapon the size of a small moon capable of demolishing entire planets. In the original scene and the comic, {{w|Luke Skywalker}} misidentifies a body as a natural satellite, and {{w|Obi-Wan Kenobi|Obi-Wan 'Ben' Kenobi}} ominously corrects him.

The comic's version diverges at this point, as the dialogue devolves into a rather bitter argument over the semantics of size classifications, alluding to scientific discussions on whether {{w|Pluto}} should be classified as a {{w|planet}} or as a {{w|dwarf planet}}. The argument goes on for hours, which in the original plot would suggest one of two situations:
*The Death Star apparently never caught them, and {{w|Princess Leia}} was never rescued (but Ben survived).
*The argument was picked up after escaping the Death Star, and now Leia is joining in.

The argument is confused as to whether they're talking about size or about natural vs artificial objects. In terms of size, the Death Star is much larger (70&nbsp;km radius) than dozens of {{w|List of natural satellites|full-fledged moons}} in our solar system. One of the smallest moons found so far in the solar system is {{w|S/2009 S 1}}, which is about 400&nbsp;meters in diameter and orbits Saturn. But we don't generally speak of the tiny rocks in the rings of Saturn as moons, so there is some distinction there, which may include the orbit of the object [http://www.exploratorium.edu/saturn/moon.html]. There is also the distinction between natural moons and spacecraft, which seems to be ignored in the final panel.

The title text makes reference to a later scene in the film when Rebel pilots are being briefed on the planned attack on the Death Star. Those who analysed the plans for the Death Star run into the same discussion picture, and end up arguing about the classification of the Death Star, dividing those involved into the "artificial moonlet" camp and the "rogue planet-station" camp, thus deunifying the rebellion. If events are otherwise the same from the movie, this is also happening at threat of their destruction, and thus a crippling of the Rebellion.

The timing of the comic may be related to the {{w|New Horizons}} mission to {{w|Pluto}}. The spacecraft awoke from hibernation 4 days earlier, on December 6, 2014, to start the encounter phase with Pluto.

==Transcript==
:[Millennium Falcon follows a Tie Fighter towards an unidentified orb in the distance.]
:Luke Skywalker: He's heading for that small moon.
:Ben Kenobi: That's no moon - it's a space station.

:Luke Skywalker: It's too big to be a space station.
:Ben Kenobi: But it's too '''''small''''' to be a moon.

:[Three hours pass]

:Ben Kenobi: Fine! What if we agree it's not a moon, but we make a new category called "Dwarf Moon"?
:Luke Skywalker: And what's the cutoff, asshole?! Is this '''''ship''''' a dwarf moon now?
:Ben Kenobi: Screw you.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Space]]
[[Category:Star Wars]]