The Astronomican

[grailkeeper]

I have a few thoughts about the Astronomican - the beam projected by the Emperor from Terra used to guide ships through the warp and across space. The psychic signal without which the Imperium would fall.

 

The issue I have is the earth rotates on its axis. Does the Astonomican beam spin with it as the Emperor's palace rotates? Does this mean that the Astonomican works less like a road marking and more like a psychic lighthouse which only flashes once a day? Even then  parts of the universe are never going to be in the path of the rotation and will never be guided by its light. Things are probably further complicated by the fact the earth rotates around the sun.

 

I know its a bit ridiculous to be asking questions about a psychic beam fueled by  souls and used to by mutants to guide spaceships through hell safely, but still the questions bear asking.

 

 

 

 

[Commissar Molotov]

The psychic signal... Does the Astonomican beam spin with it as the Emperor's palace rotates? 

 

As you say, this is a psychic beacon. As such, perhaps you shouldn't think about it as a physical "beam" in real life, but instead think about it as it would show up in the warp - a blinding light against the darkness.

[Shinespider]

It's not a directional beam, it's a beacon. A pinpoint of light. It doesn't face any particular direction, it just shines on Terra.

 

In the vastness of the galaxy, relatively speaking, the motion of the earth around the sun basically doesn't qualify as movement at all. 

[Lord_Caerolion]

I have a few thoughts about the Astronomican - the beam projected by the Emperor from Terra used to guide ships through the warp and across space. The psychic signal without which the Imperium would fall.

 

The issue I have is the earth rotates on its axis. Does the Astonomican beam spin with it as the Emperor's palace rotates? Does this mean that the Astonomican works less like a road marking and more like a psychic lighthouse which only flashes once a day? Even then  parts of the universe are never going to be in the path of the rotation and will never be guided by its light. Things are probably further complicated by the fact the earth rotates around the sun.

 

I know its a bit ridiculous to be asking questions about a psychic beam fueled by  souls and used to by mutants to guide spaceships through hell safely, but still the questions bear asking.

 

I think the confusion comes from assuming the Astronomican is a beam. It's described as a lighthouse, sure, but only as a metaphor. It doesn't require the Astronomican to be pointing directly at the ship in question, it's just an incredibly powerful "light". 

 

Think of it more like this. We're told that human souls are like a candle-flame in the darkness of the Warp, with the souls of psykers being "brighter". The Emperor, himself having an incredibly "bright" soul, works to focus the light of these 1000 soul, and strengthen them and direct them outwards. He turns a collection of 1000 torches into a blazing inferno, lighting up the Warp for all to see. He doesn't make a lighthouse, he makes a sun.

[Lucio]

Actually in Mechanium it is discribed as a beam, through which Mars passes.

 

However, frankly, it's magic, it just works :)

[Atrus]

I think of it as like the north star. Something ships can take their bearing off.

[karden00]

Alllllllso.....

What happens when the emperor leaves Terra? Wolf of Ash and Fire, First Heretic, Nikaea.....

You can love these stories, as I do, but you can still object to the lack of consistency, and you’d never be wrong to do so.

Edited January 24, 2018 by karden00

[grailkeeper]

Alllllllso.....

What happens when the emperor leaves Terra? Wolf of Ash and Fire, First Heretic, Nikaea.....

You can love these stories, as I do, but you can still object to the lack of consistency, and you’d never be wrong to do so.

 

 

I think the Pharos device was still in action when these happened.

[Marshal Rohr]

I always imagined the ‘beams’ to be something like coronal flares after ToH described worlds in the warp being scoured by the light.

[The Unseen]

Alllllllso.....

What happens when the emperor leaves Terra? Wolf of Ash and Fire, First Heretic, Nikaea.....

You can love these stories, as I do, but you can still object to the lack of consistency, and you’d never be wrong to do so.

Before Magnus made a giant hole in the webway, The Emperor was powerful enough to guide the Astronomicon from a distance, though it was taxing for him.

After "Magnus did nothing wrong", The Emperor has to remain on the throne to keep the broken webway portal from ripping Terra apart and filling it with daemons, and also because it might be the only thing keeping him pseudo alive after Horus crippled him.

 

So during the early Great Crusade, Emperor could leave Terra if he wanted, even for extended periods, no problem.

 

Also, it's warp magic, it doesn't have to make sense in realspace.

It just has to make sense in the warp.

So in realspace, it might be twirling around like an unbalanced top, but in the warp, its an unmoving light.

[karden00]

 

Alllllllso.....

What happens when the emperor leaves Terra? Wolf of Ash and Fire, First Heretic, Nikaea.....

You can love these stories, as I do, but you can still object to the lack of consistency, and you’d never be wrong to do so.

 

 

 

I think the Pharos device was still in action when these happened.

Errr. Yo dude, I don’t think that the Pharos was ever stated to have been in play during those three events. Those stories take place well before the Heresy, and it was in the Heresy that the Pharos came into the picture.

 

Alllllllso.....

What happens when the emperor leaves Terra? Wolf of Ash and Fire, First Heretic, Nikaea.....

You can love these stories, as I do, but you can still object to the lack of consistency, and you’d never be wrong to do so.

Before Magnus made a giant hole in the webway, The Emperor was powerful enough to guide the Astronomicon from a distance, though it was taxing for him.

After "Magnus did nothing wrong", The Emperor has to remain on the throne to keep the broken webway portal from ripping Terra apart and filling it with daemons, and also because it might be the only thing keeping him pseudo alive after Horus crippled him.

So during the early Great Crusade, Emperor could leave Terra if he wanted, even for extended periods, no problem.

Also, it's warp magic, it doesn't have to make sense in realspace.

It just has to make sense in the warp.

So in realspace, it might be twirling around like an unbalanced top, but in the warp, its an unmoving light.

Hmmm that seems fairly plausible, and I’d be willing to buy it. Can you cite your sources for this one?

[The Doctor Of War]

Actually in Mechanium it is discribed as a beam, through which Mars passes.

 

However, frankly, it's magic, it just works

 

The appearance of the Warp depends entirely on the viewer, so it's entirely possible that some Navigators see it as a shining light, others a beam, others a giant neon sign (saying 'All you can eat' in the case of the 'nids). 

[Sword Brother Adelard]

It was definitely a beam in 'Talon of Horus' they talk of being directly in its light.

[Lord_Caerolion]

Except in Talon of Horus, it makes absolutely no mention of it being a beam, just that they're in its light. That in no way means it has to be a beam, just that it's a source of "light".

[Sword Brother Adelard]

Except in Talon of Horus, it makes absolutely no mention of it being a beam, just that they're in its light. That in no way means it has to be a beam, just that it's a source of "light".

Maybe, but it at least implies it's directed, as else, everywhere would be in its light outside the eye. There's no mention of a similar effect in the next book when they escape the eye.

[Mellow]

Come on now. In ToH the Astronomicon is an angel of fire that sends thousands upon thousands of fire angels at the EoT in order to destroy Daemon worlds.

 

Of course whether it still does that after the rift opened is another thing entirely.

[Lord_Caerolion]

 

 

Except in Talon of Horus, it makes absolutely no mention of it being a beam, just that they're in its light. That in no way means it has to be a beam, just that it's a source of "light".

Maybe, but it at least implies it's directed, as else, everywhere would be in its light outside the eye. There's no mention of a similar effect in the next book when they escape the eye.

The Firetide is stated to be where the Astronomican "burned strongest and brightest", at least around the Eye. Again, the fact remains that for it to be a literal beam means that the rest of the galaxy goes without when the beam isn't pointed directly at them. We know that's not the case.

Secondly, it's not mentioned in Black Legion because they don't enter the Warp outside the Eye in that book. The Astronomican is a Warp-phenomenon, it manifests in the Firetide because the Eye is where Warp and reality overlap. Outside there, the Astronomican only affects the Warp, and apparently not as strongly as the Firetide, for whatever metaphysical reason.

[gideon stargreave]

i always thought it was more like how sunlight is. So you can feel it on your skin, you know which way it is, but can;t look

[Xenith]

Maybe it is a beam, and maybe they use the frequency of the flash to deduce whether they are heading towards, or away from Terra.

[Iron Father Ferrum]

Or maybe it emits multiple beams. Rays, if you will, in multiple directions. Edited January 26, 2018 by Iron Father Ferrum