Astrogation

Astrogation, also known as astronavigation, was the science of navigating spacecraft through realspace and hyperspace.

Two tasks defined astrogation: determining present location, and planning a safe and reliable means of reaching a destination. The former was performed by those skilled in astrocartography, familiar with star patterns or automata. Astronav charts mapped areas of space and could be used to plot courses through hyperspace. The plotting of a course was generally handled exclusively by astromech droids or navigation computers.

The knowledge of one's whereabouts in space and other celestial objects was vital to navigating hyperspace, as incorrectly calculated jumps meant a ship could collide with a planet, star, or other body.

Text and facts from the “Astrogation/Legends” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.