One invaluable asset in writing Star Wars: The Essential Atlas has been the Systems Database, an ever-expanding spreadsheet of Star Wars locations that my co-author Jason Fry has maintained for well over a decade.

Assembled with an eye for detail that ought to earn him the Bob Vitas award, Jason's database lists every planetary location ever mentioned in the Expanded Universe, along with sector and region locations (if known) and maybe-useful, maybe-not hints at proximity relationships (e.g. "An agricultural world near heart of Exp. Region; part of a star cluster located far enough from major trade routes to be 'rustic'; taken over by Empire c. ANH"). Yes, Jason has been preparing the Star Wars Atlas since 1995.

Unlike Bob's work, or even my own (long-vanished) stab at a planetary database, Jason never released his project on the 'net. But it's been a priceless behind-the-scenes resource, used by Lucasfilm as a reference and acting as a sort of Rosetta Stone for my and Jim Luceno's efforts at creating a New Jedi Order map.

Is there a way to include all 3900 entries in the Star Wars Atlas project? Maybe. We hope. We'll see!

Dan
(writing projects and current releases)