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Star Wars Time Measurement and Dating Systems


I seem to remember several dating systems mainly in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. Furthermore, I was wondering if periods of time such as seconds, days, or months represent the same amount of time as they do in the real world.


So these are the main points of this question:




  1. Which are the different dating systems (if there is indeed more than one) in the Star Wars galaxy? How are they related in regard to time offsets and such? (e.g. One system's year 5000 is another's year 268) An explanatory timeline graphic - perhaps including some important events - would be especially appreciated!




  2. Do amounts of time in the dating system(s) such as minutes or hours represent the same amount as in the real world? If more than one system exists, do the amounts of time carry over between them? (e.g. 1 minute is the same amount of time in all systems.)




  3. If the times carry over (or there is, in fact, only one system), what planet are the units of time based on? Coruscant?


Sorry if it seems I have asked too much in one question - splitting this question up into multiple questions did not appear to be a good idea as much of its content is very related.


Thanks for your time!



Answer




  1. Almost everything about Star Wars is based on the Galactic Standard Calendar which uses the Battle of Yavin as its epoch (year 0). There are various other epochs, for instance, the formation of the Galactic Empire. There is a comprehensive text timeline here

    • BBY stands for Before the Battle of Yavin, and ABY stands for After the Battle of Yavin. (The Battle of Yavin ended with the destruction of the first Death Star, or if you prefer, the end of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope).




  2. As for the time, there's nothing to indicate how it's related to earth's time, it just said that it's 24 hours = 1 day, 60 minutes = 1 hour, and 60 seconds = 1 minute.
    As for the calendar, it's slightly different from ours:

    • A standard week is 5 standard days

    • Each month is exactly seven weeks. (Making 35 standard days each month.)

    • A standard year was 368 days, and was composed of:





  3. Yes, Coruscant Solar cycle



The Galactic Standard Calendar was the standard measurement of time in the galaxy. It centered around the Coruscant Solar cycle, which was 368 days long (one day consisting of 24 standard hours). Numerous epochs were used to determine calendar eras. The most recent of these calendar eras used the Battle of Yavin as its epoch, or "year zero." BBY stands for Before the Battle of Yavin, and ABY stands for After the Battle of Yavin



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