Fans of the Star Wars films are counting down the days until the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens on December 17, 2015. While the new film promises excitement and the return of beloved characters, there’s no reason to forget the magnetism, both scientific and popular attraction, of the first six films. There are several instances where magnetism plays a role in the Star Wars universe aside from the popularity of the films. Here are a few of our favorites:

Binary Star System

Luke Skywalker’s story begins on the planet Tatooine where the environment is harsh and dry. The planet Tatooine orbits two Sun-like stars instead of one like our solar system. The two stars of Tatooine likely influence the hot, unforgiving climate of the planet. A binary system such as the one Tatooine orbits occurs when two stars are so close together they orbit the same spot. The two stars are locked in a binary system with each other because of the similarity in size of their magnetic fields and gravitational pull. If one of the stars were larger and more powerful than the other, the stars could collide. Because they have about equal gravitational pull and magnetic fields, the objects of a binary system can orbit the same spot without colliding.

Magnetic Tractor Beam

The Death Star draws in the Millennium Falcon using its tractor beam in Star Wars: A New Hope. While the movies don’t indicate the magnetic possibilities of the device, it’s likely the tractor beam harnesses the power of magnetism to draw in spaceships and other celestial objects. The power of the fictional magnetic tractor beam is too great for Han Solo’s spaceship, which is why Obi-Wan Kenobi must deactivate the tractor beam on the Death Star so the Millennium Falcon can escape.

Lightsabers

When applying physics to the preferred tool of the Jedi, the lightsaber, some speculate that a magnetic field is required to contain the deadly energy. A lightsaber could consist of super hot plasma contained by an electromagnetic coil. For a plasma blade to work, the handle would be a plasma torch and a dyetanium fan. The fan would shoot air into the hilt at extremely high speeds allowing the plasma to heat to dangerous temperatures. Can you think of any other instances or uses of magnetism in the Star Wars universe? Leave a comment and let us know!