Hi all.

For a while I've been thinking that the current calendar system used (based on the battle of Yavin) is a little odd. Surely calendar dating would be based on more significant (literally or politically) events in the history of the galaxy, such as the founding of the Republic and later of the Empire?

As such, we could set the founding of the Republic as year 1, such that the Empire started in year 24,981 RY (25,000-19).

The battle of Yavin (timeframe for many campaigns) would be Republic Year (RY) 25,000, or Imperial Year (IY) 19, and not treated as a "Year 0".

To borrow from other sources, division within a year could be based on the number of Coruscanti days per year (368), ie a given date halfway through a year could be 25,000:184 (year:day)

Hope this isn't just so much Yaddle twaddle.

As usual, my signature applies...

You are correct. In world they would be using the imperial calender. However we use battle of yavin in our would as it is a solid fram of reference for us.

Surely, but IMHO, an Imperial (or Republic) calendar would be more immersive...

(...and stop calling me Shirley )

For immersion I use the ATC calendar, meaning "after the Treaty of Coruscant." I also usually put it side-by-side with the Imperial Calendar (IC), explaining that the Imperial government greatly prefers using IC, but the most common understood calendar is ATC. For reference, ANH takes place in 3653 ATC.

The problem with defining year 1 (or zero) is you are set to that time. ABY is what has been used because the great flanneled one even got tripped up when obi-wan qouted "for over a thousand years"

It doesnt matter what you use as long as others understand

The whole concept of timekeeping and calendar dates is abstracted in Star Wars. They just don't talk about it in the stories.

As others have mentioned, nobody in the Star Wars galaxy actually refers to time by "After the Battle of Yavin", that's just what we use in our universe to keep track of the dates in the story.

Maybe it would've made sense to have some kind of in-canon calendar but for the most part, it just doesn't come up.

I would guess that, because the galaxy is rather decentralized with only the Empire/Republic providing any overarching organization, that while the Republic and Empire would use a standardized calendar that the vast bulk of people would simply use any existing regional calendars for everyday use.

Hutt space probably has their own standardized calendar(maybe based on the orbit of Nal Hutta), the Corporate Sector would also probably have their own(a derivative of the Imperial calendar), and then uncounted local calendars.

Calendars might also be determined by any particularly influential worlds. Maybe everyone who frequents the Correlian run standardizes time based on Correlia's orbit. That would do a good job of timekeeping around that place.

Timekeeping could even be part of maintaining an aura of secrecy. A pair of smugglers, aware the transmissions might be intercepted by the Imperials, might set up times and delivery dates based on an obscure system that the Empire wouldn't know about. "The spice will be delivered to you on the 5th day of Keldon's primary moon's 4th month"

If most planets can share the Basic language, it's not hard to imagine that they share the same calendar too. In both cases, these might exist alongside the local or might replace it.

Yes, ABY is our book keeping value, not the in-universe time piece. It lets a reader of the novels place their order (as can be seen in the covers of the various novels).

Most likely people use a standard calender for the same reason we on earth synchronized our calender and clocks. Trade requires it.

Most likely people use a standard calender for the same reason we on earth synchronized our calender and clocks. Trade requires it.

Not sure a standard calendar would do much good for trade. The worlds all have different length of years and days, so harvest time and such on various algricultural worlds would constantly change relative to a "standard" calendar.

Here we have the same length of day, length of year, so a standard calendar, like a standard for timezones, works as the basic calendar tracks to the seasons of our world (tropical or Julian year)

It is for planning purposes. Not for forcing things to happen at a specified time.

The standard calendar is there so that everybody can tune in to the HoloNet at the same time to see their favorite shows.

You want everyone on the same calender so you know the harvest on b lilo is on the 6th of the 6th month. So when you are on alderaan and you need to deliver this harvest you know when to leave alderaan to arrive to pick up that harvest for delivery to tatooine. You need synchronized time to achieve that.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Galactic_Standard_Calendar

I'm surprised no one has linked the Wookieepedia article yet.

Also, in-universe the dating would generally be based off the Great ReSynchronization (GrS), with the Battle of Yavin in the 3rd month of year 35 GrS.