Royal Observatory of the Golden Empire

The Royal Observatory of the Golden Empire, located on Uyiq-Mest, was the foremost astronomical and astrographic agency of the Golden Empire. Far more than being a simple observatory, it was the repository for all the astrographic information of the Empire, including all reports from fleets in the Exploration Corps and any other information gained by the Prime Fleet.

The Royal Observatory's databanks held information about hyperspace lanes, detailed surface scans of every system explored by the Empire (including those uninhabited or even uninhabitable), and observations about distant phenomena not yet explored. The Observatory was in charge of maintaining the official holomap of the Golden Empire, providing the latest version to Queen Rin Sakaros whenever an update was made. The Observatory could also be consulted by Consuls and systemary governments to plan safe intersystem transit, especially to newly incorporated systems. Information about the Known Galaxy was stored in the archives of the Observatory, but was not publicly accessible. Given the monumental import of the Observatory's work and the need for secrecy for some of its databanks, it was attended at all times by a detail of Royal Army personnel.

Despite its weighty responsibilities, the Observatory did function as an actual observatory as well, boasting an extremely powerful telescope for research scientists and several smaller ones for visitors and students groups. The Observatory regularly hosted visiting scientists from systems in the Empire, and encouraged student trips from university programs in astronomy and astrophysics. Novices from the Order of Keltrayu were sometimes sent to the Observatory to study as well.

Though under military guard, the Observatory was staffed by civilian scientists, usually those who had already built distinguished careers. The Observatory fell under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Science and Technology. Its Director was appointed by the Minister, with the consent of the Sovereign.