DuskSniper's video: The Astronomican

In tribute to the Navigators and the Astronomican. Audio is "Apassionata" by X-Ray Dog. Credit to all the artists who made these great pictures! The Astronomican: The Astronomican is a psychic beacon which the Navigators utilize to pilot the spaceships of the Imperium through the otherwise unnavigable chaos of Warp-space. As the beam generated is psychic it exists within the psychic universe of the Warp. It is the duty of the Adeptus Astronomica to maintain all aspects of the Astronomican, including training those who will power it. The "psychic light" of the Astronomican is beamed from Terra, from the Chamber of the Astronomican. The Astronomican is powered by the psykers trained by the organization; the omnipotent will of the Emperor constantly directs this energy across around fifty thousand light years of the galaxy. Although the Emperor does not provide the energy of the beacon, only he has the psychic power to handle such immense energy and direct it across the galaxy. The psykers who power the Astronomican are recruited into the organization through the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. They are initiated into the Adeptus Astronomica as Acolytes, and taught how to use their powers, philosophy, the meaning of their lives, and they learn the "Lore of the Astronomican". Some achieve a mystic state, gaining the status of "Chosen". It is these Chosen who are eventually called to serve in the Chamber of the Astronomican. Here they fuel the Astronomican beacon with their psychic energies; as their powers are drained the Chosen slowly fade and die. This psychic power is directed by the mind of the Emperor across about fifty thousand light years of the galaxy. Because Terra is situated in the galactic west, the Astronomican does not cover the extreme eastern part of the galaxy. Warp travel beyond the Astronomican's reach is severely limited - this creates the effective borders of the Imperium. Destroying the Astronomican would most likely halt all Imperial Warp travel within the galaxy, effectively bringing the Imperium to its knees. Navigators, as well as other psykers, can sense the Astronomican. It is described as a sensation of silvery light and a chorus of many heavenly voices, beginning first with a solitary voice and progressively growing into an angelic choir. It is suggested that "pious marines" who can hear the Astronomican can fall into a meditative trance when they focus on it.