FUN WITH MAPS ISSUE 2026-073  

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (May 4, 2026) – This edition of Fun with Maps takes us to the stars…of the sky and silver screen

Star Wars

In a Galaxy far, far away…

The epic saga of good versus evil started on the silver screen in May 1977 and nine movies or episodes have been released in total.

Star Wars quickly became a cultural icon.  It pushed computer animation and visual effects to the limit for its time, created by George Lucas’s Industrial Light and Magic company.  It introduced the Force and the lightsaber among other things.

One of the key characters is Hans Solo, portrayed by Harrison Ford.  Ford’s acting career started slowly, then he decided to become a carpenter, but the acting bug kept biting him.  Eventually George Lucas cast Ford in American Graffiti.  That then led to Star Wars for Ford.

And there is many people’s favorite, Darth Vader, a classic good gone bad character.  He is still a high demand Halloween outfit.

So why talk about Star Wars – today is May 4th… May the 4th be with you.

This celestial chart of the northern hemisphere is by Dopplemayr from 1742.  You can almost see the Galaxy far, far away.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps. Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.