Why did Tarkin not destroy Yavin

[Jedi Master Carr]

While I was reading The Science of Star Wars I encountered an interesting question. One of the scientists wondered why Tarkin just didn't blow up Yavin instead of going into the planet's orbit and blowing up the moon. His argument was that by destroying the planet the moon would have been destroyed too. I think that is an interesting question and won that I have never though about before. Can anybody think of a reason Tarkin would have done such a foolish thing?

[ReaperFett]

few suggestions:

1. Worried it may damage the Death Star
2. He wanted to be sure the Rebellion was crushed
3. Liked the planet :)

[Doc Milo]

I don't know if this is a legitimate answer or not -- probably wouldn't hold up scientifically.

Maybe he couldn't destroy Yavin because it's a gas giant? Maybe the Death Star's superlaser could only destroy something with solid mass?

[Jedi Master Kyle]

sounds legitimate to me.

[Hart Kenobi]

Well, was Yavin a planet or a star? I thought it was a planet.

[Jedi Master Kyle]

It's a giant gas planet.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I think that makes sense especially from the aspect of the book where the question came from. I one chapter they attempted to explain how the death stat destroyed worlds one scientists argued that the lasers probably heated up the planets core which then destroyed it so with that in mind perhas Yavin does not have a solid core since its made up of all gas. After thinking about it for a while I have come up with another possible explanation for Tarkin's blunder was perhaps he was just overconfident he figured the alliance had no legitiment chance at destroying the Death Star so it do not matter if he took his time orboting the planet. His final line points this out when one of his underlings suggests that he go to his escape shuttle He responds, "Evacuate in our moment of triumph! I think you overestimate their chances." Now their could be other reasons too that somebody else might be able to come up with.

[Sty Epsen]

The chances were that the Imperials needed a clean victory- moon beeing destroyed to show on their propaganda holos. Also, in "The Science of Star Wars" it talks about how the lasers would not combine as the movie suggests-they would simply pass right through each other.

[EP5GRAFLEX]

I brought this up at the RPF board recently, I almost certain it's gone by now. But the conclusion everyone seemed to agree on is that Tarkin was just plain too arrogant to just destroy the planet Yavin. He wanted to show all who would oppose the Empire that they could take their sweet ass time in manuvering around the planet and take out the Rebel moon as simple as flicking away a annoying bug. Imagine all the propoganda they could spread of this almost effortless victory. No one would dare oppose them. We also talked about Gas Planets and such, but I myself liked this anwser best.

Jedi-Rocker:)

[Darth Hez]

I don't know about whether the destruction of Yavin would destroy the moon, but i did read a technical reason why he didn't simply destroy Yavin and then destroy the moon, to save him orbiting it. It was that the first Death Stars superlaser required 24 hours to recharge after a planet destroying blast.

[DvdJervs]

Of all the reasons I have read (I also took part in the thread in Replica Props - it's long dead though) I think Hez's is the best.

Not only could the Death Star be damaged if it blew up Yavin, but also if it did blow up Yavin first and then have to wait another day before shooting again the Rebels could have a chance to escape (I don't think the Death Star had the capability to launch an invasion of the base in any large way).