Beacon

“That ball of flame represents the power of the observatory. We call it the beacon. When you recover a Grand Star, a little Star Power will be restored, and the beacon will grow.”

—Rosalina, Super Mario Galaxy

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The Beacon, with its power having been partially restored.

The Beacon is the large star-like reactor that powers the Comet Observatory, including the space station's propulsion systems, life support, and its Domes. The Beacon begins as a small, dim star, but as Mario collects more Grand Stars, the star becomes larger and brighter, allowing access to more Domes. The Lumas need the beacon to survive. Through the course of the game, it changes colors from red to yellow, then to green, and then to a greenish-blue, then to blue and finally turquoise. There is also an invisible wall that prevents the player from touching the Beacon.

In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Starship Mario has, in its engine room, what appears to be a miniature beacon that runs on Power Stars. This miniature beacon is the energy source for the Starship.