diff --git a/data/game.json b/data/game.json
index 3716e9c..bd6a3d4 100644
--- a/data/game.json
+++ b/data/game.json
@@ -19,5 +19,13 @@
   "camera": {
     "followShip": true,
     "followRate": 3.0
+  },
+  "discovery": {
+    "_comment": "Discovery rule: when the ship gets within distance px of an object's edge (edge-to-edge), the object is discovered — and stays discovered for the rest of the galaxy. compass = the off-screen arrows: edgeInset px in from the screen edge, and minSeparation px kept between arrows so they never stack.",
+    "distance": 540,
+    "compass": {
+      "edgeInset": 26,
+      "minSeparation": 130
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/data/manifest.json b/data/manifest.json
index d9e80d4..020d928 100644
--- a/data/manifest.json
+++ b/data/manifest.json
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
     "planets.json",
     "galaxy.json",
     "systems.json",
+    "settlements.json",
     "naming.json"
   ]
 }
diff --git a/data/planets.json b/data/planets.json
index 64d10d6..1899dea 100644
--- a/data/planets.json
+++ b/data/planets.json
@@ -1,13 +1,44 @@
 {
-  "_comment": "Planet visuals + home-planet rules. texture is a spritesheet of frameWidth×frameHeight frames (frame 0 = top-left); frames maps a planet name to the sheet frames it may be drawn as — the generator picks one per planet (seed-deterministic). homePlanet is the player's world — always present in the system the player starts in. scale = world pixels per sheet pixel (1.0 = 1:1, so a Terran world is 1024 px across on screen). A planet is a solid disc: the ship may approach to shipClearance px (edge-to-edge) from its rim but can never cross it. spawnDistanceFromEdge = how far (edge-to-edge) the ship starts from the home world's rim.",
+  "_comment": "Planet visuals + home-planet rules + the solar system's layout. texture is a spritesheet of frameWidth×frameHeight frames (frame 0 = top-left); frames maps a planet kind to the sheet frames it may be drawn as — the generator picks one per planet (seed-deterministic). homePlanet is the player's world — always present at the origin of the system they start in. scale = world pixels per sheet pixel (1.0 = 1:1, so a Terran world is 1024 px across on screen). A planet is a solid disc: the ship may approach to shipClearance px (edge-to-edge) from its rim but can never cross it. spawnDistanceFromEdge = how far (edge-to-edge) the ship starts from the home world's rim. classScale = size multiplier per planet class (1.0 = 1024 px across); classTint = optional canvas tint per class (multiplicative — the terran art stands in for every kind until real art lands). solarSystem = the top-down layout band: the other worlds of a system sit minOrbit–maxOrbit px from the origin, at least minEdgeGap px (edge-to-edge) apart from each other and the origin.",
   "texture": "assets/images/planets.png",
   "frameWidth": 1024,
   "frameHeight": 1024,
   "scale": 1.0,
   "frames": {
-    "terran": [0, 1, 2]
+    "terran": [0, 1, 2],
+    "rocky": [0, 1, 2],
+    "gas": [0, 1, 2],
+    "ice": [0, 1, 2],
+    "lava": [0, 1, 2]
+  },
+  "classScale": {
+    "rocky": 1.0,
+    "gas": 1.45,
+    "ice": 0.85,
+    "lava": 0.95
+  },
+  "classTint": {
+    "rocky": "#e8d9b8",
+    "gas": "#ffb066",
+    "ice": "#cfeaff",
+    "lava": "#ff8a5c"
+  },
+  "typeLabels": {
+    "terran": "Home World",
+    "rocky": "Rocky World",
+    "gas": "Gas Giant",
+    "ice": "Ice World",
+    "lava": "Lava World"
   },
   "homePlanet": "terran",
+  "homeName": "Terra",
+  "homeTypeLabel": "Home World",
   "shipClearance": 50,
-  "spawnDistanceFromEdge": 150
+  "spawnDistanceFromEdge": 150,
+  "solarSystem": {
+    "enabled": true,
+    "minOrbit": 2600,
+    "maxOrbit": 8800,
+    "minEdgeGap": 1200
+  }
 }
diff --git a/dev/discovery.test.mjs b/dev/discovery.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..60daa35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev/discovery.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,193 @@
+/**
+ * Discovery & compass test (dev tool, run with Node — no browser needed):
+ *
+ *   node dev/discovery.test.mjs
+ *
+ * Asserts:
+ *   - the DISCOVERY RULE (data/game.json → discovery.distance): within that
+ *     many px of an object's EDGE ⇒ discovered, exactly once, per system;
+ *     state round-trips through toJSON/fromJSON (saves-ready);
+ *   - the SOLAR SYSTEM LAYOUT (data/planets.json → solarSystem): every
+ *     system's worlds sit at finite, in-band positions around the origin,
+ *     at least minEdgeGap px apart edge-to-edge (incl. the origin's home
+ *     world), scaled by class — deterministically (same seed ⇒ same layout,
+ *     different seed ⇒ different);
+ *   - the COMPASS geometry (js/ui/DiscoveryCompass.js): edgeAnchor lands on
+ *     the screen-edge rect (edges AND corners), circleInView is exact,
+ *     lerpAngle always takes the short arc.
+ *   - the new planet class pools resolve to real sheet frames.
+ */
+
+process.env.NODE_ENV = 'dev';
+
+import { pathToFileURL } from 'node:url';
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
+import { dirname, join } from 'node:path';
+
+const __dirname = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
+
+// --- Load the real config (data/*.json) into the config singleton --------
+const { config } = await import(pathToFileURL(join(__dirname, '../js/config/Config.js')).href);
+const fs = await import('node:fs');
+const dataDir = join(__dirname, '../data');
+const configData = {};
+for (const f of fs.readdirSync(dataDir)) {
+  if (!f.endsWith('.json') || f === 'manifest.json') continue;
+  configData[f.replace(/\.json$/i, '')] = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(join(dataDir, f), 'utf8'));
+}
+config.init(configData);
+
+// Minimal Phaser stub — enough to import the UI/entity modules below.
+globalThis.window = {
+  Phaser: { GameObjects: { Container: class {}, Sprite: class {} } },
+};
+
+const { Rng } = await import(pathToFileURL(join(__dirname, '../js/utils/Rng.js')).href);
+const { Galaxy } = await import(pathToFileURL(join(__dirname, '../js/galaxy/Galaxy.js')).href);
+const { Discovery } = await import(pathToFileURL(join(__dirname, '../js/galaxy/Discovery.js')).href);
+const { Planet } = await import(pathToFileURL(join(__dirname, '../js/entities/Planet.js')).href);
+const { edgeAnchor, circleInView, lerpAngle } = await import(
+  pathToFileURL(join(__dirname, '../js/ui/DiscoveryCompass.js')).href
+);
+
+let pass = 0;
+function check(name, cond) {
+  if (!cond) {
+    console.error(`✗ ${name}`);
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+  pass++;
+  console.log(`✓ ${name}`);
+}
+
+// --- The discovery rule ---------------------------------------------------
+
+const D = config.get('game.discovery.distance');
+check('discovery distance is configured (540 px)', D === 540);
+
+const d = new Discovery(D);
+const objs = [
+  { id: 'near', x: 1000, y: 0, radius: 512 }, // rim at 488 px → within 540
+  { id: 'far', x: 5000, y: 0, radius: 512 }, // rim at 4488 px → out of range
+  { id: 'sideways', x: 0, y: 900, radius: 512 }, // rim at 388 px → within 540
+];
+let fresh = d.check('S1', 0, 0, objs);
+check('within distance of the edge ⇒ discovered', fresh.length === 2 && d.isDiscovered('S1', 'near') && d.isDiscovered('S1', 'sideways'));
+check('beyond the distance ⇒ not discovered', !d.isDiscovered('S1', 'far'));
+check('already-discovered is never re-reported', d.check('S1', 0, 0, objs).length === 0);
+check('discovery is tracked per system', d.check('S2', 0, 0, objs).length === 2 && !d.isDiscovered('S2', 'far'));
+
+const dEdge = new Discovery(D);
+check('exactly at radius+distance ⇒ discovered', dEdge.check('S1', 512 + D, 0, [{ id: 'a', x: 0, y: 0, radius: 512 }]).length === 1);
+const dPast = new Discovery(D);
+check('one px past radius+distance ⇒ not discovered', dPast.check('S1', 513 + D, 0, [{ id: 'a', x: 0, y: 0, radius: 512 }]).length === 0);
+
+let rejected = false;
+try {
+  new Discovery(-1);
+} catch {
+  rejected = true;
+}
+check('rejects a negative distance', rejected);
+
+const restored = Discovery.fromJSON(d.toJSON());
+check('toJSON/fromJSON round-trips (saves-ready)', restored.distance === D && restored.isDiscovered('S1', 'near') && !restored.isDiscovered('S1', 'far') && restored.isDiscovered('S2', 'sideways'));
+
+// --- The solar system layout ---------------------------------------------
+
+const band = config.get('planets.solarSystem');
+const { minOrbit, maxOrbit, minEdgeGap } = band;
+const baseR = (config.get('planets.frameWidth', 1024) * config.get('planets.scale', 1)) / 2;
+
+const g = Galaxy.create('discovery-layout-test');
+let layoutOk = true;
+let layoutWhy = '';
+const probe = (systems) => {
+  for (const rec of systems) {
+    const c = g.ensureContent(rec.id);
+    const placed = [{ x: 0, y: 0, r: baseR }]; // the origin's home world
+    for (const p of c.planets) {
+      const r = baseR * p.scale;
+      const d0 = Math.hypot(p.x, p.y);
+      const want = config.get(`planets.classScale.${p.class}`, 1);
+      if (!Number.isFinite(p.x) || !Number.isFinite(p.y) || !Number.isFinite(p.scale)) {
+        layoutOk = false;
+        layoutWhy = `${rec.id}: non-finite layout`;
+        continue;
+      }
+      if (Math.abs(p.scale - want) > 1e-9) {
+        layoutOk = false;
+        layoutWhy = `${rec.id}: ${p.class} world scaled ${p.scale} ≠ classScale ${want}`;
+      }
+      if (d0 < minOrbit - 1e-6) {
+        layoutOk = false;
+        layoutWhy = `${rec.id}: world at ${d0.toFixed(1)} px < minOrbit ${minOrbit}`;
+      }
+      for (const q of placed) {
+        const gap = Math.hypot(p.x - q.x, p.y - q.y) - q.r - r;
+        if (gap < minEdgeGap - 1e-6) {
+          layoutOk = false;
+          layoutWhy = `${rec.id}: worlds ${minEdgeGap - gap}px closer than minEdgeGap ${minEdgeGap}`;
+        }
+      }
+      placed.push({ x: p.x, y: p.y, r });
+    }
+  }
+};
+probe(g.records.slice(0, 500));
+check(
+  `layout: 500 systems' worlds finite, scaled by class, in-band (≥${minOrbit}px), ≥${minEdgeGap}px apart edge-to-edge${layoutOk ? '' : ' — ' + layoutWhy}`,
+  layoutOk,
+);
+
+const rec0 = g.records[0].id;
+const la = Galaxy.create('discovery-layout-test').ensureContent(rec0);
+const lb = Galaxy.create('discovery-layout-test').ensureContent(rec0);
+const same =
+  la.planets.length === lb.planets.length &&
+  la.planets.every((p, i) => p.x === lb.planets[i].x && p.y === lb.planets[i].y && p.scale === lb.planets[i].scale);
+check('layout is deterministic (same seed ⇒ same x/y/scale)', same);
+
+const lc = Galaxy.create('discovery-layout-OTHER').ensureContent(rec0);
+const diff =
+  lc.planets.length !== la.planets.length ||
+  la.planets.some((p, i) => p.x !== lc.planets[i]?.x || p.y !== lc.planets[i]?.y);
+check('different seed ⇒ different layout', diff);
+
+// --- The compass geometry ---------------------------------------------------
+
+const W = 1280;
+const H = 720;
+const INSET = config.get('game.discovery.compass.edgeInset', 26);
+
+const eR = edgeAnchor(W, H, INSET, 0);
+check('edgeAnchor(+x) lands on the right edge, inset', Math.abs(eR.x - (W - INSET)) < 1e-9 && Math.abs(eR.y - H / 2) < 1e-9);
+const eT = edgeAnchor(W, H, INSET, -Math.PI / 2);
+check('edgeAnchor(up) lands on the top edge, inset', Math.abs(eT.x - W / 2) < 1e-9 && Math.abs(eT.y - INSET) < 1e-9);
+const cA = Math.atan2(H / 2 - INSET, W / 2 - INSET);
+const eC = edgeAnchor(W, H, INSET, cA);
+check('edgeAnchor(corner ray) lands exactly on the corner', Math.abs(eC.x - (W - INSET)) < 1e-6 && Math.abs(eC.y - (H - INSET)) < 1e-6);
+
+const view = { left: 100, top: 200, w: 1280, h: 720 };
+check('circleInView: rim overlapping the view ⇒ true', circleInView(view.left + view.w + 100, 560, 120, view) === true);
+check('circleInView: fully outside ⇒ false', circleInView(view.left + view.w + 200, 560, 120, view) === false);
+check('circleInView: fully inside ⇒ true', circleInView(700, 560, 512, view) === true);
+
+check(
+  'lerpAngle(0→π, ½) lands midway (antipodal ⇒ either arc is shortest)',
+  Math.abs(Math.abs(lerpAngle(0, Math.PI, 0.5)) - Math.PI / 2) < 1e-9,
+);
+check('lerpAngle eases the short way (3→−3, no long-way sweep)', Math.abs(lerpAngle(3.0, -3.0, 1) - (-3.0 + 2 * Math.PI)) < 1e-9);
+
+// --- The new planet class pools ---------------------------------------------
+
+for (const k of ['rocky', 'gas', 'ice', 'lava']) {
+  const pool = config.get(`planets.frames.${k}`);
+  check(`frames pool for ${k} exists`, Array.isArray(pool) && pool.length > 0);
+  const f = Planet.frameFor(k, Rng.derive('test', 'planet', 'x'));
+  check(`frameFor(${k}) picks a frame from its pool`, pool.includes(f));
+  const s = config.get(`planets.classScale.${k}`, 1);
+  check(`classScale.${k} is sane (${s})`, s > 0 && s < 3);
+}
+
+console.log(`\nAll discovery & compass tests passed (${pass} checks).`);
diff --git a/dev/smoke-game.mjs b/dev/smoke-game.mjs
index de02802..1a21a5b 100644
--- a/dev/smoke-game.mjs
+++ b/dev/smoke-game.mjs
@@ -6,6 +6,14 @@
  *   python3 -m http.server 8080
  *   firefox --headless --screenshot shot.png \
  *     --window-size=1280,720 http://localhost:8080/dev/test-game.html
+ *
+ * Dev hooks (URL params, dev only — ignored by the game itself):
+ *   ?ship=<x>,<y>  teleport the ship to a world position after boot
+ *                  (screenshots of far-off states — e.g. the off-screen
+ *                  compass arrows pointing back at the home world).
+ *   ?near=<px>      fly the ship to <px> (edge-to-edge) from the first
+ *                  system planet — screenshots the discovery moment
+ *                  (rim ping + toast) with the world in view.
  */
 import Phaser from '../js/vendor/phaser.js';
 import { config } from '../js/config/Config.js';
@@ -16,7 +24,38 @@ import { GameScene } from '../js/scenes/GameScene.js';
 const data = await ConfigLoader.load();
 config.init(data);
 const gameConfig = createGameConfig();
+const shipParam = typeof location !== 'undefined' ? new URLSearchParams(location.search).get('ship') : null;
+const nearParam = typeof location !== 'undefined' ? new URLSearchParams(location.search).get('near') : null;
 gameConfig.scene = [GameScene];
 const game = new Phaser.Game(gameConfig);
 window.game = game;
 console.info('smoke: game booted into GameScene');
+
+if (shipParam) {
+  const [sx, sy] = shipParam.split(',').map(Number);
+  if (Number.isFinite(sx) && Number.isFinite(sy)) {
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      const s = game.scene.getScene('GameScene');
+      s.ship.setPosition(sx, sy);
+      s.cameras.main.setScroll(sx - s.scale.width / 2, sy - s.scale.height / 2);
+      console.info(`smoke: ship teleported to (${sx}, ${sy})`);
+    }, 500);
+  }
+}
+
+if (nearParam) {
+  const px = Number(nearParam) || 400;
+  setTimeout(() => {
+    const s = game.scene.getScene('GameScene');
+    const p = s.systemPlanets[0];
+    if (!p) return;
+    // Place the ship on the planet→origin axis, `px` (edge-to-edge) off
+    // the rim — inside the discovery distance, with the world in view.
+    const ang = Math.atan2(-p.y, -p.x);
+    const sx = p.x + Math.cos(ang) * (p.radius + px);
+    const sy = p.y + Math.sin(ang) * (p.radius + px);
+    s.ship.setPosition(sx, sy);
+    s.cameras.main.setScroll(sx - s.scale.width / 2, sy - s.scale.height / 2);
+    console.info(`smoke: ship parked ${px}px off ${p.discoveryName}'s rim`);
+  }, 500);
+}
diff --git a/docs/PROJECT_NOTES.md b/docs/PROJECT_NOTES.md
index 42a578f..8e013b1 100644
--- a/docs/PROJECT_NOTES.md
+++ b/docs/PROJECT_NOTES.md
@@ -146,6 +146,40 @@ unclaimed". Model & seams:
   of interest: the data already says what's there and where (anchor =
   planet ordinal or open space).
 
+## The current system is a place, not just a dossier (discovery + compass)
+
+The player starts in a solar system, and the other worlds **exist in the
+world** — solid, rendered, flyable-to. Rules and seams:
+
+- **World layout** — `SystemGenerator.layoutSystemPlanets(seed, systemId,
+  planets)` (pure, `js/galaxy/SystemGenerator.js`) places each generated
+  world in an annular band around the home world (origin), enforcing
+  edge-to-edge separation from every other disc. Draws come from the
+  dedicated fork `Rng.derive(seed, 'system', id, 'layout')` — layout
+  results are seed-deterministic *and* don't perturb the content stream
+  (lazy === eager is preserved). Band params live in
+  `data/planets.json → solarSystem` (enabled, minOrbit, maxOrbit,
+  minEdgeGap); class sizes/tints in `classScale`/`classTint`.
+- **Discovery** — `js/galaxy/Discovery.js` (pure, no Phaser — Node-
+  testable, save-ready: `toJSON()`/`fromJSON()`). Rule: the ship within
+  `game.discovery.distance` (data/game.json, default 540 px) of an
+  object's *edge* (center distance ≤ radius + distance) discovers it,
+  once, per system. Home world is discovered at spawn (the ship starts
+  beside it). Feedback: rim ping + "DISCOVERED — NAME · TYPE" toast
+  (GameScene.celebrateDiscovery).
+- **Compass** — `js/ui/DiscoveryCompass.js` (screen-space Container,
+  scrollFactor 0). Every frame it refreshes the set of **discovered**
+  objects that are **off-screen**, drawing a themed chevron arrow on the
+  screen edge with a type/name chip, separated by angle when rays crowd.
+  Edge-anchor geometry (`edgeAnchor`, `circleInView`, `lerpAngle`) is
+  exported pure for tests. Arrow texture is generated procedurally on
+  first use (`__compass_arrow`).
+- **World solids** — the ship collides with *every* system planet
+  (`GameScene.solidPlanets`), not just home: you can approach a rim,
+  never pass through.
+- Verified: `dev/discovery.test.mjs` (rule, boundaries, per-system
+  state, JSON round-trip, layout bounds + determinism, compass geometry).
+
 ## Phaser version
 
 - Pinned: **Phaser 4.2.1** ("Giedi"), vendored in `lib/phaser.min.js`.
@@ -167,6 +201,10 @@ unclaimed". Model & seams:
     silently renders **black**. Text styles and `setColor()` must get CSS
     strings — use `toCss()` from `js/utils/Color.js` (keep `toColor()` for
     Graphics/shape APIs).
+  - An `Image` created **before** its texture key exists can stay bound to
+    the `__MISSING` texture forever — even after the key is generated later
+    in the same session. Generate the texture **first** (see
+    `DiscoveryCompass.ensureArrowTexture`: texture, then `scene.add.image`).
 - To upgrade: replace the vendored file + note the version here (and re-check
   the quirks above — they may go away).
 
@@ -183,6 +221,12 @@ unclaimed". Model & seams:
       core→rim density gradient, populations, and a `owner` seam reserved
       for the factions/pirates to come; readable as a HUD dossier
       (`SystemReport`)
+- [x] The system as a place: generated worlds laid out in the world
+      (deterministic band), solid to the ship; discovery (within 540 px
+      of an edge, once, per system) with rim ping + toast; off-screen
+      compass — themed screen-edge arrows with type/name chips pointing
+      at discovered worlds; pure, save-ready discovery state
+      (`js/galaxy/Discovery.js`)
 - [ ] Factions & pirates: claim settlements (`owner`), flags, borders,
       and the player's place in a populated galaxy
 - [ ] Landing & exploration: settlements become points of interest you
diff --git a/js/entities/Planet.js b/js/entities/Planet.js
index ef90cb4..24dbad6 100644
--- a/js/entities/Planet.js
+++ b/js/entities/Planet.js
@@ -40,13 +40,18 @@ export class Planet extends Phaser.GameObjects.Sprite {
    * @param {number} y — world y
    * @param {number} [frame=0] — spritesheet frame index (usually from Planet.frameFor)
    * @param {string} [name=''] — planet kind, e.g. 'terran' (data/planets.json → frames)
+   * @param {object} [o={}] — per-planet overrides
+   * @param {number} [o.scale=1] — extra size multiplier on top of planets.scale
+   *   (gas giants run bigger; see data/planets.json → classScale)
+   * @param {number} [o.tint] — canvas tint (int) applied to the sheet frame,
+   *   so non-terran kinds read differently (see data/planets.json → classTint)
    */
-  constructor(scene, x, y, frame = 0, name = '') {
+  constructor(scene, x, y, frame = 0, name = '', o = {}) {
     super(scene, x, y, Planet.TEXTURE_KEY, frame);
     scene.add.existing(this);
     this.name = name;
 
-    const scale = config.get('planets.scale', 1);
+    const scale = config.get('planets.scale', 1) * (o.scale ?? 1);
     this.setScale(scale);
 
     // Collision circle: frames are square and the world fills its frame,
@@ -54,6 +59,8 @@ export class Planet extends Phaser.GameObjects.Sprite {
     this.radius = (config.get('planets.frameWidth', 1024) * scale) / 2;
     // Edge-to-edge gap the ship may close in on the rim (never less).
     this.clearance = config.get('planets.shipClearance', 50);
+
+    if (o.tint !== undefined && o.tint !== null) this.setTint(o.tint);
   }
 
   /** Minimum allowed center-to-center distance for a ship of `shipRadius`. */
diff --git a/js/galaxy/Discovery.js b/js/galaxy/Discovery.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0635b0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/js/galaxy/Discovery.js
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+/**
+ * Discovery — which objects in which system the player has found.
+ *
+ * The rule (data/game.json → discovery.distance): when the player's ship
+ * comes within that many pixels of an object's EDGE (edge-to-edge), the
+ * object counts as DISCOVERED — and stays discovered for the rest of the
+ * game. That's what feeds the off-screen compass (js/ui/DiscoveryCompass.js)
+ * with "where I've been" arrows.
+ *
+ * Pure — no Phaser — so it's testable in Node (dev/discovery.test.mjs)
+ * and trivially serializable for saves (toJSON / fromJSON). The scene
+ * keeps one instance in the shared registry, so discovery survives a
+ * scene restart (and later, jumps between systems: state is per-system).
+ *
+ *   const disc = new Discovery(540);
+ *   const fresh = disc.check('S000001', ship.x, ship.y, objects);
+ *   if (fresh.length) showACompassPing(fresh[0]);
+ *   if (disc.isDiscovered('S000001', obj.id)) ...
+ */
+export class Discovery {
+  /** @param {number} distance — the edge-to-edge discovery radius (px) */
+  constructor(distance = 540) {
+    if (!(distance >= 0)) throw new Error(`Discovery distance must be >= 0 (got ${distance})`);
+    this.distance = distance;
+    /** @type {Map<string, Set<string>>} systemId → discovered object ids */
+    this.bySystem = new Map();
+  }
+
+  isDiscovered(systemId, objectId) {
+    const set = this.bySystem.get(systemId);
+    return !!set && set.has(objectId);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Proximity check against a list of objects.
+   *
+   * @param {string} systemId — the system the objects live in
+   * @param {number} sx — ship world x
+   * @param {number} sy — ship world y
+   * @param {Array<{id: string, x: number, y: number, radius: number}>} objects
+   * @returns {Array<object>} the NEWLY discovered objects (a subset of
+   *   `objects`, in the order given) — empty when nothing new is found.
+   */
+  check(systemId, sx, sy, objects) {
+    let known = this.bySystem.get(systemId);
+    if (!known) {
+      known = new Set();
+      this.bySystem.set(systemId, known);
+    }
+    const fresh = [];
+    for (const o of objects) {
+      if (known.has(o.id)) continue;
+      const dx = sx - o.x;
+      const dy = sy - o.y;
+      // "Within `distance` px of the edge" = center distance <= radius + distance.
+      if (dx * dx + dy * dy <= (o.radius + this.distance) * (o.radius + this.distance)) {
+        known.add(o.id);
+        fresh.push(o);
+      }
+    }
+    return fresh;
+  }
+
+  /** @returns {string[]} the discovered object ids in `systemId` (may be empty) */
+  discoveredIds(systemId) {
+    return [...(this.bySystem.get(systemId) ?? [])];
+  }
+
+  toJSON() {
+    const bySystem = {};
+    for (const [id, set] of this.bySystem) bySystem[id] = [...set];
+    return { distance: this.distance, bySystem };
+  }
+
+  /** Restore state saved with toJSON() (e.g. from a save file later). */
+  static fromJSON(data) {
+    const d = new Discovery(data?.distance ?? 540);
+    const bySystem = data?.bySystem ?? {};
+    for (const [id, ids] of Object.entries(bySystem)) {
+      if (Array.isArray(ids)) d.bySystem.set(id, new Set(ids));
+    }
+    return d;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/js/galaxy/SystemGenerator.js b/js/galaxy/SystemGenerator.js
index 88371ec..b74f5c9 100644
--- a/js/galaxy/SystemGenerator.js
+++ b/js/galaxy/SystemGenerator.js
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ export function generateSystemContent(galaxy, record, typeDefs = null) {
       habitable: pclass === 'rocky' && rng.chance(attr.habitability ?? 0.1),
     });
   }
+  layoutSystemPlanets(galaxy.seed, record.id, planets);
 
   // --- Settlements (the lived-in layer) ---------------------------------
   const settlements = generateSettlements({
@@ -109,6 +110,63 @@ export function generateSystemContent(galaxy, record, typeDefs = null) {
   };
 }
 
+/**
+ * Top-down layout of a system's worlds (the play field around the origin,
+ * where the player's home world sits).
+ *
+ * Each planet record gains:
+ *   x, y   — world position (the game renders it there),
+ *   scale  — size multiplier (data/planets.json → classScale, so gas
+ *            giants read bigger than rockies).
+ *
+ * Worlds are scattered in the annulus minOrbit–maxOrbit px from the
+ * origin and kept at least minEdgeGap px (edge-to-edge) apart from each
+ * other and from the origin (data/planets.json → solarSystem).
+ *
+ * Determinism: draws come from a DEDICATED fork — (seed, 'system', id,
+ * 'layout') — so layout never perturbs the star/planet/settlement draws
+ * above, and lazy (on-arrival) === eager (generateAll) is preserved.
+ */
+function layoutSystemPlanets(seed, systemId, planets) {
+  const band = config.get('planets.solarSystem', {});
+  const minOrbit = band.minOrbit ?? 2600;
+  const maxOrbit = band.maxOrbit ?? 8800;
+  const minGap = band.minEdgeGap ?? 1200;
+  const baseR = (config.get('planets.frameWidth', 1024) * config.get('planets.scale', 1)) / 2;
+
+  const lay = Rng.derive(seed, 'system', systemId, 'layout');
+  // The origin is occupied by a world (the home world) — respect it.
+  const placed = [{ x: 0, y: 0, r: baseR }];
+
+  for (const p of planets) {
+    const scale = config.get(`planets.classScale.${p.class}`, 1) ?? 1;
+    const r = baseR * scale;
+    let ok = false;
+    let x = 0;
+    let y = 0;
+    for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 24 && !ok; attempt++) {
+      const ang = lay.range(0, Math.PI * 2);
+      const d = lay.range(minOrbit, maxOrbit);
+      x = d * Math.cos(ang);
+      y = d * Math.sin(ang);
+      ok = placed.every((q) => Math.hypot(x - q.x, y - q.y) >= q.r + r + minGap);
+    }
+    if (!ok) {
+      // The band is (nearly) full — spiral outward. A deterministic
+      // escape hatch: with the default band and ≤ 9 worlds per system
+      // this never actually triggers.
+      const ang = lay.range(0, Math.PI * 2);
+      const d = maxOrbit + r + minGap + placed.length * (r + minGap);
+      x = d * Math.cos(ang);
+      y = d * Math.sin(ang);
+    }
+    p.scale = scale;
+    p.x = x;
+    p.y = y;
+    placed.push({ x, y, r });
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Core→rim density: the settled heart of the galaxy has more activity per
  * system; the rim is thinner, lonelier. `factor` scales every settlement
diff --git a/js/scenes/GameScene.js b/js/scenes/GameScene.js
index ce20979..e475aff 100644
--- a/js/scenes/GameScene.js
+++ b/js/scenes/GameScene.js
@@ -1,22 +1,30 @@
 import Phaser from '../vendor/phaser.js';
 import { config } from '../config/Config.js';
 import { toColor, toCss } from '../utils/Color.js';
-import { fontStack } from '../utils/Theme.js';
+import { fontStack, themeColor } from '../utils/Theme.js';
 import { Rng } from '../utils/Rng.js';
 import { Galaxy } from '../galaxy/Galaxy.js';
 import { formatSystemReport } from '../galaxy/SystemReport.js';
+import { Discovery } from '../galaxy/Discovery.js';
 import { Ship } from '../entities/Ship.js';
 import { Planet } from '../entities/Planet.js';
 import { Starfield } from '../visuals/Starfield.js';
+import { DiscoveryCompass, circleInView } from '../ui/DiscoveryCompass.js';
 
 const FONT_FALLBACK = "'Segoe UI', 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif";
 const HEADER_FONT = () => fontStack('header', FONT_FALLBACK);
 const BODY_FONT = () => fontStack('body', FONT_FALLBACK);
 
 /**
- * The game world (v0.3: the home planet — the player's Terran world —
- * in the current system's open space).
+ * The game world (v0.3: the current system — the player's home world at the
+ * origin plus the system's other worlds scattered around it, in open space).
  * Click anywhere to fly there.
+ *
+ * Discovery: come within discovery distance (data/game.json) of a world's
+ * edge and it is DISCOVERED (state in this.discovery). Discovered worlds
+ * that are off-screen get a themed compass arrow on the screen edge
+ * (this.compass) pointing the way back — so the player always has a
+ * reference to found worlds while exploring the rest of the system.
  */
 export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
   constructor() {
@@ -42,8 +50,12 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     this.cameraFollowShip = config.get('game.camera.followShip', true);
     this.cameraFollowRate = config.get('game.camera.followRate', 3.0); // 1/s
 
-    // We are, after all, in a system. Show the player which one. (This
-    // also establishes the galaxy — and its seed — for what follows.)
+    // We are, after all, in a system. Establish the galaxy (shared
+    // registry), the current system record, and its lazy contents — the
+    // dossier below and the world's other planets both read them.
+    this.ensureGalaxy();
+    this.systemRecord = this.galaxy.currentSystem();
+    this.systemContent = this.galaxy.ensureContent(this.systemRecord.id);
     this.createSystemHud();
 
     // The home planet — the player's Terran world, always present in the
@@ -55,6 +67,28 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     this.planet = new Planet(this, 0, 0, Planet.frameFor(homeName, homeRng), homeName);
     this.planet.setDepth(5); // above the starfield (depths 0–2), below the ship (10)
 
+    // The rest of the solar system — the generated worlds, placed by the
+    // generator (data/planets.json → solarSystem) in a band around the home
+    // world. Same solid-disc rules as home: fly close, never through.
+    this.systemPlanets = [];
+    if (config.get('planets.solarSystem.enabled', true)) {
+      for (const rec of this.systemContent.planets ?? []) {
+        if (typeof rec.x !== 'number' || typeof rec.y !== 'number') continue;
+        const kind = rec.class || 'rocky';
+        const frame = Planet.frameFor(kind, Rng.derive(this.galaxy.seed, 'planet', rec.name));
+        const tint = config.get(`planets.classTint.${kind}`);
+        const p = new Planet(this, rec.x, rec.y, frame, kind, {
+          scale: rec.scale ?? 1,
+          tint: tint === undefined ? undefined : toColor(tint),
+        });
+        p.setDepth(5);
+        p.discoveryId = rec.name; // unique within the system
+        p.discoveryName = rec.name;
+        this.systemPlanets.push(p);
+      }
+    }
+    this.solidPlanets = [this.planet, ...this.systemPlanets];
+
     // The ship — a short hop (~150 px, edge-to-edge) from the home world's
     // rim, in a seed-derived direction: same galaxy ⇒ same start.
     this.ship = new Ship(this, 0, 0);
@@ -76,6 +110,18 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     this.starfield = new Starfield(this);
     this.starfield.create();
 
+    // Discovery: which objects the player has found (within discovery
+    // distance of an edge — data/game.json), tracked per system. Kept in
+    // the shared registry so it survives scene restarts; serializable for
+    // saves later (Discovery.toJSON). The compass turns the discovered set
+    // into screen-edge arrows for the objects currently out of sight.
+    this.discovery = this.registry.get('discovery') ?? null;
+    if (!this.discovery) {
+      this.discovery = new Discovery(config.get('game.discovery.distance', 540));
+      this.registry.set('discovery', this.discovery);
+    }
+    this.compass = new DiscoveryCompass(this);
+
     // Hint
     this.hint = this.add
       .text(this.scale.width / 2, this.scale.height - 26, config.get('game.hintText', ''), {
@@ -87,10 +133,14 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
       .setOrigin(0.5)
       .setScrollFactor(0); // UI: pinned to the screen, not the world
 
-    // Input: click = fly there. A click inside the planet clamps to the
-    // keep-out rim — the ship can stop at the clearance, never inside.
+    // Input: click = fly there. A click inside a planet clamps to that
+    // planet's keep-out rim — the ship can stop at the clearance, never
+    // inside. (Worlds don't overlap, so sequential clamping is exact.)
     this.input.on('pointerdown', (pointer) => {
-      const aim = this.planet.aimPoint(pointer.worldX, pointer.worldY, this.ship.radius);
+      let aim = { x: pointer.worldX, y: pointer.worldY };
+      for (const p of this.solidPlanets) {
+        aim = p.aimPoint(aim.x, aim.y, this.ship.radius);
+      }
       this.showTargetMarker(aim.x, aim.y);
       this.ship.setTarget(aim.x, aim.y);
       this.hideHint();
@@ -98,20 +148,11 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Top-left HUD: the current system's dossier — name, identity, and what
-   *'s ALREADY THERE: colonies, mining stations, cloud bases, stations adrift
-   * in open space (or "charted · unclaimed" when nobody's settled here).
-   * Formatted by the pure SystemReport helper; this method only renders.
-   *
    * The galaxy comes from the shared registry (built by the menu from the
    * chosen seed). Dev boots that skip the menu (dev/test-game.html) get a
    * fresh dev galaxy so the scene always works standalone.
-   *
-   * The system's CONTENTS are generated here, on arrival — the first touch
-   * of the lazy level-2 generation. (Roster/positions were fixed at the
-   * menu's New Game click; this is just the "build the room" part.)
    */
-  createSystemHud() {
+  ensureGalaxy() {
     this.galaxy = this.registry.get('galaxy') ?? null;
     if (!this.galaxy) {
       const seed = Rng.randomSeedString(8);
@@ -120,12 +161,24 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
       this.registry.set('seed', seed);
       console.warn(`[orbit] no galaxy in the registry — generated a dev galaxy (seed "${seed}")`);
     }
+  }
 
-    const current = this.galaxy.currentSystem();
-    const content = this.galaxy.ensureContent(current.id);
-    const report = formatSystemReport(content);
+  /**
+   * Top-left HUD: the current system's dossier — name, identity, and what
+   *'s ALREADY THERE: colonies, mining stations, cloud bases, stations adrift
+   * in open space (or "charted · unclaimed" when nobody's settled here).
+   * Formatted by the pure SystemReport helper; this method only renders.
+   *
+   * The system's CONTENTS were ensured in create() (ensureGalaxy +
+   * ensureContent) — the first touch of the lazy level-2 generation.
+   * (Roster/positions were fixed at the menu's New Game click; this is
+   * just the "build the room" part.)
+   */
+  createSystemHud() {
+    const report = formatSystemReport(this.systemContent);
     const fam = BODY_FONT();
     const famHeader = HEADER_FONT();
+    const current = this.systemRecord;
 
     let y = 14;
     const line = (text, style) => {
@@ -160,11 +213,15 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     this.time.update(_time, delta);
     this.tweens.update();
     this.ship.update(_time, delta);
-    // The home world is solid: the ship may come within the clearance in
-    // data/planets.json of its rim, but never closer (or through it).
-    this.planet.constrainShip(this.ship, this.ship.radius);
+    // Every world in the system is solid: the ship may come within the
+    // clearance in data/planets.json of a rim, but never closer (or
+    // through it).
+    for (const p of this.solidPlanets) {
+      p.constrainShip(this.ship, this.ship.radius);
+    }
     this.updateCamera(delta);
     this.starfield.update(); // after the camera, so it sees this frame's motion
+    this.updateDiscovery(_time, delta); // last: sees this frame's final camera view
   }
 
   /**
@@ -189,6 +246,115 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     );
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Discovery, every frame (a handful of distance tests — cheap):
+   *   1. Ship within discovery distance of a world's edge → DISCOVERED
+   *      (once — state lives in this.discovery), with a rim ping + toast.
+   *   2. Discovered worlds that are off-screen feed the compass, which
+   *      draws the themed screen-edge arrows pointing back to them.
+   */
+  updateDiscovery(time, delta) {
+    const objects = this.discoverableObjects();
+    const sysId = this.systemRecord.id;
+
+    const fresh = this.discovery.check(sysId, this.ship.x, this.ship.y, objects);
+    for (const o of fresh) this.celebrateDiscovery(o);
+
+    // Which discovered objects are NOT on screen right now? (The camera
+    // never zooms, so the world view is scroll + canvas size.)
+    const cam = this.cameras.main;
+    const view = { left: cam.scrollX, top: cam.scrollY, w: this.scale.width, h: this.scale.height };
+    const offscreen = [];
+    for (const o of objects) {
+      if (this.discovery.isDiscovered(sysId, o.id) && !circleInView(o.x, o.y, o.radius, view)) {
+        offscreen.push(o);
+      }
+    }
+    this.compass.refresh(offscreen, view, this.scale.width, this.scale.height, time, delta);
+  }
+
+  /** The discoverable objects of the system, with compass metadata. */
+  discoverableObjects() {
+    const out = [];
+    out.push({
+      id: 'home',
+      x: this.planet.x,
+      y: this.planet.y,
+      radius: this.planet.radius,
+      typeLabel: config.get('planets.homeTypeLabel', 'Home World'),
+      name: config.get('planets.homeName', 'Terra'),
+    });
+    for (const p of this.systemPlanets) {
+      out.push({
+        id: p.discoveryId,
+        x: p.x,
+        y: p.y,
+        radius: p.radius,
+        typeLabel: config.get(`planets.typeLabels.${p.name}`, p.name),
+        name: p.discoveryName,
+      });
+    }
+    return out;
+  }
+
+  /** The "new object" moment: a rim ping at the world + a HUD toast. */
+  celebrateDiscovery(o) {
+    const neon = themeColor('neon', 0x00e5ff);
+
+    // Expanding ring at the world's rim (world space).
+    const ring = this.add.circle(o.x, o.y, o.radius, 0, 0).setStrokeStyle(2, neon, 0.9).setDepth(6);
+    this.tweens.add({
+      targets: ring,
+      scale: 1.12,
+      alpha: 0,
+      duration: 750,
+      ease: 'Sine.easeOut',
+      onComplete: () => ring.destroy(),
+    });
+
+    // Top-center HUD toast, in the console language.
+    if (Array.isArray(this.toast)) {
+      for (const g of this.toast) g.destroy();
+    }
+    const fam = BODY_FONT();
+    const type = (o.typeLabel ?? 'OBJECT').toUpperCase();
+    const name = o.name ? String(o.name).toUpperCase() : null;
+    const label = name ? `DISCOVERED  —  ${name}  ·  ${type}` : `DISCOVERED  —  ${type}`;
+    const g1 = this.add
+      .text(0, 0, '\u25b8', { fontFamily: fam, fontSize: '12px', color: toCss(neon) })
+      .setOrigin(0, 0.5)
+      .setScrollFactor(0); // UI — pinned to the screen, not the world
+    const g2 = this.add
+      .text(0, 0, label, {
+        fontFamily: fam,
+        fontSize: '11px',
+        color: toCss(themeColor('dim', 0x7d92c4)),
+        letterSpacing: 2,
+      })
+      .setOrigin(0, 0.5)
+      .setScrollFactor(0); // UI — pinned to the screen, not the world
+    const total = g1.width + 10 + g2.width;
+    const x0 = this.scale.width / 2 - total / 2;
+    g1.setPosition(x0, 26).setDepth(45).setAlpha(0);
+    g2.setPosition(x0 + g1.width + 10, 26).setDepth(45).setAlpha(0);
+    this.toast = [g1, g2];
+    this.tweens.add({ targets: this.toast, alpha: 1, duration: 180, ease: 'Sine.easeOut' });
+    this.time.delayedCall(2400, () => {
+      if (!Array.isArray(this.toast)) return;
+      const [a, b] = this.toast;
+      this.toast = null;
+      this.tweens.add({
+        targets: [a, b],
+        alpha: 0,
+        duration: 350,
+        onComplete: () => {
+          a.destroy();
+          b.destroy();
+        },
+      });
+    });
+  }
+
   showTargetMarker(x, y) {
     const color = toColor(config.get('game.markerColor', '#41c7ff'));
     const marker = this.add.circle(x, y, 10, color, 0.8).setDepth(5);
@@ -217,5 +383,6 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
 
   shutdown() {
     this.starfield?.destroy();
+    this.compass?.destroy();
   }
 }
diff --git a/js/ui/DiscoveryCompass.js b/js/ui/DiscoveryCompass.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2b8aa0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/js/ui/DiscoveryCompass.js
@@ -0,0 +1,301 @@
+import Phaser from '../vendor/phaser.js';
+import { config } from '../config/Config.js';
+import { toColor, toCss } from '../utils/Color.js';
+import { fontStack, themeColor } from '../utils/Theme.js';
+import { CyberShape } from './CyberShape.js';
+
+const FONT_FALLBACK = "'Segoe UI', 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif";
+const ARROW_KEY = '__compass_arrow';
+const TAU = Math.PI * 2;
+
+/**
+ * The off-screen compass: for every DISCOVERED object that is currently
+ * off-screen, a themed arrow sits on the screen edge pointing at it, with
+ * a cut-corner chip beside it carrying the object's TYPE and NAME (if it
+ * has one). This is how the player finds their way back to worlds they've
+ * already found while exploring the rest of the system.
+ *
+ * Visual language = the shared cyberpunk set (data/theme.json +
+ * CyberShape): neon chevron arrows with a soft glow pass over a dark
+ * fill, speed ticks streaming behind, a slow beacon pulse — and a dim
+ * cut-corner readout chip (neon type label, ink name).
+ *
+ * The geometry helpers are PURE and exported for Node testing
+ * (dev/discovery.test.mjs):
+ *   edgeAnchor(w, h, inset, angle) — where the center-out ray meets the
+ *                                    screen-edge rect (inset from border)
+ *   circleInView(x, y, r, view)    — is a circle (fully or partly) on screen
+ *   lerpAngle(a, b, k)             — shortest-arc angle easing
+ *
+ * Component usage:
+ *   const compass = new DiscoveryCompass(scene);
+ *   compass.refresh(targets, view, w, h, time, delta);
+ *     targets — [{ id, x, y, radius, typeLabel, name? }] (world coords)
+ *     view    — { left, top, w, h } the camera's world-space view rect
+ */
+export class DiscoveryCompass extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
+  constructor(scene) {
+    super(scene, 0, 0);
+    scene.add.existing(this); // v4 quirk: new'd objects are not on the display list
+    this.setScrollFactor(0); // UI — pinned to the screen
+    this.setDepth(40);       // above the HUD dossier (30)
+
+    const cfg = config.get('game.discovery.compass', {});
+    this.inset = cfg.edgeInset ?? 26;      // arrow line, px in from the border
+    this.minSeparation = cfg.minSeparation ?? 130; // px kept between arrows
+    /** @type {Map<string, object>} target id → entry (arrow, chip, angle…) */
+    this.entries = new Map();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Reconcile + move the arrows. Call once per frame with the CURRENT
+   * off-screen discovered set (the scene computes it — see GameScene).
+   */
+  refresh(targets, view, w, h, time, delta) {
+    // Reconcile: create entries for new targets, retire the rest.
+    const seen = new Set(targets.map((t) => t.id));
+    for (const t of targets) {
+      if (!this.entries.has(t.id)) this.entries.set(t.id, this.makeEntry(t));
+    }
+    for (const [id, e] of [...this.entries]) {
+      if (!seen.has(id)) {
+        e.arrow.destroy();
+        e.chipRoot.destroy();
+        this.entries.delete(id);
+      }
+    }
+    if (this.entries.size === 0) return;
+
+    const dt = Math.min(delta, 64) / 1000;
+    const cx = w / 2;
+    const cy = h / 2;
+
+    // Ease each arrow toward its object (shortest arc, no long-way sweep).
+    const k = 1 - Math.exp(-9 * dt);
+    for (const t of targets) {
+      const e = this.entries.get(t.id);
+      const sx = t.x - view.left; // screen coords (the game never zooms)
+      const sy = t.y - view.top;
+      const desired = Math.atan2(sy - cy, sx - cx);
+      e.angle = e.angle === null ? desired : lerpAngle(e.angle, desired, k);
+    }
+
+    // Keep arrows from stacking where the objects cluster in one direction.
+    separateAngles(targets.map((t) => this.entries.get(t.id)), w, h, this.inset, this.minSeparation, cx, cy);
+
+    for (const t of targets) {
+      const e = this.entries.get(t.id);
+      const a = edgeAnchor(w, h, this.inset, e.angle);
+      const dx = Math.cos(e.angle);
+      const dy = Math.sin(e.angle);
+      // The arrow's tip sits on the edge line (inset from the border) and
+      // points outward; its body + speed ticks extend inward. (Local tip
+      // offset TIP, tail offset TAIL — see ensureArrowTexture.)
+      const TIP = 25;
+      const TAIL = 28;
+      e.arrow.setX(a.x - dx * TIP).setY(a.y - dy * TIP).setRotation(e.angle);
+
+      // Chip: just inside the arrow's tail, centered on the ray, clamped
+      // so it never leaves the screen. The chip's leading half is its
+      // half-width (edge arrows) or half-height (top/bottom arrows).
+      const halfLead = Math.abs(dx) >= Math.abs(dy) ? e.w / 2 : e.h / 2;
+      const lead = TIP + TAIL + 8 + halfLead;
+      const px = clampNum(a.x - dx * lead, e.w / 2 + 6, w - e.w / 2 - 6);
+      const py = clampNum(a.y - dy * lead, e.h / 2 + 6, h - e.h / 2 - 6);
+      e.chipRoot.setPosition(px, py);
+
+      // Slow beacon pulse, staggered per object.
+      e.arrow.setAlpha(0.8 + 0.2 * Math.sin(time * 0.004 + e.phase));
+    }
+  }
+
+  /** Build the arrow + readout chip for one target. */
+  makeEntry(t) {
+    const scene = this.scene;
+    const fam = fontStack('body', FONT_FALLBACK);
+    const neon = themeColor('neon', 0x00e5ff);
+    const ink = themeColor('ink', 0xeaf6ff);
+    const typeLabel = (t.typeLabel ?? 'OBJECT').toUpperCase();
+    const nameLabel = t.name ? String(t.name).toUpperCase() : '';
+
+    // Text is measured first (canvas fonts), then the chip is cut to fit.
+    const typeText = scene.add
+      .text(0, 0, typeLabel, { fontFamily: fam, fontSize: '10px', color: toCss(neon), letterSpacing: 2 })
+      .setOrigin(0, 0.5);
+    let nameText = null;
+    if (nameLabel) {
+      nameText = scene.add
+        .text(0, 0, nameLabel, { fontFamily: fam, fontSize: '13px', color: toCss(ink), letterSpacing: 1 })
+        .setOrigin(0, 0.5);
+    }
+
+    const padX = 13;
+    const gap = 2;
+    const typeW = typeText.width;
+    const typeH = typeText.height;
+    const nameW = nameText ? nameText.width : 0;
+    const nameH = nameText ? nameText.height : 0;
+    const w = Math.max(typeW, nameW) + padX * 2;
+    const h = typeH + nameH + gap + 13;
+    const total = typeH + nameH + gap;
+    const x0 = -w / 2 + padX; // left-aligned readout, vertically centered
+    typeText.setPosition(x0, -total / 2 + typeH / 2);
+    if (nameText) nameText.setPosition(x0, -total / 2 + typeH + gap + nameH / 2);
+
+    const chip = scene.add.graphics();
+    CyberShape.draw(chip, w, h, {
+      notch: Math.min(8, h * 0.3),
+      fill: toColor(config.get('theme.colors.panel', '#0a1120')),
+      fillAlpha: 0.86,
+      stroke: neon,
+      strokeAlpha: 0.55,
+      lineWidth: 1.5,
+      glow: neon,
+      glowAlpha: 0.16,
+    });
+
+    // MenuButton pattern: build the Container by hand, then add the pieces.
+    const chipRoot = new Phaser.GameObjects.Container(scene, 0, 0);
+    scene.add.existing(chipRoot);
+    chipRoot.setScrollFactor(0); // UI — pinned to the screen
+    chipRoot.setDepth(40);      // with the compass (above the HUD dossier)
+    chipRoot.add(chip);
+    chipRoot.add(typeText);
+    if (nameText) chipRoot.add(nameText);
+
+    // Texture FIRST: in v4 an image bound to a not-yet-existing key keeps
+    // the __MISSING texture forever, even after the key is generated.
+    ensureArrowTexture(scene);
+    const arrow = scene.add.image(0, 0, ARROW_KEY);
+    arrow.setScrollFactor(0); // UI — pinned to the screen
+    arrow.setDepth(40);
+
+    // Stagger the pulse so a row of arrows doesn't blink in unison.
+    let phase = 0;
+    for (const ch of String(t.id)) phase = (phase * 31 + ch.charCodeAt(0)) % 997;
+    return { arrow, chipRoot, w, h, angle: null, phase: phase * 0.063 };
+  }
+}
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Pure geometry (no Phaser) — exported for dev/discovery.test.mjs
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/** v4-safe local clamp (no Phaser.Math dependency in the pure path). */
+function clampNum(v, lo, hi) {
+  return Math.min(hi, Math.max(lo, v));
+}
+
+function wrapPI(a) {
+  const t = ((((a + Math.PI) % TAU) + TAU) % TAU);
+  return t - Math.PI;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Ease angle `a` toward `b` by fraction `k`, always the shortest way.
+ */
+export function lerpAngle(a, b, k) {
+  return a + wrapPI(b - a) * clampNum(k, 0, 1);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Where the ray from the screen center at `angle` (radians, screen y-down)
+ * meets the screen-edge rect inset by `inset` px. That's where an off-screen
+ * object's arrow goes, pointing outward along the ray.
+ */
+export function edgeAnchor(w, h, inset, angle) {
+  const hx = Math.max(1, w / 2 - inset);
+  const hy = Math.max(1, h / 2 - inset);
+  const dx = Math.cos(angle);
+  const dy = Math.sin(angle);
+  let t = Infinity;
+  if (Math.abs(dx) > 1e-9) t = Math.min(t, (dx > 0 ? hx : -hx) / dx);
+  if (Math.abs(dy) > 1e-9) t = Math.min(t, (dy > 0 ? hy : -hy) / dy);
+  if (!Number.isFinite(t)) return { x: w / 2, y: h / 2 };
+  return { x: w / 2 + dx * t, y: h / 2 + dy * t };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Is the circle (x, y, r) on screen — fully or partly? `view` is the
+ * camera's world-space rect { left, top, w, h }.
+ */
+export function circleInView(x, y, r, view) {
+  const cx = clampNum(x, view.left, view.left + view.w);
+  const cy = clampNum(y, view.top, view.top + view.h);
+  const dx = x - cx;
+  const dy = y - cy;
+  return dx * dx + dy * dy <= r * r;
+}
+
+/** Midpoint of the shorter arc between two angles. */
+function midAngle(a, b) {
+  return a + wrapPI(b - a) / 2;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Keep arrows at least `minSep` px apart along the edge: repeatedly nudge
+ * the angular gap of any pair that is too close. Mutates entries' `angle`.
+ */
+function separateAngles(entries, w, h, inset, minSep, cx, cy) {
+  if (entries.length < 2 || minSep <= 0) return;
+  for (let iter = 0; iter < 4; iter++) {
+    let touched = false;
+    for (let i = 0; i < entries.length; i++) {
+      for (let j = i + 1; j < entries.length; j++) {
+        const ai = edgeAnchor(w, h, inset, entries[i].angle);
+        const aj = edgeAnchor(w, h, inset, entries[j].angle);
+        const d = Math.hypot(ai.x - aj.x, ai.y - aj.y);
+        if (d >= minSep) continue;
+        const midA = midAngle(entries[i].angle, entries[j].angle);
+        const midP = edgeAnchor(w, h, inset, midA);
+        const dist = Math.max(60, Math.hypot(midP.x - cx, midP.y - cy));
+        const push = ((minSep - d) * 0.5) / dist; // radians closing half the gap
+        const s1 = Math.sign(wrapPI(entries[i].angle - midA)) || 1;
+        const s2 = Math.sign(wrapPI(entries[j].angle - midA)) || -1;
+        entries[i].angle += (s1 * push) / 2;
+        entries[j].angle += (s2 * push) / 2;
+        touched = true;
+      }
+    }
+    if (!touched) break;
+  }
+}
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/**
+ * The arrow glyph, generated once per game (procedural, no assets —
+ * same pattern as Ship.ensureTexture). A neon chevron head with a soft
+ * glow pass over a dark fill, plus speed ticks streaming behind it.
+ * Points +x (angle 0); the tip sits 25 px right of the texture center.
+ */
+function ensureArrowTexture(scene) {
+  if (scene.textures.exists(ARROW_KEY)) return;
+  const neon = toColor(config.get('theme.colors.neon', '#00e5ff'));
+  const fill = toColor(config.get('theme.colors.panel', '#0a1120'));
+  const W = 56;
+  const H = 36;
+  const head = [
+    { x: 53, y: 18 }, // tip
+    { x: 12, y: 3 },
+    { x: 24, y: 18 }, // notch
+    { x: 12, y: 33 },
+  ];
+
+  const g = scene.make.graphics({ add: false });
+  // Soft outer pass (the "neon glow"), then dark fill, then the sharp edge.
+  g.lineStyle(7, neon, 0.22);
+  g.strokePoints(head, true);
+  g.fillStyle(fill, 0.9);
+  g.fillPoints(head, true);
+  g.lineStyle(2, neon, 1);
+  g.strokePoints(head, true);
+  // Speed ticks behind the head (stronger toward the tip).
+  g.lineStyle(2, neon, 0.8);
+  g.lineBetween(3, 13, 13, 16);
+  g.lineBetween(0, 18, 15, 18);
+  g.lineStyle(2, neon, 0.5);
+  g.lineBetween(3, 23, 13, 20);
+  g.generateTexture(ARROW_KEY, W, H);
+  g.destroy();
+}