diff --git a/data/systems.lua b/data/systems.lua
index 4d8c627d94505c52210726b1896e7f28a9fe8f6d..e09f3ce6a109dbb574154855f3ce4ebd01dbfea7 100644
--- a/data/systems.lua
+++ b/data/systems.lua
@@ -34,11 +34,18 @@ local _ = { r=0, mass=0,
 --   comm_boost (must be unlocked)
 --   map
 
+-- The positions for these systems are based on a listing of all habitable stars
+-- within 20 light years of Sol from Project Rho:
+-- http://www.projectrho.com/public_html/starmaps/mapindex.php#winch
+-- Most but not all of the stars have been given colloquial names, a couple have
+-- been omitted to tidy things up a bit, compare
+-- https://p.hagelb.org/starmap.png vs https://p.hagelb.org/bussard_map.png
+
 local sys = {
    -- Tana
    ["Tana"] =
       {gov="Tana", capitol = true,
-       x = -5.8, y=-2.4,
+       x = -4.8, y=-2.4,
        asteroids = 4,
        bodies = {
           {r=0, x=0, y=0, dx=0, dy=0, mass=230000,
diff --git a/ship/init.lua b/ship/init.lua
index f8a03505c9375b7f3af34a596940de99e4ec82b7..f290168b1c899c905c31a3c2ddb80e42b4d59fd9 100644
--- a/ship/init.lua
+++ b/ship/init.lua
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ local host_fs_proxy = require("host_fs_proxy")
 -- for shuffling systems upon entry
 local asteroid = require("asteroid")
 local body = require("body")
+local systems = require("data.systems")
 
 local editor = require("polywell")
 
@@ -77,9 +78,17 @@ local sandbox_require = function(ship, mod_name)
    sandbox_loaded[mod_name] = true
 end
 
+local expose_system = function(sys)
+   local fields = {"x", "y", "r", "mass", "name", "pop",
+                   "portal", "world", "station", "star"}
+   local bodies = lume.map(sys.bodies, utils.rfn(lume.pick, unpack(fields)))
+   return lume.merge({bodies=bodies}, lume.pick(sys, "x", "y", "gov"))
+end
+
 local universe_api = utils.readonly_proxy {
    g = body.g,
    max_accel = body.max_accel,
+   systems = lume.map(systems, expose_system),
 }
 
 local sandbox = function(ship)
diff --git a/utils.lua b/utils.lua
index ab2ee18aacd07d886262721b5b478c04cbbcb9b9..2d1dbbdd8f907c9ca68e8c9bc5263f4fc3f754ad 100644
--- a/utils.lua
+++ b/utils.lua
@@ -353,6 +353,13 @@ return {
       end)
    end,
 
+   rfn = function(fn, ...)
+      local partial_args = {...}
+      return function(...)
+         return fn(unpack(lume.concat({...}, partial_args)))
+      end
+   end,
+
    find_by = function(ts, key, value)
       for _,t in ipairs(ts) do
          if(t[key] == value) then return t end