If you’re aiming to embark on a journey to Mars or enhance your progress through the Astra Malorum easter egg, you’ve come to the right place for effective strategies. Within the Machina Astralis, you will encounter a planet puzzle that requires you to position various planets in alignment around the Sun.
Fortunately, this task is more manageable than it may seem. In this guide, we will outline the necessary steps to reach this point in your primary quest, how to discover the instructions for repositioning each planet in your own game, and the actions required to travel to Mars in Black Ops 7 Zombies.
Initiating the Planet Alignment in Astra Malorum

To kick off the planet alignment challenge associated with Astra Malorum, you’ll need to advance sufficiently in the main easter egg quest. Begin by acquiring the LGM-1, followed by obtaining Dr. Thurston’s Brain and placing it into the Perfusion Machine located in the Machina Astralis. Once that’s done, complete the books puzzle (check our detailed guide for assistance).Upon finishing the books puzzle, a trap door will open in the ceiling of the Archive of Orbis on the west wall. Utilize the ladder to access the trap door, where you can interact with the orb to collect the Planet Neptune model.
With the Planet Neptune in hand, head back to the Machina Astralis room to interact with the empty planetarium slot situated at the stairs facing the Sun from the southeast. This action will insert Neptune into the slot and activate the planetarium, prompting you to align the planets appropriately.
Locations of All Paper Pieces in Astra Malorum
Once the planetarium is activated, it’s crucial to align the planets correctly. Bear in mind that the order of alignment varies across different games; however, the method to achieve it remains consistent. You will need to locate three distinct pieces of paper that have fixed spawns in each game, although the planet and its direction will differ:
Planet Paper #1 – Machina Astralis

Inside the Machina Astralis room, face south to find a small desk containing a piece of paper with a planet and the corresponding directional instructions. This desk is located on the same central floor where the Mystery Box can be found.
Planet Paper #2 – Archive of Orbis

Within the Archive of Orbis, where the Stamin-Up perk is available, you’ll find a central table. At the far end of this table, look for another piece of paper detailing a planet and its directional guidance.
Planet Paper #3 – The Luminarum

Enter The Luminarum, home to Jugger-Nog, and navigate to the room housing the trap. Here, on the northwest wall, you’ll find a coffee table that holds the piece of paper with the planet and its directional indications.
Solving the Planet Alignment Puzzle in Astra Malorum (and Journeying to Mars)

Having collected all three pieces of paper, make sure to note the planet and the corresponding direction. The planets in question can be Saturn, Neptune, or Mars, with directions indicated by the abbreviated initials of cardinal points: North (N), North West (NW), North East (NE), East (E), South (S), South East (SE), South West (SW), and West (W).
To proceed, return to the Machina Astralis room and examine the solar system model positioned at the center.Underneath the Sun, you will observe directional indicators resembling a compass. Your goal now is to shoot the planets as outlined in your paper to ensure they align with the compass directions.

Once you’ve accurately shot each planet in accordance with your paper’s directions, interact with Dr. Thurston’s Brain to trigger a lockdown encounter. This summons O. S.C. A.R.to the Machina Astralis room, where your objective becomes to survive the encounter while the portal charges. Keep moving around the room to evade O. S.C. A.R.and the zombies while watching for UFOs that will attempt to damage the portal.
After the portal finishes charging, you will be automatically sucked into it, transporting you to Mars. This location serves as an excellent training ground or a waypoint to continue with the easter egg. To return from Mars at any time, collect Dr. Thurston’s Brain from the center and place him on the altar where you arrived. This action will activate a teleporter leading back to Machina Astralis.
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