Who goes first?
From the publisher’s rulebook

Who goes first in Eclipse?

New Dawn for the Galaxy (2011) English rulebook

Eclipse: New Dawn for the Galaxy original 2011 Lautapelit.fi box

Give the Starting Player Marker to the player who has spent the least time on planet Terra (Earth). That player starts the Action Phase.

Rule details

Starting with that player and proceeding clockwise, players choose their starting hexes and boards.

If playing with alien species, species and starting hexes are chosen beginning with the player to the starting player's right and proceeding counterclockwise.

During the Action Phase, play starts with the marker holder and proceeds clockwise; the first player to pass takes the marker for the next round.

Source & edition

Image: © Lautapelit.fi and cover artist (precise ownership not stated) · Publisher or edition-identified retailer as specified in provenance

If your rules call for a random choice, use the player picker.

If there’s a tie

The rulebook doesn’t say. If you need a tie-break, pick a player at random.

More starting rules

Browse available game rules

Free game-night tools: score keeper · turn timer · dice roller · all tools

Embed this answer on your site

Copy this HTML into a blog post, forum or game café page. It’s plain text with a link back to this rule, so it works almost anywhere. More embed options

Found a different instruction in your edition? Send a correction with the game, edition, and source.