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(Note: since space is infinite, the universe has no actual center. More likely, Oa is located in the center of the Milky Way galaxy.)

One of the oldest planets, Oa serves as the home and headquarters to a race of blue-skinned powerful humanoids who have dubbed themselves the Guardians of the Universe who administer the Green Lantern Corps. According to the story "Heart of A Star" in the Sandman: Endless Nights graphic novel, Oa's star is called Sto-Oa (the Light of Oa) by the inhabitants.

Oa's history is not clear; according to some stories, the Guardians originated in a planet called Maltus and then moved to Oa as a convenient base of operations. Other stories had the Oans living in there from the beginning.

Oa appears to be mainly a desertic, lifeless planet. The main feature is the Guardian's city, which includes, among other things, the Main Power Battery that is charged by the Guardians with their own unique green energy, which the Battery then broadcasts to the personal Power Batteries of all the Green Lanterns.

At one time, Oa was host to several cities stolen from various worlds (including one from Earth) along with their unwilling inhabitants. This " mosaic" of cities was created by an insane Guardian who was left behind when the others left the universe for a time. Although he was defeated by the Green Lanterns, when the Guardians returned, they decided to keep the cities on Oa as an experiment of multicultural cohabitation. This decision was against many of the inhabitants' wishes to be returned to their home worlds, and was looked down upon by many Green Lanterns (but respected). The Green Lantern John Stewart was assigned to keep peace in the composite city (as portrayed in the comic book series GREEN LANTERN: MOSAIC). The cities were eventually returned to their original places.

Oa was eventually left uninhabited after the Green Lantern Hal Jordan, in an insane rampage, killed all but one of the Guardians and most of the Corps. Later it was destroyed in a battle between the still-insane Jordan and his succesor, Kyle Rayner. Ironically, it was Rayner himself who recreated the planet (and the Guardians) during the time he was the almost-omnipotent being called Ion.