Exploration - 3.4 - Week 51 3307
26 Dec 2021Sumurai8
[ ⌛ Aggregating logs... week 51 3307 loaded ]
[ 19 12 3307 | Inferred location: Outorns RM-I b37-3 ]
I think I need to start hitting up more of these 2 signal planets. If I want to get in better standing as an exobiologist, I need to start scanning more plants in more systems. It's going to take a lot of time either way, and I make the trip that much longer by skipping over "planets that are not worthy".
Something that occurred to me is that none of these planets have any clouds whatsoever. I guess the atmosphere is not thick enough for such processes to occur. And the space ship would probably disintegrate if we would try to land on one that has enough atmosphere to form clouds. It's years since I was on a planet that supported life without a suit. I suppose that is the price to pay as an independent pilot.
I went on a quick run to scan some of the plants in this system. Couldn't find the bacteria, but the other species has been scanned. It's swarming with them here. My suit kept screaming at me that the temperature was dangerous for me. No shit, captain Obvious. Or Astra I guess... Crewmate Astra... AI Astra. I am the captain here. I am! ... Am I talking to myself again? Is the madness setting in already? I think I am just going to sleep and this place is as good as any other to bed down. Good night.
 A COLD UNFORGIVING ROCK on Inara Gallery |
[ 20 12 3307 | Inferred location: Outorns RH-N b48-2 ]
Arrived in a huge system with 47 stars and planets, but unfortunately nothing terraformable or worth money otherwise. I did find another icy planet with 2 signals, so I will hit that up instead. There have been quite a few of them today. It is not worth much, but it will add up.
[ 20 12 3307 | Inferred location: Outorns OQ-V b57-6 ]
Waypoint reached. I decided to go to a L-class star, because there is literally nothing more interesting in this region star-wise. Next up... a Y-class star. This L-class star is relatively hot and large. No record though.
[ 21 12 3307 | Inferred location: Wredgeae WU-M a35-0 ]
Waypoint reached. This star is somewhat small, but surprisingly hot. For an Y-class star. Fun fact: A forge is usually hotter than this star.
[ 21 12 3307 | Inferred location: Wredgeae AO-R b18-4 ]
50 signals, 2 terraformable HMCs. Nice.
[ 21 12 3307 | Inferred location: Wredgeae HB-F c11-46 ]
I am making good progress to my original waypoint. I landed on a planet with three biological signals. Small stuff. Like usual.
The planet is... bland. Not even plants can change that. All three species were relatively easy to find though, so there's that. I have decided to stop here for the night. I should be able to get to my final waypoint tomorrow and then I have to plot a route further up the arm.
[ 22 12 3307 | Inferred location: Wredgo BP-I d9-139 ]
I did put this system on my list just to have somewhere to go to be honest. The only interesting part is that it was classified as a VI star (a dwarf). Interestingly enough it has already been visited. I guess someone else noticed the odd classification, and decided to investigate.
[ 22 12 3307 | Inferred location: Praei Eup EK-A c53 ]
Didn't get as far as I intended today. Got distracted with messages on the long-range comms. Found a nice planet though. Quite sandy again, but found a nice spot with a few hills, a ringed planet and the core in the background.
 DISCWORLD on Inara Gallery |
[ 23 12 3307 | Inferred location:
Ridgoo NM-W e1-30 ]
Waypoint reached. I went here because it was a B III star, but unfortunately not even nearly a record. More luck next time.
I have scouted the space ahead, and chosen our next waypoint. It is 9.3k ly away, 145 jumps. The system has an O-class primary star, and one of the other stars is an Ae/BE Herbig. If nothing else this system should look interesting. It will be a while before I will be there. I scouted the entire route there, and selected a bunch of BIII and O-class stars. That will give me something to focus on on my way there.
[ ⭐ Dumping previous itinerary ]
[ ✅ Visited systems are marked with a checkmark ]
↑ End ↑
Ridgoo NM-W e1-30 ✅
Wredgo BP-I d9-139 (A8 VI) ✅
Wredgo BP-I d9-26 (TTS5 VA)
Wredgeae QY-S e3-19 (B8 IVAB)
Wredgeae JI-K d8-177 (A9 VI)
Wredgeae NS-U e2-29 (B8 IVAB)
Wredgeae WU-M a35-0 (Y2 V) ✅
Outorns OQ-V b57-6 (L0 V) ✅
Pro Thaa GA-A e1 (B9 IVAB)
Hegoea CV-V b57-0 (TTS9 VI) / Hegoea ZO-X b56-1 (TTS3 VA, TTS1 VI, TTS6 VI)
Hegoea HT-Z d13-7 (K9 IIAB) ✅
Hegoea AH-D d12-38 (K9 IIAB) ✅
Hegoea AH-D d12-39 (K9 IIAB, 7 stars in total) ✅
Hegoea CO-G c24-2 (4 TTS'es)
Hegoea EG-Y g0 (O0 VZ and 4 B0 VZ's) ✅
Hegoea YG-K c22-6 (4 TTS'es)
Hegoea ZU-G d10-38 (K7 IIAB) ✅
Hegoea VY-S e3-4 (B8 IIIAB)
Hegoea DP-N b34-2 (4x TTS)
Hegoea OW-N d6-31 (5x TTS) ✅
Hegoi PX-U d2-28 (K7 IIAB) ✅
Hegoi HG-Y e5 (B8 IIIAB)
Hegoi IG-Y e2 (B8 IIIAB)
Hegoi FA-A e2 (B8 IIIAB) ✅
↑ Start ↑
Ridgoo NM-W e1-30 ✅
Wredgo BP-I d9-139 (A8 VI) ✅
Wredgo BP-I d9-26 (TTS5 VA)
Wredgeae QY-S e3-19 (B8 IVAB)
Wredgeae JI-K d8-177 (A9 VI)
Wredgeae NS-U e2-29 (B8 IVAB)
Wredgeae WU-M a35-0 (Y2 V) ✅
Outorns OQ-V b57-6 (L0 V) ✅
Pro Thaa GA-A e1 (B9 IVAB)
Hegoea CV-V b57-0 (TTS9 VI) / Hegoea ZO-X b56-1 (TTS3 VA, TTS1 VI, TTS6 VI)
Hegoea HT-Z d13-7 (K9 IIAB) ✅
Hegoea AH-D d12-38 (K9 IIAB) ✅
Hegoea AH-D d12-39 (K9 IIAB, 7 stars in total) ✅
Hegoea CO-G c24-2 (4 TTS'es)
Hegoea EG-Y g0 (O0 VZ and 4 B0 VZ's) ✅
Hegoea YG-K c22-6 (4 TTS'es)
Hegoea ZU-G d10-38 (K7 IIAB) ✅
Hegoea VY-S e3-4 (B8 IIIAB)
Hegoea DP-N b34-2 (4x TTS)
Hegoea OW-N d6-31 (5x TTS) ✅
Hegoi PX-U d2-28 (K7 IIAB) ✅
Hegoi HG-Y e5 (B8 IIIAB)
Hegoi IG-Y e2 (B8 IIIAB)
Hegoi FA-A e2 (B8 IIIAB) ✅
↑ Start ↑
[ ⭐ Dump completed ]
[ 23 12 3307 | Location: Ridgoo BL-P e5-15 ]
There are two B8 IIIAB's near each other here, one in Ridgoo XE-R e4-19 and one in this system. This one has been previously discovered, while the other one wasn't. Nothing much interesting to tell about them though.
[ 23 12 3307 | Inferred location: Chraufai OQ-Y b7 ]
I've been trying to make some headway to my next destination. It's getting late, and I am getting sleepy. There has not been a nice landing location in the last couple of systems, so I will have to sleep in zero g today, in orbit around this M-class star. Tomorrow I have 32 more jumps until my next planned stop.
[ 24 12 3307 | Inferred location: Chraufai CW-N c6-7 ]
There are not that many biological signs during this last leg of my journey. Maybe I am just getting unlucky where I jump, or maybe this part of the galaxy is just sparse with life. In this system there were at least a couple of planets with biological signals, and I landed on one with 2 different species. It proved to be much more difficult to find these species than I initially expected. They blend in with the terrain.
I do like the Fonticulua Digitos here in particular. Other members of the Fonticulua genus are much bigger, but these just break through the icy crust with tremendous power, leaving tiny hills and cracks where they come out. They almost look like crystals.
 Fonticulua Digitos forcing their way out of the ground |
[ 24 12 3307 | Inferred location: Chraufue XQ-G c10-36 ]
It's the most painful time of the year again. As an explorer you live with the knowledge that if you mess up and destroy the ship, you may never be able to go home. We specialise in finding unexplored systems, expand our knowledge about the systems in our universe, and find the most interesting ones for expansion, mining or tourism. It also involves going into systems where in 1000 light years in every direction there might not be a single other commander. If we misjudge a planetary landing, or boil ourselves near a sun, you just have to hope that the distress signal reaches a deep-space comm beacon before the ship is destroyed, and hope your lifepod keeps working until someone can pick it up.
Content warning: Mental Health / Depression
Okay, real talk here. Depression is something that never truly goes away. I've had depression 10-ish years ago, and since then I have had my ups and downs. I know how deep the black hole of depression can go, but I also know how to recognise the symptoms of onsetting depression, and know how to get through it for the most part. Know that at some point you find yourself on the other side of the hole and are once again able to look towards the future. That said I have been struggling this year, and in particular the last weeks/months. We've gone into yet another lockdown, and everything that was planned for fun or relaxation has been cancelled multiple times at this point. Without having anything to look forward to, it's hard to put one foot in front of the other until I find myself on the other side of the black hole.
And I know things will get better. I know the lockdown will get lifted again, although we almost certainly will get another one, and then another one. But it's tiring to fight against the onslaught of self-destructive thoughts when my mind is idle, and to feel like any minor upset is like an impossibly large cliff to scale, while anything that goes well just feels empty or a reprieve at best.
This time of the year is not great for me, when everyone is in a festive mood and you are incapable of joining in. This message from my commander sort-of reflects that. That said a community I adore went out of their way to have an online Christmas party and I am thankful to each and every one of them to be part of that. I genuinely hope you are doing well this time of the year and see you in
Anyway, the reason I was going to write here was because jumping into this system, it passively revealed the closest 7 systems to me. They are all between 10 and 30 ls away from me, close enough to pick up with my normal scanners. That's quite impressive.
[ 24 12 3307 | Inferred location: Chraufue HJ-B c13-11 ]
I am landing on a planet with 6 biological features for the night. It will be fun collecting samples in the morning. Hopefully the sun has not shifted too much by then.
 Dimension Door parked on Chraufue HJ-B C13-11, overlooking some plants |
 A PLANT WITH PATTERNS on Inara Gallery |
[ 25 12 3307 | Inferred location: Drojai WU-X e1-15 ]
Waypoint reached. Just the three stars though. The IIIAB is not that impressive, but I am kind-of used to that at this point. I still think it gives me the best chance of finding something truly large though, so I will keep visiting them.
[ 25 12 3307 | Location: Drojai CL-Y g5 ]
Another waypoint reached. This one was already discovered, as I knew already. I love the intensity of O-class stars. Nothing quite matches that.
[ 25 12 3307 | Inferred location: Drojai DH-U e3-3 ]
This B8 IIIAB is right next door to the O-class I just visited, with just 30 light years between the two. It's relatively large, but not nearly record breaking as usual.
[ 26 12 3307 | Inferred location: Grie Eohm SF-C d14-94 ]
As it turns out I just passed into Vulcans Gate sector. One system ago I noticed some bright stars in the general direction I was traveling, and I found two B8 IIIAB stars I previously didn't see. I have diverted to visit them for good measure.
[ 26 12 3307 | Inferred location: Grie Eohm UZ-O e6-7 ]
The B8 IIIAB here is comparable to the few that I have already seen. This system turned out to be a good find though, with both a terraformable HMC and a terraformable water world. Unfortunately both are at 150k ls distance, so it will take some time to get there.
[ 26 12 3307 | Inferred location: Grie Eohm UZ-O e6-18 ]
This is the other B8 IIIAB I spotted. The radius is slightly larger than the last few of these I saw. Nothing else though. Considering this star is 3 solar radii, and the largest is apparently 446 solar radii, it doesn't come even close to the record. It does however have a couple of brown dwarfs orbiting the main star, which is nice.
 Sometimes broad daylight is still pretty dark. Commander and ship on moon lit by dwarf. |
[ 26 12 3307 | Inferred location: Thaikaei VO-Z e6 ]
Another waypoint, another B8 IIIAB. There are quite a few rocky bodies in this system, but nothing interesting enough to actually land. Up next are two systems next to each other.
[ 26 12 3307 | Location: Thaikaei FH-U e3-19 ]
I've reached my next destination. Curiously enough someone has already visited this system, but decided not to bother scanning the 52 signals in-system and instead only briefly glanced at the stars and orbiting brown dwarfs.
[ 26 12 3307 | Location: Thaikaei FH-U e3-15 ]
To nobodies surprise, the system I chose next door has also been visited by the same commander. The 43 signals within had not been scanned yet though, so I have done this myself. There are a lot of bacteria in this system, but not much else worth visiting. The next system on my list is 30 jumps out, but I don't think I will make it there today. We'll see if I can find a nice spot to touch down before I need to sleep.
[ 26 12 3307 | Inferred location: Thaikaei NU-M d8-127 ]
While scanning for valuable planets to humanity, I found a planet that hosts 7 different species of plants. Having landed here, I love EVERYTHING about this planet. The landscape is nice. The colours are nice. The variation in plants is nice. I. Love. It.
I've been running and driving around for the past hour grabbing samples of most of the species here. I think I will stay here for the night and enjoy the view. If could totally see myself setting up an outpost on this planet and live here away from everyone. Though, to set up an outpost I need skilled people, which means there will be people annoying me here. Maybe it's for the best that creating an outpost requires heavy machinery that does not fit on an exploration Krait Phantom.
 ROLLING HILLS OF A ROCKY MOON on Inara Gallery |
 IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE JOURNEY on Inara Gallery |
 A PLANET WITH A VIEW on Inara Gallery |
[ ✅ Aggregation complete ]
[ ✅ Transmission and archive successful ]