Checking out a tip on some Geysers
14 Apr 2018Logan Darklighter
A public tip by Cmdr Falconfly on some water geysers in the Colonia bubble caught my attention. I checked the system and it was within a single jump range of Colonia for my ship, so I decided to play space tourist and go take a look for myself. The world in question is the smaller Green moon ahead.
Already looks like a pair of interesting worlds with some canyons to explore.
(Slartibartfast impression) "I love all the crinkly bits in the Fjords." Heh.
Location: Star system: EOL PROU LW-L C8-93
Log Update:
I haven't yet verified that tip on the geysers from CMDR Falconfly, but one thing for certain - there's a lot of water sublimating out and condensing in the canyons, which is a good sign. Turns out I might have come at an inconvenient moment though. This small moon is in the penumbra of it's larger sibling. That's allowed the temperature to drop and the water vapor to condense, but it's also REALLY dark.
Okay. Not only is it dark down here, but the mist is a full-blown very thick pea soup fog. I may not be able to SEE geysers on this moon, but they MUST be here if there's all this water vapor sublimating out and re-condensing as fog here in the lowlands.
I don't want to take my Conda down to land just yet. I could land on instruments and deploy the SRV. But I want to scout some more. Fortunately I have another option.
(Incidentally - what the heck IS pea soup and what does it have to do with fog? I know some turns of phrase from the pre-FTL era have survived, but that's a really odd one. Note to self to look that up later on Galnet.)
Update:
I've left the 'Conda at altitude and deployed in one of my two fighters to scout this canyon a little more. I'm not sure this is a better option, except for not risking the main ship. Cause I still can't see CRAP in this fog!
I swear, if it wasn't for the stars overhead, I'd feel like I was in a submarine on old Terra.
I may lift off and come back down on another section of this moon and try again. I'm not finding anything here. Also going to wait a couple of hours and let this moon slide out of the shadow of the other one so I can bloody SEE!
UPDATE:
After consulting remotely with CMDR Falconfly, I pinpointed the location of the geysers. But the area was kinda short on landing sites big enough for my Anaconda.
Patience and a steady hand paid off though. I finally found what seems like the ONE FLAT spot within 8 KM that's suitable. And it's even dead level and within a kilometer of where the geysers are. Score!
Fitting the ship into this canyon though... Well an ancient cargo driver on old Terra said it better than me:
"Honey I never drive faster than I can see. Besides it's all in the reflexes!"
Unfortunately the moon is in shadow again. This time behind the parent gas giant. I'm going to sack out for a few hours before heading out in the SRV when the local star is back in the sky.
