Lost Souls 3 Expedition Log - 33080723
26 Jul 2022XpressioN
Interesting Points of Interest - Pt 2
The engineers sent me a message while I was at my quarters informing me that my ship was ready. I've made the last checks and headed for lunch. Met with a couple of traders and shared some tips with them. They were quite interested in my suggestions. Having Elite V in trading brings attention to those that just started the business. I'm always delighted to help them giving them hints on how to go about it.
I left the Asteroid base and headed to my next destination. This time it was Heart Sector YJ-A c9 (Mount Pallas). Landed at the base of the mountain, and started climbing. Planetary Coordinates: -75.1632, 175.7912 Discovered during the Artemis Biological Survey expedition, this particular mountain range of the system's fifth body (A5) can be seen from space. At very high altitudes, the icy pole of the planet can be seen surrounded by the mountain barrier, which ends in a singular peak rising above the horizon, crossing two different biological biomes. It reaches a height of over 9 kilometres. From the top, we can clearly see the different features of the planet. However, this is only accessible with a small ship. On the other side is a dark plain as far as the eye can see. But, if you look up to the sky you can see a beautiful starry sky and Heart and Soul nebulae.
Located on a high metal content stellar body, the surface temperature varies between 116k and 227k. Atmosphere type is carbon dioxide (99.0% carbon dioxide and 1.0% sulphur dioxide). It is composed of three different exobiological species rather common in worlds of the same type (Tussock Ignis, Stratum Tectonicas, Bacterium Aurasus).
Named Mount Pallas in reference to Greek mythology. Pallas was one of the Gigantes (Giants), the offspring of Gaia, born from the blood of Uranus. According to the mythographer Apollodorus, during the Gigantomachy, the cosmic battle of the Giants with the Olympian gods, he was flayed by Athena. If you fall from above, there is a risk of flaying. Caution should be exercised.
A couple of more interesting systems while I was jumping to my next destination.
While I was at these two majestic nebulae, I thought of searching for a Black hole. The lensing effect would definitely make it worth a visit. After hours analysing this segment of space I found the HD 17520 system. This consisted of an O-type primary star, and a Black hole orbiting it. It had also a L-type (Brown dwarf) star, and a M-type (Red dwarf) star among other planets.
From there, twenty five jumps to the Northeast, a system with a GGGG. These type of Glowing Green Gas Giants are a soft spot for me, so while I was in the vicinity, might as well pay a visit. Gludgoea AA-A e25 - Deep in the Elysian Shores sits this Green Gas Giant, not far from the road to the Heart and Soul nebulae. It's also relatively close to its parent star - approx. 2,500 ls away. While a fair number of Green Gas Giants only show small patches of green, this one is mostly green instead, with only smaller areas covered in the "original" purple of this Class III Gas Giant. It's named after Rhadamanthus from ancient Greek mythology, a wise Cretan king who dwelled in Elysium - and, according to some authors, even ruled there, and judged the dead.
Unlike previously, the waypoint I was heading to was near the previous one. So this gave me a lot of time to visit all those nearby interesting POIs. I had time to land on interesting planets as well and check for any biologicals. On my way to the next POI, I was the first to discover a system with an Earth Like World. With this ELW, forty of them are marked under my name since the beginning of my exploration career.
I've made it to the next POI. Before I got to the actual system where there's the Black Hole, I found the nearest system to it to admire the views. This one surely reminded me of the previous bluish cluster of stars. A planetary nebula with a Tourist attraction beacon as well. IC 1805 Sector DQ-Y e3 (Altera's Eye / IC 1805) - A solitary Black Hole sat deep within it's own planetary nebula of hot blue gas, situated just below the IC 1805 Cluster. There's planet side Tourism POI with a remarkable view of the near nebula.
A large open cluster situated between the far edge of the Wayfarer's Graveyard and the Heart & Soul Nebulae, approx. 6,300 LYs from Sol. Whereas IC 1805 strictly speaking is the Heart Nebula, the cluster of young, massive stars is named Melotte 15. The cluster is just a few million years old and holds more than 2,000 solar masses. The cluster is in the process of mass segregation in which the lighter stars are ejected from the cluster's core, leaving only the heavy stars gravitationally bound to each other.
I then hit the Hyperdrive and jumped in the system where there's the Black hole. The scenery was simply incredible. No wonder the reason why I take so many pictures of these planetary nebulae.
While at the previous system there was a Tourist beacon on one of the landable planets. I signed the visitor's book as well - XpressioN - 19 Jul 2022 20:04:38. Apart from this tourist POI, I was searching for a Sagan Class Tourist Ship but was unsuccessful. I wasn't aware that this particular tourist ship was scouting the nearby systems to offer tourists a glimpse of this planetary nebula from different angles. After checking with a couple of commanders that had visited this system I found it residing at IC 1805 Sector AV-O c6-5. A Ship Log Uplink point can be located on the hull. Deploy your ship’s hardpoints and use the onboard Data Link Scanner within 200m of the post to scan it and retrieve the ship’s flight operations plan:
SAGAN CLASS TOURIST SHIP TEL-121 FLIGHT OPERATIONS PLAN
Flight Operations Plan for Sagan Class Tourist Ship TEL-121
- IC 1805 Sector AV-O c6-6
- IC 1805 Sector DQ-Y e3
- IC 1805 Sector AV-O c6-6
- IC 1805 Sector AV-O c6-5
- IC 1805 Sector AV-O c6-6
- IC 1805 Sector DQ-Y e3
Needed a break before proceeding to the next POI. Meanwhile I was reading the news from Galnet News. The situation in the Bubble, most especially at the Pleiades Sector in the HIP 22460 system is getting worse. I thought the Thargoids were being pushed back before I left, but I was wrong.
The View from the Front Line - 22 JUL 3308
Vox Galactica reporter Jade Sanderlyn has broadcast an update on the conflict taking place in the HIP 22460 system.
“The fierce fighting in HIP 22460 has intensified over the past week. Swarms of Thargoid vessels can be encountered throughout the system, cutting down any ill-prepared ships within range. The combined human forces are battling furiously to diminish the alien fleet.”
“A total of seven capital ships, all armed with experimental weaponry, are now providing support for AX squadrons. I’ve been mesmerised by the intense volleys of energy beams that flash from these gigantic craft, seeking out the dark-hulled Thargoids as they swoop and spin with an eerie grace. Distance offers these sights a strange beauty, a distraction from the ugly fact that many lives are lost with each skirmish.”
“It appears the Alliance’s military pact with Sirius Corporation is starting to gain traction. The megaship El Centinela Cadejo recently arrived in Pleiades Sector CW-U B3-2 from Arimpox, providing logistical support for the Alliance Defence Force in HIP 22460. My military contacts inform me that Azimuth Biotech had sought to restrict Sirius Corporation vessels from participating in the Proteus Wave campaign, perhaps fearful of corporate espionage. Li Yong-Rui would approve of the rather deliberate choice to move El Centinela Cadejo to the same system as Azimuth’s Musashi and Glorious Prospect megaships.”
“Meanwhile, the hellish situation in HIP 22460 rages on. I’ve reported from several battlefields, but this one is something of an endurance test. Every day I watch squadrons deploy to a conflict, and every day watch them return with fewer vessels. All I can do is hope that this carnage will eventually lead to something worthwhile.”
“This is Jade Sanderlyn for Vox Galactica. Stay safe out there.”
Previous part - Interesting Points of Interest - Pt 1