Pawing at the Planetary Bell

[Katejina]

Found a black hole last night, throttled to 0 but it made no difference. Upon entry into the system I immediately fell out of supercruise, into said black hole and suffered damage to my canopy. My first such incident, though the damage is less than I've ever seen. It took me a good 5 minutes to figure out where the cracks were. I'm hoping it's less than 25%. And continuing on... I've surpassed 6,000 total systems visited. Nearing the end of the Perseus Arm, after which I will be heading straight to the opposite side of the galaxy from SOL, and performing the requisite attempt at joining the 75kly Club. Having reservations about making a visit to Sagr A* during this trip as well as venturing into the neutron fields due to my damaged canopy. I can ill afford any such mistakes, especially since I'm only nearing the halfway point of this expedition.

Here's one of my better screenshots. A Class IV Gas Giant roughly 14ls from the star.

Going to be taking somewhat of a break today to work on restructuring the thread. I like to consider myself an artist of sorts, so I will be creating some immersive images to make it look all fancy like. Also some prerequisite work for when I'm back in the bubble and making videos...

 

[Zeeman]

Were you at 0 throttle when the countdown started? Or did you throttle back once you entered the system? I find you *really* need to throttle back when you hear "5,4..." It's a good habit to get into, otherwise, you start to forget and end up headbutting neutron stars and black holes. And you never win those...

On a side note, you can actually fly right through black holes.If you fly circles around it in SC, getting a tighter and tighter circle (keep throttle at 0), you'll eventually drop out about 20km away. From there, just throttle up and cruise on through. It's a very cool effect!

No, seriously. There are videos posted!
Z...

 

[Katejina]

Were you at 0 throttle when the countdown started? Or did you throttle back once you entered the system? I find you *really* need to throttle back when you hear "5,4..." It's a good habit to get into, otherwise, you start to forget and end up headbutting neutron stars and black holes. And you never win those...

On a side note, you can actually fly right through black holes.If you fly circles around it in SC, getting a tighter and tighter circle (keep throttle at 0), you'll eventually drop out about 20km away. From there, just throttle up and cruise on through. It's a very cool effect!

No, seriously. There are videos posted!
Z...

There were no visual changes when I flew into it but flying out of it was the scariest thing I've experienced in ED so far. There aren't many stars or gas clouds to distort out here near the rim, so it doesn't warp surrounding space as much as closer to the core. But it certainly did just that when I was flying away from it, lol...

And I normally do enter the systems at 0 throttle. I'm certain it was no different this time, but user error is always a possibility.

I really hope I make it back in one piece. I don't think I could live with myself if I die to some stupid, avoidable mistake.

 

[Asayanami]

Superglue the canopy and you're as good as new!
After my canopy cracked, I have crashed (E. FSD stop) a couple more times, and it held up though it all, so I think you're good, unless you crash into an asteroid, or a planet while supercruising at a very high speed.

 

[Katejina]

Superglue the canopy and you're as good as new!
After my canopy cracked, I have crashed (E. FSD stop) a couple more times, and it held up though it all, so I think you're good, unless you crash into an asteroid, or a planet while supercruising at a very high speed.

I've dropped out of SC enough (usually entereing asteroid fields too fast) that my hull is at 88% but this was the first canopy cracking. I've been pretty cautious this far, hopefully I can keep it up.

 

[Zeeman]

You'll be fine. I've gone about 90k Ly, and still at 85%. Just resist the temptation to get "just a little closer" to neutron stars...

Z...

 

[Katejina]

What temptation?

 

[Zeeman]

Oh, and white dwarfs. They be nasty, too...

Z...

 

[Fen Harel]

I've dropped out of SC enough (usually entereing asteroid fields too fast) that my hull is at 88% but this was the first canopy cracking. I've been pretty cautious this far, hopefully I can keep it up.

Make sure your FSD hasn't taken any damage - or, if it has, hopefully you have an AFMU.

A wonky FSD is not fun to fly with.

Be careful of that canopy! If it starts making one of those slow cracking noises make a run for the bubble!

As always, good luck commander!

 

[Lance 'Spacecat' D.]

Trouble approaching rings? Maybe I should share a trick I learnt from mining - I don't like to use Res sites, so I've practiced the art of supercruising into a ring without taking damage. The trick is to approach very gently, (I use an almost perpendicular parallel angle for best speed control) picture yourself flying slowly along the ring, and you just want to dip your toe without getting wet. (Yes, hidden space cat reference there). You reduce your supercruise speed to minimum when you start seeing the rocks and approach at an angle, You'll be kicked out of supercruise without damage when close enough - much like when you slow down to near-nought to stop in the middle of nowhere to repair thrusters.

Then again if you were ramming those rings by accident and knew this trick, just consider me a blabbermouth.

Edit: my bad on perp vs parallel

 

[Katejina]

Trouble approaching rings? Maybe I should share a trick I learnt from mining - I don't like to use Res sites, so I've practiced the art of supercruising into a ring without taking damage. The trick is to approach very gently, (I use an almost perpendicular angle for best speed control) picture yourself flying slowly along the ring, and you just want to dip your toe without getting wet. (Yes, hidden space cat reference there). You reduce your supercruise speed to minimum when you start seeing the rocks and approach at an angle, You'll be kicked out of supercruise without damage when close enough - much like when you slow down to near-nought to stop in the middle of nowhere to repair thrusters.

Then again if you were ramming those rings by accident and knew this trick, just consider me a blabbermouth.

I have no issues now, but when I started I certainly did, lol.

It's been a few days but I'm back at it, stream's up!

 

[Zeeman]

Trouble approaching rings? Maybe I should share a trick I learnt from mining - I don't like to use Res sites, so I've practiced the art of supercruising into a ring without taking damage. The trick is to approach very gently, (I use an almost perpendicular angle for best speed control) picture yourself flying slowly along the ring, and you just want to dip your toe without getting wet. (Yes, hidden space cat reference there). You reduce your supercruise speed to minimum when you start seeing the rocks and approach at an angle, You'll be kicked out of supercruise without damage when close enough - much like when you slow down to near-nought to stop in the middle of nowhere to repair thrusters.
...

Do you mean parallel? Almost perpendicular means your flying right at it. Having said that - that works too - so long as you've throttle back to 0...

Z...

 

[Katejina]

Not much to report tonight.

Found a planetary nebula last night, blue this time. Looked nice from the outside but just cloudy on the inside...

Spoiler

Today started off with a metal-rich(30+% Osmium pure) ringed, TFC Water World.

Then this... rustball of a ringed, zero atmosphere ammonia world:

Spoiler

And concluding the night is this Metal Rich planet that had a 0.1d orbital period, which is the shortest known and ties current records since it doesn't get more specific.

Spoiler

Back at it tomorrow. Headed for the EOCK PRAU nebula. Bout 3.5kly away.

 

[Agony_Aunt]

Then this... rustball of a ringed, zero atmosphere ammonia world:

A bizarre one. Either it means that it was so cold the atomoshpere is frozen or the ammonia is trapped in rocks or something. Or just the stellar forge has made a boo boo.

 

[Katejina]

Stream's up! Won't be on for that long, though. Few hours maybe.

 

[Katejina]

Welp, had to cut it short. Internet/stream was acting up. Still about 2kly out. Will complete the leg tomorrow. Here's some fun pics though.

Some white dwarf asteroid belt action

Spoiler

Frosted glass planet

Spoiler

And this ringworld that had a roughly 3.7d orbital period. It's ring was very, very condensed.

Spoiler

 

[Katejina]

2.5kly and all I found was a water world and 3 ammonia worlds. Pretty uneventful. Anyway.

Eock Prau Nebula:

Nothing too special to behold, but I'm here. Systems seem to be undiscovered...

 

[DiddleDum]

And concluding the night is this Metal Rich planet that had a 0.1d orbital period, which is the shortest known and ties current records since it doesn't get more specific.

Spoiler

http://puu.sh/iGAlM/952affa71c.jpghttp://puu.sh/iGAmc/3d5a3260ac.jpg

Back at it tomorrow. Headed for the EOCK PRAU nebula. Bout 3.5kly away.

Love that .1d planet. Not sure if it's my bloodshot eyes, or if that planet is oval. I ran into a Class V gas giant that had an orbital of 0.2d. I hovered over the surface, with the star a mere 1.88 ls away. But when I first approached it, I came in from the shadow side, to get an eclipse picture. The ' thing was warped, with the equator jutting out. Since it wasn't a nice sphere, it was difficult to get the shot. Crazy little (or in this case, big) warped planets.

 

[Katejina]

I love short-orbit bodies. Many of them appear stretched in the system map. Another item on my long list of things to do when I return from this expedition: Record a full orbital period of various bodies such as these. And after that: Find a short-orbit binary. Shortest I've personally seen so far is 0.4 days.

 

[Lance 'Spacecat' D.]

Well, if memory serves the binary star that almost killed me back in april had a period of 0.3 days with its companion. I also kept a list of 'navigational hazards' (binaries close enough that you risk arriving in the B-star), which should contain several short-orbits.

Would you like the list, or would you like to find them yourself?