Attacking the Snowball -- should I make the jump?

[roboteconomist]

Greetings from the Perseus Arm!

I just finished engineering a jumpconda earlier this week, so I decided to put the "Jump Ranger" through its paces this weekend by trying to reach the Snowball, an uncharted, real-life planetary nebula located 5,000 light years west of the Bubble, 1600 light years below the galactic plane, and a substantial distance from its next nearest system.

After about 6 hours and a light expenditure of jumponium, I made it to a system with a neutron star that is only 246 light years away from the nebula. The Jump Ranger has a max range of 64 light years on a full tank of gas (67 on fumes), so I can make the jump if I boost off the neutron star, but it is going to be one-way ticket. So my dilemma is clear -- do I make the jump, for SCIENCE?

Money is not a concern -- I have 100 times the rebuy in the bank -- but I am carrying a decent amount of scan data and I would kind of like to memorialize the trip by getting my name on the archipelago of systems that got me to this point.

This leaves me with three choices:

1. Turn back and leave the nebula untouched for a more intrepid visitor.

2. Fly 3000 light years to the nearest deep space outpost to offload my data and then make the jump.

3. JUST DO IT!

I'm inclined towards #2, but I'm interested to hear what my fellow explorers have to say.

 

[Major Klutz]

If it were me. I like #2
3KLy isn't that far with your jump range. You can be there and back in no time.

 

[osser]

The more I read the OP.
I'd do 2.
After That just try it.

 

[Friedenreich Xante]

I'd go for #2. Is there a landable planet near the neutron star? I'd take advantage of the time needed for that trip to organize a meet up there with fellow explorers who would jump with you.

 

[Shinji Ikari]

Do it, at least you'll probably be the first to go there even if you can't return, like the M67 expedition!

 

[Raj Matheo]

I opt for 2, I was thinking 3 might be an option but then realized you wouldn't get a discovery on the pn anyway so there is no rush. Organize an expedition like Friedenreich said and claim the title on the jump off system.

 

[Rudi Raumkraut]

Isn't it possible to supercharge the FSD in the NS jet again while initialising a supercharged jump?
If I remember correctly some did it on the Distant Stars Expedition, but dont know if this was considered a bug and is already fixed....

 

[Aura Lorell]

I'm not one for suicide one-way trips, so in your place I'd choose number 1. if you really-really want to do it, then number 2 makes sense and 3 Kylies is not that far a distance.

 

[Aura Lorell]

Isn't it possible to supercharge the FSD in the NS jet again while initialising a supercharged jump?
If I remember correctly some did it on the Distant Stars Expedition, but dont know if this was considered a bug and is already fixed....

That's an exploit.

 

[Rudi Raumkraut]

That's an exploit.

So still an Option

 

[Friedenreich Xante]

That's an exploit.

An exploit that requires some very high skills. I'd say, if you manage to do, you deserve it.

 

[13A]

Option 2 all the way.

Good luck

 

[Archon Valec]

If and when you are ready to make that jump, make sure you are running EDDiscovery or EDMC or something that uploads to EDSM, that way the charted system can be mapped and saved for posterity and the viewing pleasure of the community!

This is very similar to what we did on the Distant Stars expedition. M67 Cluster was a one way trip, but all logs were uploaded to EDSM before we mass-suicided.

 

[roboteconomist]

The call of the void was strong, but you all pulled me back from the brink -- I am heading to Gorgon Research to offload my scan data before attempting the jump. If folks are interested in joining me, I should be back out at the point of no return this evening (the system has 5 landable planets; they haven't populated in EDSM yet). You will need a range of at least 61.5 light years to cover the distance.

I also did a little exploring on my way back and discovered a short string of neutron stars that will get you down from the plane to the final jump without having to expend jumponium:

OOCHONT IS-K D8-1
OOCHONT NT-I D9-0
OOCHONT MD-K D8-0
PREIA EOCK KU-M D8-0

 

[Saool]

#2, with a twist

Use the double jump bug, i it still exists to get in and tag the first system, so you leave your mark, then come back and sell all the data, before heading in again to do the rest for science.

EDIT: seems this has already been suggested.

 

[roboteconomist]

#2, with a twist

Use the double jump bug, i it still exists to get in and tag the first system, so you leave your mark, then come back and sell all the data, before heading in again to do the rest for science.

EDIT: seems this has already been suggested.

I didn't realize that double stacking was still a thing, so I had already started heading back before I read the comments.

I'm already at Gorgon; will check in again when I'm back at the final jump.

 

[Heavy Johnson]

That's an exploit.

I believe this was fixed.

Also, robot, I say go for #2. If you're the first to make it out there (eg, there's no one else with a tag on the system), I will make sure we note this in the EDSM submission

 

[roboteconomist]

Greetings from the Blue Snowball. The Wolf-Rayet at its core actually casts more of a purple hue than a blue hue. The system has a Class II gas giant, a Class IV gas giant with a metal-rich moon and a lava world:

And btw, the double-stack exploit still works, so I'm coming home.

 

[Heavy Johnson]

Nice job! Did you get first tag on it?

 

[roboteconomist]

Nice job! Did you get first tag on it?

Yep!

Other than the Lemon Slice nebula, have you noticed any other hard-to-get-to nebulae?