Constellations and Asterisms Community Project

[drkaii]

We are in a unique situation that we have new asterisms (i.e. patterns of stars within constellations) to name - something unprecedented in 2,000 years of history. We now have access to countless systems with their own constellations and asterisms that are as of yet unnamed. Thus we all have a chance to name our own constellations.

This is unofficial, like the Galactic Mapping Community Project by the legendary Erimus. I hope it grows and we all get a chance to name our own constellations in our favourite systems.

Surely while hanging out in a particular system you've started to notice patterns in the sky. If you're like me, you get quite familiar with them.

So let's claim and name them.

Here are my proposed rules:

• Systems have to be named systems in the bubble OR systems with stations. It can't be a blank system.

• Asterisms from two systems within 10ly of eachother need to be carefully checked to avoid asterisms of the same group of stars in a slightly different pattern. If they are, only the first qualifies and the second gets the same name. Asterisms that are visible from two separate systems with good recognisability are called Universal Asterisms.
• Once you define and name an asterism, no one can name any that use any of the same stars. First come first serve
• No vulgar or offensive names, even if it's blatantly a swastika etc.
• You have to post a small screenshot with the asterism taking up most of the picture (crop it) and with the dots connected how you envision them. Preferably put the name in the picture at the bottom in any alpha-numeric font but Comic Sans This would make it easier to transfer to some website or database if it grows.

And some advice:

• Create a naming convention, like greek gods or anime characters
• Try to not be too silly, it is only funny the first time and then we will be stuck with the "banana hammock" forever...
• Name at least one after yourself
• Try not to take too many systems for yourself, especially good ones. We already suffer from this problem with "firsts" in discovery...
• Try and get the constellations in your "home" system done, at the very least. You know them better than anyone!

Are we in agreement? Sheesh, this may turn into nothing, so I'm not getting my hopes up and will not regret the 10 minutes I spent on this optimistic post!

I'm actually feeling sick and getting sicker and sicker as I type this, so I am going to leave the ones I was going to do for now and try and get them done tomorrow. Got some goodies!

May the solar winds be at your back commanders o7

CMDR Dr. Kaii

 

[Alex Brentnall]

Inventive new ideas like this make me keep coming back to this forum. I'm a bit swamped with stuff to do at the moment but best of luck this sounds like a bundle of fun for some explorers

 

[drkaii]

Thanks! I love this stuff too. This game is a universe and universes are...FILLED with stuff. Here's just some more stuff recognising and making use of that stuff

Here's my first constellation - the one that actually inspired me to make this:



I don't have any particular attachment to Uszaa other than I've been hanging round there working on Alliance rep. I couldn't help but keep seeing this large, fancy "e" in the sky and I realised we need to start naming these


Here are some more:

The settlers at Uszaa originally stuck to a strong ethical code which put personal moral excellence at the fore. The three pillars of character were Empathy (represented by the letter "e"), Love (represented by a heart) and Integrity (represented by a solid trapezium shape). When mixed with the Messenger of Ambition (a tall tower or a penguin or a fighter jet), they could lead to the final Goal: True Moral Power (a scythe, that can also be a cane, which an old man with much wisdom would use). While this sect of ethics was prevailent, it never took on full orthodoxy, with most people being secular while still recognising the benefits of some of the ideas. Nonetheless, five constellations were quickly identified and taught to be recognisable to everyone to remind them whenever they saw them to never stop working on the 3 Pillars and the Messenger and Goal.

Two other popula constellations are Orion's Tribute and The Saw (a.k.a. The Big Chopper) which were codified in order to give the original settlers a reminder of home: Sol.

Lastly, there is a constellation that was named only recently in order to boost the tourist industry to see the Uszaian Tree Grubs which depicts a Grub on a blossom.