Over 25 hours in super cruise! Most will know that you cant directly select some Planetary nebula (Exploded starts) and I don't know why this is, especially when the Helix nebula has a known White dwarf.
So I guessed (and hopped) it was a challenge from FD and not just laziness/oversight (or maybe not added yet for later game play area) and if it was possible to get inside and map a planetary nebula's star, I could then head out for a few of the other unplotables (Cats eye).
Before setting out on this mission, which knew would be long, I ran a test for about 8 hours, to get an idea of fuel needed, time it would take, at what distance from my chosen origin star the nebula would be and if the nebula would change in size as I got closer to where I guessed it would be.
- I worked out that the nebula would be about 4.29 to 6.75 light years from CSI-21-22270's main star, taking a direct route (Keeping the nebula in front of me and just travailing at full speed,2001c).
-That I would need 32 to 40 tons of fuel with all none essential modules off
-and need around 20 hours play time (a lot would be done while asleep
)
I set off with over 128t of fuel (never know what may happen), 32 cargo space and headed to CSI-21-22270 late in the night (11pm ihs). Once I got there, I plotted a jump to Helix Sector JH-c2-0, too give me a rough marker of distance, guessing that the helix was about half the distance away (10.64/2=5.32). I then seeded up to 2001c and feeling safe i when to bed.
I know the image speed say 229C, just happened to be when i took it.
When I woke, i wasn't expecting anything new as I had already traveled this distance in a test (think it was around 2.5Ly). So seeing all was as planned i went to work.
When I got back, I was hoping to see the helix nebula looking a little bigger as I was getting close to my lower guess of distance to it, so I took screen shots and checked an overlay... No change, this was puzzling and a little worrying, but left the computer to keep running, hoping another nights sleep would reveal something new.
The next day, did a screen shot check, not change in size! So I dropped to local space to see if that changed anything and nope. Next I logged out and back in and still no change. Was wondering if I get to the nebula, would it still be the same size as it was at the start (That would have been funny to see). so continued travailing in super cruise went to work again and, knowing I would go past my estimated distance, so the nebula may end up behind me.
Got back from work, Still no change!!! Felt so let down by FD, putting a temptation like that out there for explorers and it was just epic trolling Still, I gave it one more nights travel, to be sure I would have past it location for sure and if it was still in front of me, then I would know there is no interstellar space (only point to point space) and I could never visit such objects
Final Results:
7.54 LY from CSI-21-22270 travelling in a direct visual light to Helix nebula.
-Not change in Nebula size
-No change in location (Expected nebula to be behind me)
- CSI-21-22270 still listed as my current location even though 'Helix Sector JH-V C2-0' (3.82ly away) and 'Helix Sector PD-S B4-1'(4.40Ly away) are closer to me. Giving me the impression that there is no interstellar space in game.
-No new astronomical bodies found with many 'Honks' across the journey.
So if your thinking of doing the same, there doesn't seem to be any point at this time.
So I guessed (and hopped) it was a challenge from FD and not just laziness/oversight (or maybe not added yet for later game play area) and if it was possible to get inside and map a planetary nebula's star, I could then head out for a few of the other unplotables (Cats eye).
Before setting out on this mission, which knew would be long, I ran a test for about 8 hours, to get an idea of fuel needed, time it would take, at what distance from my chosen origin star the nebula would be and if the nebula would change in size as I got closer to where I guessed it would be.
- I worked out that the nebula would be about 4.29 to 6.75 light years from CSI-21-22270's main star, taking a direct route (Keeping the nebula in front of me and just travailing at full speed,2001c).
-That I would need 32 to 40 tons of fuel with all none essential modules off
-and need around 20 hours play time (a lot would be done while asleep
)I set off with over 128t of fuel (never know what may happen), 32 cargo space and headed to CSI-21-22270 late in the night (11pm ihs). Once I got there, I plotted a jump to Helix Sector JH-c2-0, too give me a rough marker of distance, guessing that the helix was about half the distance away (10.64/2=5.32). I then seeded up to 2001c and feeling safe i when to bed.
I know the image speed say 229C, just happened to be when i took it.
When I woke, i wasn't expecting anything new as I had already traveled this distance in a test (think it was around 2.5Ly). So seeing all was as planned i went to work.
When I got back, I was hoping to see the helix nebula looking a little bigger as I was getting close to my lower guess of distance to it, so I took screen shots and checked an overlay... No change, this was puzzling and a little worrying, but left the computer to keep running, hoping another nights sleep would reveal something new.
The next day, did a screen shot check, not change in size! So I dropped to local space to see if that changed anything and nope. Next I logged out and back in and still no change. Was wondering if I get to the nebula, would it still be the same size as it was at the start (That would have been funny to see). so continued travailing in super cruise went to work again and, knowing I would go past my estimated distance, so the nebula may end up behind me.
Got back from work, Still no change!!! Felt so let down by FD, putting a temptation like that out there for explorers and it was just epic trolling
Still, I gave it one more nights travel, to be sure I would have past it location for sure and if it was still in front of me, then I would know there is no interstellar space (only point to point space) and I could never visit such objects Final Results:
7.54 LY from CSI-21-22270 travelling in a direct visual light to Helix nebula.
-Not change in Nebula size
-No change in location (Expected nebula to be behind me)
- CSI-21-22270 still listed as my current location even though 'Helix Sector JH-V C2-0' (3.82ly away) and 'Helix Sector PD-S B4-1'(4.40Ly away) are closer to me. Giving me the impression that there is no interstellar space in game.
-No new astronomical bodies found with many 'Honks' across the journey.
So if your thinking of doing the same, there doesn't seem to be any point at this time.
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