Finding "real" stars?

[GreeceyChops]

Is there any way to find a "real" star in ED given its co-ordinates?

My son got one of these "name a star" things when he was a baby, and still proudly has the certificate on his wall, telling him that the star at a certain set of co-ordinates is now registered as "Tom's Star" in the British Library public records.

Now that he's seen the galaxy map in ED, with real places like Barnard's Star and Alpha Centauri, he wants to know if we can find his star and travel there....

So, give a set of Right Ascension / Declination Co-ordinates, is this possible?

 

[Comrade Error]

Is there any way to find a "real" star in ED given its co-ordinates?

My son got one of these "name a star" things when he was a baby, and still proudly has the certificate on his wall, telling him that the star at a certain set of co-ordinates is now registered as "Tom's Star" in the British Library public records.

Now that he's seen the galaxy map in ED, with real places like Barnard's Star and Alpha Centauri, he wants to know if we can find his star and travel there....

So, give a set of Right Ascension / Declination Co-ordinates, is this possible?

I sadly don't think so.. I don't remember exacly but there are some coordinates or names for stars in the system map I belive, you could try to find out what those names are and if you could put it in a star search engine that searches for that type of naming system. I do belive that the coordinates in the galaxy map might be accurate.

 

[TwoWheeledToad]

Is there any way to find a "real" star in ED given its co-ordinates?

My son got one of these "name a star" things when he was a baby, and still proudly has the certificate on his wall, telling him that the star at a certain set of co-ordinates is now registered as "Tom's Star" in the British Library public records.

Now that he's seen the galaxy map in ED, with real places like Barnard's Star and Alpha Centauri, he wants to know if we can find his star and travel there....

So, give a set of Right Ascension / Declination Co-ordinates, is this possible?

Hi there.

That's tough question. I doubt you'd be able to find the star using that method though. I'd imagine you'd have to be on or near Earth for that to work.

As far as I'm aware, the in-game galaxy is a accurate (as possible) simulation of our Milky Way. So the star should be in there. But...it'll probably be using its original astronomical catalogue number. So I'd try and get hold of the Star's Catalogue number (there's a few different catalogue's though) and then search for that using the in game map. Then, if you find it, get in touch with the developers and explain the situation and they might be good enough to re-name the star!

Hope this helps

 

[GreeceyChops]

I sadly don't think so.. I don't remember exacly but there are some coordinates or names for stars in the system map I belive, you could try to find out what those names are and if you could put it in a star search engine that searches for that type of naming system. I do belive that the coordinates in the galaxy map might be accurate.

That's not a bad idea... I can find the star on Google Sky, so finding named stars nearby might be an option...

 

[DanTheMan]

I have tried to find stars that have appeared in Wikipedia articles where the stars name is given, but sadly, these have never been reflected in the ED Galaxy map and the name is unknown to the ED map.

 

[GreeceyChops]

Hi there.

That's tough question. I doubt you'd be able to find the star using that method though. I'd imagine you'd have to be on or near Earth for that to work.

As far as I'm aware, the in-game galaxy is a accurate (as possible) simulation of our Milky Way. So the star should be in there. But...it'll probably be using its original astronomical catalogue number. So I'd try and get hold of the Star's Catalogue number (there's a few different catalogue's though) and then search for that using the in game map. Then, if you find it, get in touch with the developers and explain the situation and they might be good enough to re-name the star!

Hope this helps

I have the star's "original" catalogue name, but it's a great long sequence that doesn't resemble anything I've seen in ED, so presumably it's from a different catalogue.

 

[TwoWheeledToad]

I have the star's "original" catalogue name, but it's a great long sequence that doesn't resemble anything I've seen in ED, so presumably it's from a different catalogue.

Try it, Its worth a shot. It depends on which catalogue(FD) have used to designate the star. I should imagine that many stars are listed in more than one catalogue and, as such, will have more than one designation.

Keep us updated if you would, I think we'd all be interested to see how you get on I know of one instance that FD have been kind enough to rename something in-game so I really hope you find it

 

[MrWhippy]

Love the avatar DanTheMan......not seen or thought of Dan Dare for a loooong time!

 

[xXReaper4RentXx]

I truly hope you find this star. That would be a great story.

I was in the Sol system a few nights ago visiting earth. With some effort we could possibly determine the direction to travel from there for you.

Best of luck to you. Fly safe Cmdr.

 

[popuptoaster]

It is possible but you need to go and ask in the astronomy section and hope for a bit of luck, those name your own star companies are in no way official and apparently use an old US navy system of coordinates although often they are not even close to a real star location.

If you are lucky you may find someone who can convert your coordinates into a close approximation of a real stars location, it worked for me when I asked but it's pot luck if you will get the same result.

I fly under the name of a my best mate who passed away just before Elite went live and his widow got a star named for him, I have the location of it's real counterpart and it is in the game, it is so far above the galactic plane though that it is unreachable with any of the current ships or game mechanics. It has been my mission since alpha testing to be the first one there so that his name is on it in game. It will require some way to cover 60+ light year empty gaps between stars though to even get close to it's location.

 

[GreeceyChops]

It is possible but you need to go and ask in the astronomy section and hope for a bit of luck, those name your own star companies are in no way official and apparently use an old US navy system of coordinates although often they are not even close to a real star location.

If you are lucky you may find someone who can convert your coordinates into a close approximation of a real stars location, it worked for me when I asked but it's pot luck if you will get the same result.

I fly under the name of a my best mate who passed away just before Elite went live and his widow got a star named for him, I have the location of it's real counterpart and it is in the game, it is so far above the galactic plane though that it is unreachable with any of the current ships or game mechanics. It has been my mission since alpha testing to be the first one there so that his name is on it in game. It will require some way to cover 60+ light year empty gaps between stars though to even get close to it's location.

Thanks, I'll do that. I do realise that the naming is completely unofficial - it's via the "International Star Registry" who have been around for a very long time but yeah, I completely understand that it's only for the purposes of a gift and not official in any way - but it would be truly awesome to be able to find it in ED and if it could end up with the name "Tom's Star" in the game it would literally blow his 10 year old mind...

 

[goemon]

try to use simbad: http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/

it's a cross-reference catalogue for astronomical objects, which will give you different "names" for all objects; maybe your sons star has a different "name" in another catalogue - i found some objects using it.

 

[GreeceyChops]

try to use simbad: http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/

it's a cross-reference catalogue for astronomical objects, which will give you different "names" for all objects; maybe your sons star has a different "name" in another catalogue - i found some objects using it.

Interesting - I put the co-ordinates in, and you can see the star right at those co-ordinates, but it doesn't have an entry in their catalogue by any name.

Screenshot below - the 2 stars with the red boxes over them are listed - the blue/green cross marks the co-ordinates of my star, but there's no catalogue entry.

 

[Fenris Wolf]

I have the star's "original" catalogue name, but it's a great long sequence that doesn't resemble anything I've seen in ED, so presumably it's from a different catalogue.

Try this: http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/

Frontier used several catalogues for the game and the vast majority can be found in Simbad.

Very sorry to say this, but a word of caution... A lot of these "Name a star" places are not worth the paper the certificate is printed on as The Royal Astronomical Society states:

"Some commercial organizations offer to name, or 'redesignate', stars in exchange for payment. Any certificates they issue, and names they allocate, have no official status of any kind whatsoever; they are not used or recognized by astronomers, nor by any other scientists. There is no significance in the recording of such names, or `ownerships', in a book or register, even if that book is subsequently deposited in a copyright library, such as the British Library."

Link for more info here:
http://www.ras.org.uk/library/information-sheets/120--naming-of-stars

Thanks, I'll do that. I do realise that the naming is completely unofficial - it's via the "International Star Registry" who have been around for a very long time but yeah, I completely understand that it's only for the purposes of a gift and not official in any way - but it would be truly awesome to be able to find it in ED and if it could end up with the name "Tom's Star" in the game it would literally blow his 10 year old mind...

As you say yourself... "naming is completely unofficial". It won't exist in any official catalogue of stars.

 

[goemon]

Interesting - I put the co-ordinates in, and you can see the star right at those co-ordinates, but it doesn't have an entry in their catalogue by any name.

Screenshot below - the 2 stars with the red boxes over them are listed - the blue/green cross marks the co-ordinates of my star, but there's no catalogue entry.

well, this is going to be complicated

but great you have two stars for orientation!

a workaround could be:
a) get to sol system, get at least 10 - 15 k ly away from our main star
b) locate both systems one after the other via gal map (drop a pin there!), take screen shots.
c) now select other systems in the same direction (it should be below...) till you hit the right star in the skybox... you need to move the galmap in a straight line. (this would be easier with a keyboard ... if you know somebody who is playing elite on mac/pc...)

probably this will take some time. if you have any number of approx distance of that star, you could highly reduce the potential candidates.

 

[GreeceyChops]

Very sorry to say this, but a word of caution... A lot of these "Name a star" places are not worth the paper the certificate is printed on as The Royal Astronomical Society states:


Link for more info here:
http://www.ras.org.uk/library/information-sheets/120--naming-of-stars

Oh yeah, I know all that, I understand completely that in reality the whole star naming thing is a novelty gift - but that "piece of paper" means a lot to a 10 year old who's had it since he was born. He's seen "his" star on Google Sky and just wants to know if he can see it in ED, that's all.

- - - Updated - - -

well, this is going to be complicated

but great you have two stars for orientation!

a workaround could be:
a) get to sol system, get at least 10 - 15 k ly away from our main star
b) locate both systems one after the other via gal map (drop a pin there!), take screen shots.
c) now select other systems in the same direction (it should be below...) till you hit the right star in the skybox... you need to move the galmap in a straight line. (this would be easier with a keyboard ... if you know somebody who is playing elite on mac/pc...)

probably this will take some time. if you have any number of approx distance of that star, you could highly reduce the potential candidates.

Some great tips there, thanks! I'll do a bit of digging and then ask over in the Astronomy and/or Exploration sections.

 

[Fenris Wolf]

Oh yeah, I know all that, I understand completely that in reality the whole star naming thing is a novelty gift - but that "piece of paper" means a lot to a 10 year old who's had it since he was born. He's seen "his" star on Google Sky and just wants to know if he can see it in ED, that's all.

You can look for a star at (or near) the co-ordinates you have been given, there may be a star there but it won't have your son's name on it.

My suggestion...

1. Go to the co-ordinates in GoogleSky, take a note of the actual name that is given to that star.
2. Go to Simbad, type that name in to the search section.
3. Make a note of all the different catalogue names that have been given to that particular star.
4. Open Elite and go to the Galactic Map.
5. Type (or paste) in each of the different names (one at a time) and see if it shows up in the game
6. If it does, shout Tom, however...
7. If it doesn't, pick a star... any star... write down it's in game name and tell Tom it is that star.
8. Share in his excitement

Some great tips there, thanks! I'll do a bit of digging and then ask over in the Astronomy and/or Exploration sections.

I expect you'll get the same answers as most of us (explorer types) also frequent the main forum.

 

[Michael Brookes]

Did they give a catalogue name for the star? If it wasn't in the Hipparcos or Gliese catalogues then it's unlikely to be in game I'm afraid.

Edit: Simbad supports co-ordinates searches as well and is better than GoogleSky in my experience.

Michael

 

[Comrade Error]

Thanks Michael. =)

 

[GreeceyChops]

Did they give a catalogue name for the star? If it wasn't in the Hipparcos or Gliese catalogues then it's unlikely to be in game I'm afraid.

Edit: Simbad supports co-ordinates searches as well and is better than GoogleSky in my experience.

Michael

Thanks Michael - I've found the star on Simbad via a co-ordinates search (see previous posts), but it doesn't have a name, so I guess that means it's not going to be in the game.