[Mission Success] The Pilgrim's Path

Andrew Gaspurr · Nov 15, 2015

My fellow adventurers,

on November 14th, 3301 AD the AGS Intrepid finally called port at Irkutsk Capitol in the Alliance system of Alioth. After having been out in the Orion Spur and Perseus Arm for five and a half months the first session in the station was spent in the "Dubai Lounge & Bar". The second was spent waiting patiently in a queue at the StelCart Exploration Data ATM.

The Pilgrim's Path Mission was declared a success, its prime mission statement of traversing the Orion Spur Shallows well beyond NGC 3199 was fulfilled. Along the way, many known and previously unknown stellar phenomena could be visited and explored in various degrees. These were (in order of visitation date):

- HIP 63835 (The 'Explorer's Graveyard')
- The Coalsack Dark Nebula
- Open Cluster NGC 3532
- Open Cluster NGC 3114
- Open Cluster Collinder (Col) 240
- Open Cluster NGC 3590
- The Statue of Liberty Nebula (NGC 3576)
- Open Cluster Collinder (Col) 228
- Open Cluster NGC 3324 & the Eta Carinae Solar System
- Open Cluster NGC 3293
- The Eta Carina Nebula (NGC 3372)
- Open Clusters Trumpler (Tr) 14 & 16
- The Seven Sapphires Cluster (Smojo Sector)
- NGC 3199 Wolf-Rayet Nebula
- Traversing the Far Orion Spur Shallows
- The Vela Ultima Molecular Complex (Hyuedau/Preou Thua Sectors)
- The Hyon Cluster (Hyuedau Sector)
- The Gloomgown Association (Phreia Phoe/Gludgou Sectors)
- The Skull and Crossbones Nebula (NGC 2467)
- Open Clusters Haffner (Haf) 18 & 19
- The Hyperion Cluster (Hypio Phoea Sector)
- Open Cluster NGC 2384
- Open Cluster NGC 2367
- Open Cluster NGC 2374
- Thor's Helmet (NGC 2359)
- Open Cluster Collinder (Col) 132
- VY Canis Maioris Solar System
- Vela Dark Region

Some statistics:
Departure date: May 30th, 3301 AD
Return date: November 14th, 3301 AD
Hull Status on return: 67%
Systems visited: 2,917
Distance travelled: ~73,000 LY
Rank achievement: Pioneer
Highest payout: 480,011 Credits
Coffee consumed: 6.48 Metric Tons

You can see the entire 'round trip' with its most prominent deep sky objects here (~1MB):

I still have tons of screenshots and text notes to compile. I will update my Blog in the near future with more entries and details.

Until the Sea calls me again, I'll be mining a bit...

As always, fly safe!
Andrew

- - - Updated - - -

CMDR AKIRA MASAKARI · Nov 29, 2015

Andrew Gaspurr said:
My fellow adventurers,

on November 14th, 3301 AD the AGS Intrepid finally called port at Irkutsk Capitol in the Alliance system of Alioth. After having been out in the Orion Spur and Perseus Arm for five and a half months the first session in the station was spent in the "Dubai Lounge & Bar". The second was spent waiting patiently in a queue at the StelCart Exploration Data ATM.

The Pilgrim's Path Mission was declared a success, its prime mission statement of traversing the Orion Spur Shallows well beyond NGC 3199 was fulfilled. Along the way, many known and previously unknown stellar phenomena could be visited and explored in various degrees. These were (in order of visitation date):

- HIP 63835 (The 'Explorer's Graveyard')
- The Coalsack Dark Nebula
- Open Cluster NGC 3532
- Open Cluster NGC 3114
- Open Cluster Collinder (Col) 240
- Open Cluster NGC 3590
- The Statue of Liberty Nebula (NGC 3576)
- Open Cluster Collinder (Col) 228
- Open Cluster NGC 3324 & the Eta Carinae Solar System
- Open Cluster NGC 3293
- The Eta Carina Nebula (NGC 3372)
- Open Clusters Trumpler (Tr) 14 & 16
- The Seven Sapphires Cluster (Smojo Sector)
- NGC 3199 Wolf-Rayet Nebula
- Traversing the Far Orion Spur Shallows
- The Vela Ultima Molecular Complex (Hyuedau/Preou Thua Sectors)
- The Hyon Cluster (Hyuedau Sector)
- The Gloomgown Association (Phreia Phoe/Gludgou Sectors)
- The Skull and Crossbones Nebula (NGC 2467)
- Open Clusters Haffner (Haf) 18 & 19
- The Hyperion Cluster (Hypio Phoea Sector)
- Open Cluster NGC 2384
- Open Cluster NGC 2367
- Open Cluster NGC 2374
- Thor's Helmet (NGC 2359)
- Open Cluster Collinder (Col) 132
- VY Canis Maioris Solar System
- Vela Dark Region

Some statistics:
Departure date: May 30th, 3301 AD
Return date: November 14th, 3301 AD
Hull Status on return: 67%
Systems visited: 2,917
Distance travelled: ~73,000 LY
Rank achievement: Pioneer
Highest payout: 480,011 Credits
Coffee consumed: 6.48 Metric Tons

You can see the entire 'round trip' with its most prominent deep sky objects here (~1MB):

View attachment 76139

I still have tons of screenshots and text notes to compile. I will update my Blog in the near future with more entries and details.

Until the Sea calls me again, I'll be mining a bit...

As always, fly safe!
Andrew

- - - Updated - - -

That's a good expedition. I followed your posts in the gal map thread, but putting all together is amazing. That is the demonstration that you don't need to go to the other side of the galaxy to do proper exploration, and thinking how many CMDRs passed in that area before you, but didn't notice/care to report the things you have found, makes me think that those that say only tuorism is left are completly wrong.

I came back too and preparing my report, stealing maps from Erimus and such to gather materials. Will be posted "soon".

-VR- pipestein · Nov 29, 2015

Welcome Back, Impressive trip. I would rep you but It won't let me right now so have some virtual rep.

Erimus Kamzel · Nov 29, 2015

+1

Welcome back, and thanks for all the fantastic data you provided for the mapping project. The Pilgrim's Path will live on through the maps and hopefully inspire explorers in years to come to visit some of those locations you explored.

Eisen · Nov 29, 2015

+1
Thank you for your summary and for the many interesting entries into the Galactic-Mapping Project. And - if I may say - I am and have been very impressed by your knowledge of the english-language and creativity in naming all the interesting places you found.
Seems that many explorers are returning to the "bubble" now - maybe we can meet someplace before the distant worlds expedition and raise a glass or two on our achievements.

Zeeman · Nov 29, 2015

That looks like quite a cool trip - thanks for the report, CMDR!

Z...

Andrew Gaspurr · Nov 29, 2015

Thank you all.

As a side note: Before my ingame exploration career I was what you might call a 'book and binoculars' hobby astronomer. Or maybe even call it stargazer. Throughout all my trips I started reading so much about astronomy it made my mind spin at times. Where people start discussing whether such games can also have an educational effect on the gaming community I would clearly state my 'yes'. I read so many articles about star formation, what dust clouds and molecular complexes are, about H II regions, Wolf-Rayets and what they are, about what current theories abound about neutron stars and black holes. It really was an eye-opener for what supposedly lies out there, of what is real beyond our doorstep. And it's also for the phantastic culture of sharing questions, knowledge, pictures, blogs and just 'stuff' in our often 'FD neglects us' part of the forums.

If you were looking for proof that dedicated people can make a game 'live', look no further.

Thank you.

Godspeed. As always, fly safe!
Andrew

Erimus Kamzel · Nov 29, 2015

Andrew Gaspurr said:
Thank you all.

As a side note: Before my ingame exploration career I was what you might call a 'book and binoculars' hobby astronomer. Or maybe even call it stargazer. Throughout all my trips I started reading so much about astronomy it made my mind spin at times. Where people start discussing whether such games can also have an educational effect on the gaming community I would clearly state my 'yes'. I read so many articles about star formation, what dust clouds and molecular complexes are, about H II regions, Wolf-Rayets and what they are, about what current theories abound about neutron stars and black holes. It really was an eye-opener for what supposedly lies out there, of what is real beyond our doorstep. And it's also for the phantastic culture of sharing questions, knowledge, pictures, blogs and just 'stuff' in our often 'FD neglects us' part of the forums.

If you were looking for proof that dedicated people can make a game 'live', look no further.

Thank you.

Godspeed. As always, fly safe!
Andrew

Your detailed additions to the maps have set the standard I think. They've been excellent. If you get the urge to go on another Pilgrim's Path expedition we'd be honoured to have you as part of the Distant Worlds expedition in January. One of the side goals for some of us is to mark out a kind of galactic highway across the galaxy and record data for the mapping project, just as you did throughout the lower 3rd Quadrant.

No problem if you have other plans though, its something to think about.

Andrew Gaspurr · Nov 29, 2015

Erimus said:
No problem if you have other plans though, its something to think about.

I'd really like to and have already considered this, but as an expert on myself after five months out there, I know I need to settle for some shorter trips for things around the corner. That's what the Long Arm Expedition is for. I'd like to explore some of the Dark Regions and I'd also like to chart some of the more dense T Tauri fields. Then, there's Barny's Loop et al., a place I have not been to.

So there's plenty to do but always with the option of returning should fancy take me.

Andrew Gaspurr · Dec 1, 2015

Haha, I just stumbled over some notes I took prior to using Captain's Log. Kind of funny I even managed to get out that far without it.
I originally wanted to write things periodically in a spreadsheet and am still amazed that an app now does it for me.

Thanks again, Genar Hofoen

Enjoy! Or not

Mikey2305 · Dec 10, 2015

excellent thanks for sharing this... have been looking for a well signposted exploration adventure of doable proportions... rep sir