Oh dear, levitation; it's time to cool the GPU.
The Circumnavigation of Mercury
- Thread starter Andrew Linton
- Start date
This, possibly, is Earth seen from Mercury.
(0,87)
Earth in sight. I'll soon be hoping for a giant eagle to scoop up the SRV and take me home.
Earth in sight. I'll soon be hoping for a giant eagle to scoop up the SRV and take me home.
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(0,89)
Another huge impact crater took a long time to negotiate - no skimming over the rocks, just picking your way boulder by boulder across a surface that seems, suddenly, to be very slippy.
Another huge impact crater took a long time to negotiate - no skimming over the rocks, just picking your way boulder by boulder across a surface that seems, suddenly, to be very slippy.
(0,90)
That's 200 degrees covered making a journey over 8,500km so far; 6,800km still to go.
That's 200 degrees covered making a journey over 8,500km so far; 6,800km still to go.
Yes, that's Earth right enough at an altitude of 5.5 degrees. I'll keep an eye on it to see if it does move across the sky, however slowly.
I can't tell whether Earth has moved in the five hours fifty minutes as I travelled 4 degrees to the East and Mercury itself rotated 1.5 degrees eastwards. Maybe it's too soon to see it.
Nine degrees travelled today, which is 383km. Two of them were absolute pigs to drive.
Still at (0,91), I can convince myself that Earth has moved within that quadrilateral of distant stars. In the 9 hours since the last observation, Mercury has rotated on its axis by 2.3 degrees [ (9/24)*(360/58.6) ]. That's why Earth's altitude has risen to a shade under 10 degrees. My sextant is not the most accurate and the methodology is dubious, but I'm happy to say the Earth moved for me.
(0,92), Earth altitude: 11.3
(0,93), Earth altitude: 12.4
(0,94), Earth altitude: 14.2 degrees.
Now I want to find the other Sol system bodies. Venus is to the North and Mars to the North-West, according to the orrery view.
Now I want to find the other Sol system bodies. Venus is to the North and Mars to the North-West, according to the orrery view.
(0,95)
Another impact crater central peak in the offing. A little off course, but I plan to take a sight of Earth from near the summit.
Another impact crater central peak in the offing. A little off course, but I plan to take a sight of Earth from near the summit.
This peak looks a little more challenging that Mons Lintonis. I'm calling it L2.
The summit of L2 is at (0.19,95.39). The altitude of Earth at this location and time was 16.0 degrees.
(0,96) Earth altitude: 17 degrees.
Still climbing out the impact crater I've been in, so I was lucky to get a sighting of Earth at this location.
Still climbing out the impact crater I've been in, so I was lucky to get a sighting of Earth at this location.
I made a quick scan of the sky using the ship's sysmap. None of the other major planets are currently visible. However, there's a good chance of seeing Venus and Neptune in about 50 degrees time and Jupiter after another 68 degrees of eastward travel.
(0,97) Earth altitude: 18.2
This sequence of images shows the orbit of Earth relative to the fixed stars. This orbit defines the ecliptic plane.
And in this image I've tried to show the tilt of the ecliptic relative to the galactic plane. To illustrate this, I've transferred the galactic plane to coincide with Earth.
And in this image I've tried to show the tilt of the ecliptic relative to the galactic plane. To illustrate this, I've transferred the galactic plane to coincide with Earth.
(0,98) Earth altitude: 19 degrees
I need some Performance Enhancers by now, or at the very least, a banana.
I need some Performance Enhancers by now, or at the very least, a banana.