Nice try ... it's coming, practice practice practice and it'll click.
The Circumnavigation of Mercury
- Thread starter Andrew Linton
- Start date
Thanks, I think it's like when your first learn to drive and you turn the steering wheel way too far. With time you sense how little movement is needed. I have had some successes, including a crazy Ivan that took me from pointing West to East in one smooth manoeuvre.
(0,120)
Ten degrees from two-thirds distance.
My first long distance drive, far from being a circumnavigation, was from the North Pole of Colonia 2 A down to Colonia Hub. The distance was 1,320km and I think it took almost as long as this trip so far. By contrast I've covered about 8,000km on Mercury. In those days I hadn't learned to fly so much and I drove over every fractal in the terrain.
Concocted a story out of it as I went along, which also slowed me down: Survival Instinct
Ten degrees from two-thirds distance.
My first long distance drive, far from being a circumnavigation, was from the North Pole of Colonia 2 A down to Colonia Hub. The distance was 1,320km and I think it took almost as long as this trip so far. By contrast I've covered about 8,000km on Mercury. In those days I hadn't learned to fly so much and I drove over every fractal in the terrain.
Concocted a story out of it as I went along, which also slowed me down: Survival Instinct
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(0,122)
Nine degrees today; 383km.
There's a much better view of the Milky Way at this location, so I've added a clearer view of the galactic plane and the ecliptic plane which shows the tilt of the solar system with respect to the galaxy. The line of the ecliptic is an extrapolation of the track I observed Earth to take over the last three days or so.
Nine degrees today; 383km.
There's a much better view of the Milky Way at this location, so I've added a clearer view of the galactic plane and the ecliptic plane which shows the tilt of the solar system with respect to the galaxy. The line of the ecliptic is an extrapolation of the track I observed Earth to take over the last three days or so.
(0,123)
You know I've been looking for constellations close to the eastern horizon that help reorient me after a spin? Well I found a really big one today containing a couple of billion stars: The Milky Way meets the horizon at pretty much a heading of 090.
You know I've been looking for constellations close to the eastern horizon that help reorient me after a spin? Well I found a really big one today containing a couple of billion stars: The Milky Way meets the horizon at pretty much a heading of 090.
Mercury welcomes careful drivers
Travelling East with a lot of momentum, I'm suddenly facing West. This manoeuvre brought me back to facing East, but it nearly always ends in the same way.
LOL, I'm not sure of the benefits of vertical thrust while inverted.
Travelling East with a lot of momentum, I'm suddenly facing West. This manoeuvre brought me back to facing East, but it nearly always ends in the same way.
LOL, I'm not sure of the benefits of vertical thrust while inverted.
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(0,125)
(0,128)
Two degrees to two-thirds distance.
Two degrees to two-thirds distance.
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One degree, or 42.6km to two-thirds distance.
One degree, or 42.6km to two-thirds distance.
(0,130)!!!
240 degrees travelled: I'm beginning to believe.
240 degrees travelled: I'm beginning to believe.
Testing the altitude ceiling of sentry skimmers and stingers. They're very polite; they always give way.
Taking a nap.
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Situation Report: Condition Taupe.
Situation Report: Condition Taupe.
(0,133)
I did a quick calculation on the back of a performance enhancer pack; I think I need to look out for Neptune and Venus rising just North of East when I reach longitude 146. They were both about 50 degrees below the horizon when I was at about longitude 96. I'm currently en route to (0,134), so maybe by Wednesday they'll appear.
I'm wrong - it's not unusual - Venus and Neptune have already risen. I didn't take account of Mercury's rotation in the previous calculation. I was at (0,96) three and a half days ago, since when Mercury has spun through about 21 degrees. Add to that the 38 degrees I've travelled to the East and that brings Venus and Neptune into view.
Great! Something else to monitor while driving.
The V of Venus points down to the planet in this image and Neptune is at the tip of the arrow.
Great! Something else to monitor while driving.
The V of Venus points down to the planet in this image and Neptune is at the tip of the arrow.
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