The Exploration Discussion Thread!

[tafkabb]

I'm exploring in my Vulture; properly this time. No speed travelling. My ultimate destination is the Bubble nebula, via the Monkey Head nebula which, with a 20ly jump, will take some careful routing. I'm having fun. ANYWAY, I was supposed to be heading towards Witch Head but got sidetracked, as usual, and have just scanned an undiscovered neutron star just 971ly from Sol.
I'm more proud of that than anything else I've found so far

 

[OZYMANDlUS]

I'm exploring in my Vulture; properly this time. No speed travelling. My ultimate destination is the Bubble nebula, via the Monkey Head nebula which, with a 20ly jump, will take some careful routing. I'm having fun. ANYWAY, I was supposed to be heading towards Witch Head but got sidetracked, as usual, and have just scanned an undiscovered neutron star just 971ly from Sol.
I'm more proud of that than anything else I've found so far

I STILL haven't crossed the last Gap to the core. All the pretty sparklies keep distracting me.

-Ozy

 

[OZYMANDlUS]

Kissing Cousins.

2 is company
View attachment 77401

3 is a crowd
View attachment 77402

-Ozy

 

[bloody ady]

Hi everyone!
I'm well into my first exploration now. On the way to Sag-A. Have found some ELWs and even a system with a white star and 3 black holes in it fairly close to the bubble.
Hope you're all doing well out there. If anyone should need help, I have some fuel transfer gear. Just call the Fuel Rats

Her's my first amonia gas giant:


Here my first water world:
View attachment 77468

First black hole:

I have a picture of my first ELW on my mobile cause for some reason my party chat, DVR and screenshot function went awol at the time.. At such a crucial moment too...

I had the worst dream tonight:
I'm on my way back from Sag-A with whatever is above terabytes of explo data and I decide to go out of SC to take a screenshot of a gorgeouse gas giant with a huge ring around it. I line up for the picture AND HERE COMES A VULTURE THAT OPENS UP ON ME! I run like hel. While boosting and trying to get out of the asteroid belt I target the threat and it says "Thargoid Vulture"! You know how those artefacts scan our ships and then send a morse code corresponding to our ships? It made sense. He chases me and gets my hull down to 50%. I say NOOOOOO! and then I blow up..

It was HORRIBLE! TERROR I SAY!

Fly safe commanders and don't forget to hail the Empire

 

[TwoWheeledToad]

Hi everyone!
I'm well into my first exploration now. On the way to Sag-A. Have found some ELWs and even a system with a white star and 3 black holes in it fairly close to the bubble.
Hope you're all doing well out there. If anyone should need help, I have some fuel transfer gear. Just call the Fuel Rats

Her's my first amonia gas giant:
View attachment 77466

Here my first water world:
View attachment 77468

First black hole:
View attachment 77470
I have a picture of my first ELW on my mobile cause for some reason my party chat, DVR and screenshot function went awol at the time.. At such a crucial moment too...

I had the worst dream tonight:
I'm on my way back from Sag-A with whatever is above terabytes of explo data and I decide to go out of SC to take a screenshot of a gorgeouse gas giant with a huge ring around it. I line up for the picture AND HERE COMES A VULTURE THAT OPENS UP ON ME! I run like hel. While boosting and trying to get out of the asteroid belt I target the threat and it says "Thargoid Vulture"! You know how those artefacts scan our ships and then send a morse code corresponding to our ships? It made sense. He chases me and gets my hull down to 50%. I say NOOOOOO! and then I blow up..

It was HORRIBLE! TERROR I SAY!

Fly safe commanders and don't forget to hail the Empire

Hehe! Worst nightmare ever!

I think taking some fuel limpets on a exploration trip is a great idea. I went to the core about a month or so ago and took some with me just incase a fellow Explorer got into trouble. I reckon that if all us explorers did this (if the size of the ship allowed it) and put a few posts up on here then it could provide a great safety net should one of us find ourselves on the pointy end of a Brown Dwarf field!

I wish you all the best on your trip, may the Neutron Stars be kind to your canopy!

And have some rep for being a nice, fuel limpet carrying sort of Cmdr too

 

[bloody ady]

Hehe! Worst nightmare ever!

I think taking some fuel limpets on a exploration trip is a great idea. I went to the core about a month or so ago and took some with me just incase a fellow Explorer got into trouble. I reckon that if all us explorers did this (if the size of the ship allowed it) and put a few posts up on here then it could provide a great safety net should one of us find ourselves on the pointy end of a Brown Dwarf field!

I wish you all the best on your trip, may the Neutron Stars be kind to your canopy!

And have some rep for being a nice, fuel limpet carrying sort of Cmdr too

Thank you for your kindness
As you say it's great taking fuel transfer gear with. We have to look out for one another out there. I've also signed up with the Fuel Rats for the duration of the trip so that if something does happen to someone out there I'll be first to know thanks to their great dispatch.

There is enough room for the gear in an ASP. It came with the cost of not having shields and having nightmares about Thargoid Vultures though

Fly safe Commanders

 

[!STiTCH!]

Made it safely to the core, made the Great Annihilator stop on the way. I must say, my initial encounters with black holes was a bit underwhelming, the great annihilator changed that, and the core is pretty stunning.

I'm at 96% hull capacity, and plan to continue towards the outer edge of the galaxy. But first I'm kinda stuck to Dying Light at the moment so I hope I don't get a parking ticket at sag a, I might be a while.

 

[OZYMANDlUS]

I finally crossed the last Gap to the core. I may be taking my time, but I am making headway. 12K Ly left to Sag A. I guess i will just keep my current pace; then race back. I still want to make it back before xmas.

 

[blmcquig]

Hello Everyone!
I am nearing Sag A* from above after a pretty long and winding journey. I loved reading this thread as all the explorers seem to be very friendly and well mannered.
I've got a DBX that has been treating me fairly well so far. I started my first exploration trip in my cobra by visiting the coal sack nebula, then upon return purchased "ol' yeller" (I'm sure lots of people have named their DBX this due to the paint color and nature of the ship. she really does feel like a trusty old friend).
Unfortunately last night, while my girlfriend was over to watch doctor who, I was finishing up a leg to a class B to park for the night. I ran across a Neutron star without having been prepared for it. Canopy got its first small crack. I'm a bit annoyed by this as I'm probably 3/4 of the way to Sag A* at this point, and had been doing really well about being careful. But alas, now my canopy has its first mark, my field repair unit is now out of ammo, and my hull is at something like 87%. (at least all my modules except cargo hatch are above 95% for the moment)
I would still like to visit the great annihilator before getting to the main attraction, so I must remain vigilant.
I'm really enjoying the exploration life. The trip is taking me much longer than I thought it would. I think I will end up at about 3 months total by time I return. I've been gone about 5 weeks so far, zig-zagging around on my way. I only get about an hour every other night to play as well, and that doesn't help me progress much faster.
Anyway, it's nice to meet all of you!
Fly safe!!!

 

[tafkabb]

Hello Everyone!
I am nearing Sag A* from above after a pretty long and winding journey. I loved reading this thread as all the explorers seem to be very friendly and well mannered.
I've got a DBX that has been treating me fairly well so far. I started my first exploration trip in my cobra by visiting the coal sack nebula, then upon return purchased "ol' yeller" (I'm sure lots of people have named their DBX this due to the paint color and nature of the ship. she really does feel like a trusty old friend).
Unfortunately last night, while my girlfriend was over to watch doctor who, I was finishing up a leg to a class B to park for the night. I ran across a Neutron star without having been prepared for it. Canopy got its first small crack. I'm a bit annoyed by this as I'm probably 3/4 of the way to Sag A* at this point, and had been doing really well about being careful. But alas, now my canopy has its first mark, my field repair unit is now out of ammo, and my hull is at something like 87%. (at least all my modules except cargo hatch are above 95% for the moment)
I would still like to visit the great annihilator before getting to the main attraction, so I must remain vigilant.
I'm really enjoying the exploration life. The trip is taking me much longer than I thought it would. I think I will end up at about 3 months total by time I return. I've been gone about 5 weeks so far, zig-zagging around on my way. I only get about an hour every other night to play as well, and that doesn't help me progress much faster.
Anyway, it's nice to meet all of you!
Fly safe!!!

Don't worry, I know of someone who made it back with 35% hull. That must have been hairy.
It's amazing how far away Coalsack seems the first time you go out, yet when you're a returning seasoned explorer hitting the Coalsack feels like you're nearly home..!
I was going to say welcome to the madhouse, commander! but leaving the madhouse is why we explore

 

[OZYMANDlUS]

The voices say I'm not alone. They say the void is life. Further I travel into my madness. LoL. I wish all well in their journeys beyond the known and into the void.

Fly Safe & God Speed, CMDRs

-Ozy

 

[bloody ady]

Hey Ozy! I see you're quite close to the core. What way are you taking back? Are you going back? I was thinking we could meet up somewhere on the way as I'm heading towards the core and take a photo together ^_^

You know, a photograph they used to call it in ancient days. Got my hands on one of those cameras for half a mil creds

 

[OZYMANDlUS]

Hey Ozy! I see you're quite close to the core. What way are you taking back? Are you going back? I was thinking we could meet up somewhere on the way as I'm heading towards the core and take a photo together ^_^

You know, a photograph they used to call it in ancient days. Got my hands on one of those cameras for half a mil creds

You will probably catch me on the way, lol. Im taking the high road there. Once I get there, i am taking a direct route to Great Annihilator. Then I am going to sprint back.

-Ozy

 

[TwoWheeledToad]

I'm still avidly reading this thread even though I've not been out exploring for awhile now. I'm really getting the itch to get back out there now, but I'm determined to wait till the new ships get here as my next big trip out has just got to be in a Cutter

Maybe I should dust off my old DBE and just go and visit a few local sights, or maybe even take my heroic Sag A veteran Clipper out? That hasn't seen space since I got back. I think I'm ridiculously emotionally attached to that particular ship though, I'd be gutted if I somehow lost her to a stupid accident or to those suicidal cop ships that keep ramming into you whilst scanning outside the stations!

DBE it is then...

 

[tafkabb]

I'm still avidly reading this thread even though I've not been out exploring for awhile now. I'm really getting the itch to get back out there now, but I'm determined to wait till the new ships get here as my next big trip out has just got to be in a Cutter

Maybe I should dust off my old DBE and just go and visit a few local sights, or maybe even take my heroic Sag A veteran Clipper out? That hasn't seen space since I got back. I think I'm ridiculously emotionally attached to that particular ship though, I'd be gutted if I somehow lost her to a stupid accident or to those suicidal cop ships that keep ramming into you whilst scanning outside the stations!

DBE it is then...

I'm definitely going to the Bubble nebula this trip. I've got to see what that looks like close up.
I'm having a bit of trouble getting to the Jellyfish nebula at the moment though - with a 20LY lump range I've had to go right over the top of Barnard's Loop because I couldn't plot directly to it.
This is my most interesting trip so far, probably because of that. I'm scanning basically everyting except moons under 50,000LS

 

[Chi Drifter]

I'm making my second trip back to sag A.I did it back in August but that was before the achievement points were brought out.
I last did it in a 19ly asp with no heat sink or afmu and an a3 scoop lol and at the time I didn't realize I could use the dashboard to find my next jump target so I was having to look around my cockpit window to find my next target(massive NOOB) .
This time I have everything I need and 30ly jump-).
P.s it took me 7mins to refuel with an A3,now it's 20 seconds ish-).

 

[TwoWheeledToad]

I'm definitely going to the Bubble nebula this trip. I've got to see what that looks like close up.
I'm having a bit of trouble getting to the Jellyfish nebula at the moment though - with a 20LY lump range I've had to go right over the top of Barnard's Loop because I couldn't plot directly to it.
This is my most interesting trip so far, probably because of that. I'm scanning basically everyting except moons under 50,000LS

The Bubble Nebula is definitely on my sightseeing list, especially as I've not been out far in that direction. I think I did the Cave Nebula as a small test run back in GPP.

Just had a look at the Jellyfish, didn't realise it was quite the 'high' above the plain. Those stars look pretty thin up there and that far out towards the rim, especially with a 20ly jump I've got a ship fitted for refuelling just incase!

Just looking at the map now, I'm thinking maybe I could head for the Elephants Trunk then head South Westerly down towards the Bubble Nebula. From there hop over to the Heart and Soul Nebulae. There seems to be a bright patch (zoom out) if you head straight back to Human space from there, looks like a area of large stars or Neutron's to take a look at

Should be back in time for the 1.5 ships if I leave soon too

 

[Jeroboam]

Returned back from SagA earlier today. I managed to earn just shy of 70 million so happy enough. It's amazing just how small the Bubble feels now, compared to when I first left some 7 weeks ago. Already thinking about another trip. Just not in a Type-6 this time

 

[Chi Drifter]

Congrats m8,that took some dedication-).

 

[TwoWheeledToad]

Returned back from SagA earlier today. I managed to earn just shy of 70 million so happy enough. It's amazing just how small the Bubble feels now, compared to when I first left some 7 weeks ago. Already thinking about another trip. Just not in a Type-6 this time

http://s6.postimg.org/z7815y8mp/image.jpg

Well done, Sir!

I can highly recommend taking a Clipper out on your next trip if your not too fussed about huge jump range. I did Sag A in mine and loved it! That Class 7 Fuel Scoop is awesome!