The Galactic Mapping Project & Historical Archive of Exploration

Region Redesign

Hi folks,

since there are some exploratory rumblings going on at the moment in the Orion Molecular Complex I'd like to announce one of several mini projects for the Mapping Team. As the Orion area is crowded already with POI we will redesign the region and provide a comprehensive 'Blog style' overview here in which we will compile all necessary information for navigating and enjoying the area. This information will include:

- Introductory description and appr. size of the area
- Nebulae & Clusters by common name, NGC, Messier and/or other catalogue denomination
- List of prominent stars and/or stellar features
- List of Jumponium Depots
- List of permit-locked areas
- Links to major or dedicated expeditions (if applicable)
- Dedicated Imgur album with pictures

If this rolls out fine, we will do it for other hand-placed and procedural regions as well. Like I mentioned, we will begin with the Orion Complex, one of the youngest and most active areas of star formation in the galactic neighbourhood.

Fly safe!
 
Hi folks,

since there are some exploratory rumblings going on at the moment in the Orion Molecular Complex I'd like to announce one of several mini projects for the Mapping Team. As the Orion area is crowded already with POI we will redesign the region and provide a comprehensive 'Blog style' overview here in which we will compile all necessary information for navigating and enjoying the area.

[up]

Do you still want submissions of data for that area?
 
[up]

Do you still want submissions of data for that area?

Yes please :). As well as descriptions and images for any other POI you find to be needing more "spunk". In situations where several people are contributing to the same POI we will edit the various submissions a bit in order to brew it all together to a nice whole.
 
Last edited:
[up]Do you still want submissions of data for that area?

Yes please. We have information on all nebulae, OB associations and clusters around. However, information about catalogue systems from HD and HIP would be welcome, IF they contained black holes and neutron stars. Also, carbon stars and especially large giant stars would be welcome.

If someone has a Jumponium Depot around Col 69 and/or close to Barny's Loop that would be awesome as well.
 
Update requested:

Name: Gamma Velorum (Regor)
Type: Stellar Feature
GalMap Ref: Gamma Velorum

Description (add to end): "This system and the surrounding region are inaccessible to travelers as of Jan 3303. Jump drives refuse to operate in a minimum of 40 Ly in all directions."
 
Name: Baker's Dozen
Type: Planetary Features
GalMap Ref: HIP 38064

Note: This should remove/replace the 'Desolation Crater' entry, as according to that entry, the surface feature no longer exists in-game; and it misses the key feature(s) of this system.

Description: "This system features an unusually large 13 stellar objects with rings, including an M-class star, a class L-dwarf and two Y-class dwarfs. The O-class primary star lights up the rings with vivid blue and purple colors.

The nearest two planets are in inside the star's corona, and in close proximity to each other, causing spectacular views. Planet 2 contains a tourist beacon with information on the original discovery of this area. Commanders should take great care when landing on planet 2; high gravity is present, and proximity to the star may cause overheating."

fnTaVvqh.png
 
Last edited:
Name: HD 49368
Type: Stellar Feature
GalMap Ref: HD 49368

Description: "HD 49368 is a carbon star, a cool giant with a vivid red hue. The innermost two planets can be landed on and have rings."

H90zF6lh.png
 
Posting this here for reference :

Star Anise

VWdny6d.jpg



The 'Sunflower' head.

[Real life; Star Anise, an evergreen tree native to Vietnam and China].
Chinese 八角
Literal meaning "eight horns"

vuvLpun.jpg


- thanks go to Zenith for the Star Anise / Sunflower reference.
 
Last edited:
Name: HD 49368
Type: Stellar Feature
GalMap Ref: HD 49368

Thanks for the submission. However, the star is already catalogued but was temporarily withheld and reviewed due to a forthcoming expedition and its inclusion in the itinerary. Sorry for the confusion or irritation this might have caused.
 
Thanks for the submission. However, the star is already catalogued but was temporarily withheld and reviewed due to a forthcoming expedition and its inclusion in the itinerary. Sorry for the confusion or irritation this might have caused.

Eh, it happens. The important part is making a good catalog.
 
After realizing how many objects there are with "blue" in the name, I've updated the suggested name for the POI at HIP 38064.

Yes, blue is the new orange in the Explorers Community. I even made a joke about it:

The Lapislazuli Nebula

Also, HD 38064 is taken already as reference for the Collinder 140 Cluster. I will merge your description with that one.
 
Last edited:
Can not find on POI list, submitting this entry;

Name: Hubble's Variable Nebula
Type: Nebula
GalMap Ref: R Monocerotis

Description: "Hubble's Variable Nebula (also known as NGC 2261) is a small nebula located approx. 3000 light-years from Sol, in the Orio-Persean Gap. The nebula is named after Edwin Hubble, a famous 20th century astronomer, who is also credited with discovery of the Nebula. The nebula's host star, R Monocerotis, is an unremarkable body of stellar type A3 V".

vosj7Y8l.png


(Photography note: Nearest star to the system is 10.9 Ly away, which makes good photos hard to obtain).
 
Okay folks,

Time for some updates. We are also currently reviewing several older entries and several of you have requested updates in POI descriptions so here we go:

Added:
- Lambda Orionis Cluster
- NGC 2232 Open Cluster
- Collinder 121 Open Cluster
- Collinder 140 Open Cluster
- Pi Puppis Cluster (NGC 2451a)
- Looking Glass Nebula
- Lonely Lantern Nebula
- Braeburn Nebula
- Eminentem Sidus
- Cojiro's Egg
- RY Draconis
- Mairon
- Tayanita Nebula
- Star Anise
- Hubble's Variable Nebula

Updates:
- Description of Spirograph Nebula
- Added Descriptions to multiple Orion Complex objects
- Incorporated description of HIP 38064 into Cluster POI

Pending Trilateration:
- Aphrodite's temple (no ref system)

Removed:
- HIP 38064 Desolation Crater

... to be continued
 
Last edited:
The Orion Molecular Complex

EHhTq22.png


The Orion Molecular Cloud is a vast complex of nebulae, dark clouds and stellar associations that spans literally hundreds of light years. It is nearly ellipsoid in shape and lies below the galactic plane. For the most part the OMC is an area rich in molecules in the interstellar medium, which is a prerequisite for the formation of stars. There are also areas however, that are characterized as H II regions, areas where the heavy radiation from nearby stars split molecules into their atomic components, hence preventing star formation. This is the main reason why the OMC does not take a coherent shape but rather seems to be a patchwork of nebulae and darker regions.


In early technological astronomy these objects were thought to be independent of each other but with ever more advanced methods of surveying (especially in X-ray and infrared) it became evident that the OMC is a coherent entity and in fact one of the most active regions of star formation near Sol. The nebulae within it are merely the 'hot spots' where massive young stars illuminate the surrounding medium and thus create the beautiful shapes we see today. The darker regions scattered about are areas of very densely packed interstellar medium where active star formation is taking place. These are the cradles of protostars and in fact they already abound with T Tauri type stars.


The most prominent deep sky objects in the OMC are:

  • Orion Nebula (M 42, M 43)
  • Running Man Nebula (NGC 1973/6/7)
  • Flame Nebula (NGC 2024)
  • Barnard's Loop
  • Horsehead Nebula (IC 434, Barnard 33)
  • Lambda Orionis Cluster (Col 69)
  • Orion OB1 Association (External Link)
  • Witch Head Nebula (IC 2118)*

[IMGUR]6yeh5[/IMGUR]

The OMC is not only a place of stellar birth but of stellar death as well. In fact, the whole region is thought to be the result of multiple supernova shockwaves. There are many star systems bearing stellar corpses within them, namely black holes and neutron stars; on several occasions even multiple of these can be found in a single star system.


Prominent stars of the OMC are:

  • Betelgeuse (M-type Red Giant), runaway star ejected from Orion OB1
  • Rigel (B-type Binary)
  • Orion's Belt: Mintaka, Alnitak, Alnilam (ingame: Epsilon Orionis)
  • Sigma Orionis (O-type)
  • HIP 24709 (B-type Giant, 2 Black Holes)
  • EZ Orionis (G-type Supergiant)
  • Lam01 Orionis (O-type, Black Hole), Lambda Orionis Cluster
  • HD 37397 (Black Hole, stunning views!)
  • HD 38563 North/South/C (2 B-type systems, 1 A-type Supergiant)

The OMC is also part of the Orion-Eridanus Superbubble, an expanding area of superheated gas approximately 1,200 light years across, which was formed by various overlapping supernova remnants from exploding stars of the Orion OB Asscociation. (More on the OES)


(*) According to some scientists, the Witch Head Nebula may not be a member of the OMC in itself but rather an illuminated filament on the fringe of the Orion-Eridanus Superbubble. As such, it has been included here nevertheless


The OMC also contains various regions of space that are permit-locked and thus cannot be accessed by current FTL drive technology. These regions are:

  • Horsehead Dark Region Sector
  • Col 70 Sector

As these sectors are very much central to the whole area, navigating around them can be a bit of a pain. Route plotting in advance is recommended.
 
Last edited:
Awesome work, Andrew.

I think there are a few other sectors in or near the complex that are currently permit locked:

Barnard's Loop Sector
Col 121 Sector
M41 Sector
NGC 2264 Sector
Col 97 Sector
 
Back
Top Bottom