The Great Return is a 13 week journey of six stages that will take us from Beagle Point down a broadly parallel path to the west of the route taken by the outbound Distant Worlds 2 fleet. It features a rest point at the now complete Explorer’s Anchorage, and ends at the Colonia Connection Highway (CCH) allowing CMDRs to then choose their onward route to either Colonia or the Bubble.
Meetups will be every two weeks (e.g: at Waypoints, #3, #5, #7, #9, #11 and #14) but impromptu get-togethers are always encouraged.
The official launch will be
May 19th 3005 at 19:00 UTC from from the Distant Worlds basecamp on Beagle Point body 2 A. However, CMDRs may set off at any time and are welcome to follow the route on a schedule to suit their personal priorities.
The Great Return will be undertaken in Allcrowsareblack's Private Group on PS4. All existing PSN facilities will be maintained.
CMDRs on other platforms are of course welcome to follow the route and are advised to use the FeetComm or Mobius Private Groups.
The Galactic Map Image below, all system links and notes are courtesy of
.
Stage 1: Beagle point to The Abyssinial Hidden Paradise
NOTE: Waypoint #2 may be considered an optional location as it is parallel to Waypoint #3
Golgotha Twins
Two nearly identical ringed landable High Metal Content (HMC) Worlds 33 and 32 ls from entry point. Planet 3 is High G and planet 4 is Medium G.
Waypoint suggested by CMDR Madaxo.
Abyssinial Hidden Paradise
Get your Earth-likes here! The Abyss is known as a sparse and desolate region near the far galactic rim. However, even here hidden gems can be found. The Hidden Paradise is a cluster of eight Earth-like Worlds - all in found in a string of systems less than 1KLy apart with Cliewoae NT-F d12-0 at it's heart:
PYROOE DRYIAE BC-B D1-0PYROOE DRYIAE CC-B D1-0PYROOE DRYIAE ZQ-C D0CLIEWOAE DS-H D11-0CLIEWOAE NT-F D12-0CLIEWOAE UF-L D9-0CLIEWOAE VA-L D9-0CHAU EUQ IO-Z d13-0
Basecamp: Pyrooe Dryiae BC-B d1-0 Planet 1 (Coordinates/FeatureTBC)
UPDATE (31/05/3305): Due to widely reported routing difficulties WP3 will be bypassed and the fleet encouraged to move directly to WP4 for the following date and time:
WP4 Basecamp:
System: Nyauthai SL-J d10-62 B 2 a
Location: Geological Site 13
Date: 02/06/3305
Time: 18:00-9:00 UTC
Stage 2: To Dante’s Inferno
Nyauthai Beacon
One of the brightest lights in the region, located just outside the Nyauthai Ripple. The system consists of two blue-white supergiants located almost 400k light-seconds apart. The secondary supergiant is itself orbited by a main-sequence O-class and B-class star. This system has a total of 161 solar masses and a composite luminosity equivalent of 26 million solar luminosity.
Note: The second blue-white supergiant is incorrectly defined as a regular main-sequence star, despite a size of more than 400 solar radii.
Dante’s Inferno
Dante's Inferno is a stellar Black Hole of some 7.4 solar masses nestled deeply within a field of young protostars. Until recently (in astronomical terms) it must have been quite active, creating a haze or halo of debris much like Sol's Oort Cloud around the system's fringes. This halo can be spotted from a distance tens of light years away although due to lacking a central star with enough luminosity it is not entirely clear what makes it reflect light. Orbiting the Black Hole are several celestials, including an incredibly fast spinning Jovian gas giant which is clearly ellipsoid in shape. The gas giant rotates once every 0.7 standard days.
The system is named after the ancient poem by author Dante Alighieri which covers a journey to Hell. It is alluding to the nearby galactic region of Styx, which in ancient times was referred to as the river dividing the overworld and the underworld.
Note: There are no landable planets in this system but Smootae Depot is nearby at Smootae AL-N B20-0
Basecamp:
Smootae AL-N b20-0 14 f 
Green System
Date: 16/06/3305
Time: 18:00-9:00 UTC
Stage 3: To Spectacle Rings
Seven Sages
Despite being an ordinary-enough system as far as stars are concerned (containing an A class and a K class), this system features six water worlds and an Earth-like world. Located between the Norma and Scutum-Centaurus Arms of the Galaxy, the system is around 48,400 light years from Sol, and around 27,700 light years from the Colonia region. Visitors travelling to or from Beagle Point would be well-advised to visit The Seven Sages, as it is believed to have the highest number of water worlds/Earth-likes in a single system, and moreover, the financial rewards for scanning these seven objects makes this a very valuable system indeed. In mythology, the seven sages were renowned wise men in Ancient Greece whose combined wisdom echoed down the following centuries.
Spectacle Rings
Found during the Distant Worlds 2 expedition, planets 3 and 4 of this system are nearly identical metallic rich bodies, both landable. They have a beautiful pair of matching ring systems which are almost, but not quite, touching. The view from the surface of either planet is spectacular.
Basecamp:
Myaumia ZF-W d2-30 3
Date: 30/06/3305
Time: 18:00-9:00 UTC
Stage 4: To The Majorelle Blue Gate
Aphros and Bythos Rest
These two Aquatic Worlds are distinguished from other binary AW by their extremely close position which make a beautiful view. They were found during the Perseus Survey in the Perseus Arm.
The Majorelle Blue Gate
This system was discovered during the Perseus Survey. A planetary nebula was discovered (Scheau Byoe BP-A e1323) which isn't really astonishing in this sector but in fact, the point of interest of this planetary nebula is the black hole 13Ly away which is pretty rare. Indeed the Black Hole is close enough to reveal the beautiful deep blue gradient. It creates wonderful screenshots and can be a beacon in the area for future explorations.
Note: There are no landable planets in this system.
Basecamp:
Scheau Byoe BA-A g2052 A (Normal Space at approximate barycentre)
Date: 14/07/3305
Time: 18:00-9:00 UTC
Warning: The jump 'star' is a black hole! Be sure to throttle dawn in advance of entry
Stage 5: To Explorer’s Anchorage
Viridi Aqua
Orbiting a neutron star in distant Ryker's Hope, this the is the first known glowing green water giant, and a must-see for the long-distance explorer, being roughly enroute from Sag A* to Beagle Point.
Note: Originally discovered by CMDR Taen on 30th October 3304.
Explorer’s Anchorage
This station acts as an Exploration and Scientific research hub at the very core the Milky Way, just a few light years from Sagittarius A*.
The station superstructure was constructed in January 3305 at the Omega Mining Asteroid base, with the Distant Worlds 2 starfleet making up the bulk of the workforce during the Community Goal.
Basecamp: Explorer's Anchorage
Date: 28/07/3305 (assemble and jump out from 5km outside NFZ)
Time: 18:00-9:00 UTC
Warning: Stuemeae FG-Y d7561 is a binary star system. Commanders visiting the system should be aware that its possible to exit hyperspace in dangerous proximity to one of the stars.
Stage 6: To The Clockwork Rings
Ring of Fire
The second gas-giant in orbit of this MS-class giant has a high axial tilt. As such, it appears be a glowing, baleful eye when viewed head on. A tourist beacon has been set up here for travelers.
Life on the Edge
This unusual system features a 40 stellar-mass black hole with a T, L and M class in orbit. Each orbiting star has planets in orbit that are candidates for terraforming. The L class has a terraforming candidate water world and the M class has an Earth-like world.
Clockwork Rings
Twin ringed planets with high metal content orbit each other less than 1 light second away. Each planet's rings are perpendicular to the other, allowing for fascinating views. While both planets are land able, the 1.5 gravity planet is preferable over the other because of its higher 2.3 gravity.
Basecamp: Byaa Ain QA-J c11-144
Planet 4 GeoSite 1 (only site on planet)
Gravity:
1.48
Seal Beachhead on site!
Date: Sunday 08/09/3305
Time: 18:00-19:00 UTC
On reaching Clockwork Rings participants will have the choice of then following the CCH to either the Bubble or the nearby systems of Colonia. Alternatively the Neutron Superhighway can be readily accessed from this point along the CCH for anyone in more of a hurry.
Journey Well CMDRs o7
