Travelling to the Pleiades

A Travellers Guide to the Pleiades
As reference for myself and for all who want to see the sights of the pleiades without much fuss.

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The Pleiades, an adventurous place full of mysteries. See the black hole at Maia, explore space in the strange nebulas. Investigate crashed alien vessels, help to unveil the mysteries of the alien structures and visit Professor Ishmael Palin. Be right there when an alien species and mankind clash.

In astronomy, the Pleiades, or Seven Sisters, are an open star cluster containing middle-aged, hot B-type stars located in the constellation of Taurus. It is among the nearest star clusters to Earth and is the cluster most obvious to the naked eye in the night sky.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleiades

This guide was written before the Thargoid Invasion started, so you won't find description of recent developments in here. For those who want to know wher to buy the newest tech for Thargoid research and combat: You will find it all in the planetary base of MEROPE: (+)Alcazar's Hope (3.003ls)
and if you also want the "shutdown field neutraliser" you'll have to visit one of the planetary military bases, for exampel: 49 Arietis: (+)Landis Hub (460ls) - 177,73 ly from Merope.

History
In October 3301 the research on Unknown Artefacts gained solid results and the first starport in the Pleiades was commissioned by a community effort in the Kaushpoos Community Goal event.
https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5630ab919657baae43c8185d


First official statements about the Unknown Artefacts pointing to the Merope star in the Pleiades rise up. An article was published on 29th October 3301 by Cmdr Lord Zoltan that mentioned Merope in context with UA's, Canon Interstellar Research Group and Professor Ishmael Palin.
https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5631fca59657bad642c8185c


The construction of the starport now known as Obsidian Orbital was finished at 18th Nov 3301.
https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/564c4f9d9657ba475c1da88e


Shortly after completition of Obsidian Orbital, on 21st December 3301, Prof. Palin started an appeal for the construction of his own research laboratory on Maia B1BA.
https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/56783ca29657ba9552349a82


Prof. Palin was strongly supported and after only three days his appeal was completed. https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/567962289657ba8f13349a83


After a period of extensive searching for alien life in the Pleiades the first Barnacle Site was discoverd by Cmdr Snax and Cmdr Octo at MEROPE 5 C -026.3496°/ -156.4044°.
https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/40y4s9 Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/40y4s9/foudn_the_barcnacles_yeahhhh/



Following the independent discovery Prof. Palin released an official announcement:
https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/568f9d899657bad51fb1b422


To make a long story short, after the discovery of the first Barnacle Site in the passing years Federation and Empire raced over superiority over the Pleiades and the new found Meta Alloys.

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The Federal Faction is called „Pleiades Resource Enterprise“ (PRE) and the Imperial Faction is called „Merope Expeditionary Fleet“ (MEF) and the Alliance Faction is „Cooper Research Associates“ (CRA). Also there are some Independent factions detailed at the end of this.

In mid 3305 the Meta Alloy sources in the Pleiades start to get depleted.

Soon Thargoids start a massive attack in the Pleiades focusing on Palins Research Center.

In an Interstellar Initiative Palins rescue ship could be defended. The Proffessor was brought to safety into the system of Arque.


Also back then the Pleiades Nebula was red and green...
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Travel Advisory
Be prepared for Thargoid interdiction. Have a wake-scanner and a xeno-scanner in case you are witness of alien-interdiction to scan the Thargoid and his wake. If you are not here to fight, stay calm, don't move, don't shoot, just watch. If the Thargoid comes to you to scan you, this is the time you can deploy your Xeno-Scanner and scan it back. However be calm and don't stay closer the 500m for longer then necessary. The Thargoid will lose interest and go away.

Don't forget your fuel-scoop and in case of emergency alert the fuel rats. On your way to the pleiades you are crossing about 150ly of unpopulated space.

The Pleiades have suffered from frequent conflicts between Federals and Imperials in the past and there still is a fair amount of piracy. Be ready and alarmed for hostile encouters.

There are several planetary Thargoid Crash-Sites, Barnacle Sites and Thargoid Structures. To experience those sites you are adviced to equip an SRV-vehicle. You can outfit an SRV-bay at most high-tech stations inside the Pleiades, so you won't need to take it from the bubble. Gathering of alien artefacts is at your own risk. Corrosive and damaging materials have been reported.


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Getting there
* For small and medium ships there is a supply line of outposts for refuel and service. See this link:
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showt...itary-logistic-stations-from-Merope-to-Bubble

* Big ships have to cross about 145ly from the rim of the populated bubble to the first starport in the Pleiades.
Arietis Sector is a good stepping stone for this venture. It has some interesting extraction and refinery systems with good mining opportunities. Following system is situated on a kind of galactic cross-roads and it is well suited as truck stop or base-camp for excursions to the Pleiades, the California Nebula and also to the Sothis region.
For all space-bound vessels there is an opportunity to dock in:
HIP 9452: +Ore Terminal (3.273 ls from entry).​
It is an independent high security system with extraction and industry facilities and a shipyard under the rule of the „Hip 9453 Union“ communists. The system has a population of 8,4 million people and is at a distance of 200 ly from Sol. The system has mostly only donation missions (yet). If you want to do some missions you have opportunities nearby.​

It is "only" a 145 LY travel from HIP 9452 to HIP 16813: +Sisters' Refuge (3.554 ls) where you have a full servied space-port with shipyard.

From there it's just 51 LY more to PLEIADES SECTOR IR-W d1-55: +The Oracle.
.. Merope, ... Maia, ...

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Shipyards and Systems of the Pleiades
The port closest to the bubble, and therefore a popular station for all travellers that come to the pleiades first time, is located in HIP 16813. It has a beautyful Asteroid Port with a shipyard. It is home to the "Order of the Seven Bells" a theocratical faction of mystics who seem to believe the pleiades hold some transcendent truths that must be praised and cherished. The cult seems to be welcoming enough to strangers and the service of the station is exemplary, therefore I don't refrain to recommend the "Sister's Refuge" as first class port.
Pleiades Doorstep: HIP 16813: +Sisters' Refuge (3.554 ls)

Since Merope seems to be the very center of all activities in the Pleiades, with the Thargoid Sensors (formerly known as Unknown Artefacts) pointing there from any point in space and Merope being the center of the shell of ThargoidStructures (formerly known as Unknown Structures) and the center of the sphere of Thargoid Cyclops Ships activities - it is pretty save to assume that Merop IS the center point. Therefore the following EDDB Link gives:
all systems with stations around a radius of 200LY from Merope:
https://eddb.io/system?u=1&z=3&r=21120

With this extensive list away, I'll continue with the most important ports in the pleiades, beginning with systems that contain ports with shipyards and then sorted after allegiance:

+ : space station with big landing pads
(+) : planetary facility with big landing pads
- : outposts with small and medium landing pads

SHIPYARDS

ALLIANCE PORTS
HIP 19072-Cooper Research Center (1.488 ls)Orbital(M); Service; Cooper Research Associates; 25k population; medium security
Pleiades Sector IH-V c2-5-PRE Logistics Support Gamma (843ls)Military Outpost(M) with Bulk Cargo Megaship in system; Military; Cooper Research Assoicates; 25k; medium security

FEDERAL PORTS
HIP 17692+Blackmount Orbital (1.990ls)Asteroid Base with blackmarket & Prison Megaship in system; Extraction; Pleiades Resource Enterpirse; 900k populuation; medium security
HIP 17692(+)Blackmount Habitation (169ls)Planetary Outpost with SHIPYARD; High Tech; Pleiades Resource Enterprise
HIP 17694+Hudson Observatory (1.313ls)Ocellus Starport with blackmarket; High Tech & Refinery; Pleiades Resource Enterprise; 800k population; medium security
Pleiades Sector IH-V c2-16(+)TII Research Facility (96.500ls)Planetary Outpost; Military; Pleiades Resource Enterprise; 20k population; high security
Pleiades Sector IH-V c2-16(+)PRE Laboratory (96.499ls)Planetary Port with minimal service; Military; Pleiades Resource Enterprise; 20k population; high security

IMPERIAL PORTS
HR 1185+The Indra (367ls)Megaship with full service, blackmarket but no shipyard; High Tech; Merope Expeditionary Fleet; 75k population; medium security
HR 1185(+)Ceres Tarn (367ls)Planetary Outpost with SHIPYARD; Extraction & Industrial; Merope Expeditionary Fleet;

INDEPENDENT PORTS
MEROPE+Reed's Rest (4.052ls)Orbis Starport with blackmarket; High Tech; Sirius Mining Merope; 850k population; medium security
MEROPE(+)Alcazar's Hope (3.003ls)Planetary Outpost with SHIPYARD, sells XENO Tech; Industrial; Sirius Mining Merope;
MAIA+Obsidian Orbital (635ls)Ocellus Starport with blackmarket, system has Prof Palins Engineer Base; High Tech; The Ant Hill Mob; 75k population; Anarchy
Pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55+The Oracle (3.096ls)Orbis Starport with blackmarket, close to Thargoid Structure on 5A (-36/-143); High Tech; Aegis Research; 200k population; medium security
PLEIONE+Stargazer (1.072ls)Asteroid Base with blackmarket and Information Broker; Service; Atlas Research Group; 5k population; low security
ELECTRA+Cavalieri (925ls)Coriolis Starport with shipyard; Industrial, Aegis Research; 1,3mio population; medium security

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About the Thargoids
Barnacle Sites:
First Discovery:Merope | Planet 5C | Coordinates = -28,77/-114,01
Barnacle Forest: Hyades Sector AQ-Y d81 | Planet C 2 | Coordinates = 9,29 / -153,98

https://canonn.science/codex/large-barnacles/

Thargoid Crash Sites:
  • Pleiades Sector AB-W B2-4 | Planet 9A | Coordinates = -26,37 /97,70(NO Unknown Artefacts can be found here!)
  • HIP 17862 | Planet 6C A | Coordinates = 30,32 / -98,58 (Unknown Artefacts can be found here)
  • HIP 17403 | Planet A 4 A | Coordinates = -34,98 / -141,41 (Unknown Artefacts can be found here)
  • HIP 17125 | Planet A 3 A | Coordinates = -65,82 / 48,87 (Thargoid Scout)

https://canonn.science/codex/the-unknown-crashed-ships/

Thargoid Structures:
The most central Thargoid Structure in the Pleiades is next to the Coriolis Station "The Oracle" originally controlled by I.P.S.A.L, now taken over by Aegis:
large landing pads, full High Tech Station Service. No shipyard.​
Right here you can start to investigate the alien structures at plantet 5A (-36/-143).​
For more information visit the Canonn at theire page here:​

- Map to the Thargoid Structures (by Canonn)
https://map.canonn.technology/ts/


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Neighbouring Regions
* Taurus Dark Region (~110ly from Merope):
a dark nebula with no stars inside​


* Hind Nebula (~230ly from Merope):
a stunning beautyful red nebula with an asteroid mining station, a must have stop on the way to California Nebula! It also has a tourist beacon.
Twin G-Stars, 3 landable planets, 2x pristine metal rich + rocky rings
T TAURI: +Hind Mine (1.622ls) (T. Mining Ventrue) (EXT) has blackmarket​

* NGC 1514 (~488ly from Merope):
Wiki
- there is one star in the nebula. It is BD+30 623. There is a tourist beacon​


* California Nebula (~580ly from Merope):
This is orange-red nebula, looking a bit like a burning flame. It is famous for it's exo-botanical life. Cmdr DNA-Dcay has filed detail reports here: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/324272-The-Alliance-and-the-California-Nebula
Alliance has some outposts in this Nebual. The first stop in front of the nebula is:​
HIP 18077: 6C (+)Mahon Research Base (1.280ls) (Turner Research Group) (High Tech)​
This base is planetary and features full service. It has an active blackmarket but there is no shipyard.​
Spacebound ships without planetary suite can dock here:​
CALIFORNIA SECTOR BV-Y C7: +Darwin Research Facility (8.33ls) (Turner Researc Group) (Service)​
This is an asteroid base it has full service, but no outfitting, no shipyard and no blackmarket available. Next to Turners Research Group, there are two other factions present: "Deep Space" and "Far Flung".​


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More to see
* Prof Palin (MAIA: A3A)
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/366284-Palin-Mission-from-Obsidian-Orbital

* Black Hole at MAIA (B)

* Capital Ships
HR 1185 – Capital Ship Majestic: INV Achenar (Empire)
Merope – Capital Ship Farragut: FNS Hawke (Federation)
Pleione – Capital Ship Majestic: INV Hall's Memory (Empire)
Pleiades Sector IH-V C2-16 - Capital Ship Farragut: FNS Leviathan (Federation)

* Asteroid Bases:
PLEIONE: +Stargazer (1.072ls)
HIP 17692: +Blackmount Orbital (1.990ls)
HIP 16813: +Sisters' Refuge (3.554ls)

* Installations:
PLEIONE (4): Squirrel's Nest Bar (275ls)
ELECTRA (4): Communication Hub Zeta 12 (925ls) Black Flight Guards
CELAENO (1): Relay Station PSJ-17 (46ls) Black Flight Guards


* The Gnosis - The Canonn Megaship has two stops near the Pleiades at it's flight plan. The Gnosis did stop at Hyades Sector AQ-Y d81 (Barnacle Forest) and at HIP 18778 at the outer rim of the Pleiades region, featuring a Thargoid Structure.

* Landable Mega Ship:
HR 1185: +The Indra (large landing pad, hightech economy, commodities, missions, blackmarket, passangers, outfitting, repair, restock, refuel)
Also nearby landable planet A4 has high gravity of 4,21 G - this is a warning!

* Static Megaships:
HIP 17225: A2 (Aquarius Class Tanker ALF-895)
HIP 17125: A3 (Survey Vessel Victoria's Song)
HIP 17692: A3 (Alcatraz Class Prison Ship JJF-048)

* Listening Posts in: MAIA, PLEIADES SECTOR IH-V C2-16, HIP 19072, HIP 17225



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Factions of the Pleiades
Alliance (CRA) : HIP 19072, Pleiades Sector IH-V C2-5
Federation (PRE) : HIP 17694; HIP 17692; PLEIADES SECTOR IH-V C2-16
Empire (MEF) : HR 1185

Independents:
Aegis Research: Pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55
Atlas Research Group : PLEIONE
Order of the Seven Bells : HIP 16813
Sirius Mining Merope : MEROPE
The Ant Hill Mob : MAIA

Present Factions:

Aegis Research(independent-cooperative)Pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55, Electra
Atlas Logistics Service(independent-corporate)Pleione
Atlas Research Group(independent-corporate)Merope, Pleione
Cooper Research Associates(alliance-democracy)Maia, Pleiades Sector IH-V C2-5, HIP 19072, Pleione, HR 1185
Hagglebeards's Heroes(independent-cooperative)Maia
I.P.S.A.L Project(independent-corporate)Pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55
Janus Incorporated(independent-corporate)Pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55
Merope Expeditonary Fleet(empire-patronage)Maia, Merope, HIP 17692, HIP 17694, HR 1185, PLEIADES SECTOR IH-V C2-16
Nebula Goat Appreciation Society(independent-democracy)Maia
Nerid's Devils(independent-anarchy)HIP 17225
Order of the Seven Bells(independent-theocracy)HIP 16813
Pleiades Resource Enterprise(federation-corporate)Maia, Merope, HIP 17692, HIP 17694, PLEIADES SECTOR IH-V C2-16, HIP 17225, Pleiades Sector IH-V C2-5, Pleione
Rational Logistics(independent-corporate)Pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55
Ryder Revolutionary Party(independent-communism)Maia
Sirius Mining Merope(independent-corporate)Merope
Stargazer Pioneer Corps(independent-democracy)Pleione
The Ant Hill Mob(independent-anarchy)Maia, Merope, Pleiades Sector IH-V C2-5, Pleione, PLEIADES SECTOR IH-V C2-16, HIP 19072, HIP 17225
The Pioneers Cooperative(independent-cooperative)Maia
Ursa Mercenaries(independent-anarchy)Pleiades Sector IH-V C2-5

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If you're heading out that way, I recommend paying a visit to the Witch Head Nebula. It's a rather nice site to see.
Here's a post-card:

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Think its worth putting in large bold type font that there is no shipyard out in this place despite quite a lot of stations. Caught me right out that did today when I got out there in my woeful anaconda fitted for range and nothing else. Really wanted to call out my icourier but no facility to do so. :(
 
Think its worth putting in large bold type font that there is no shipyard out in this place despite quite a lot of stations. Caught me right out that did today when I got out there in my woeful anaconda fitted for range and nothing else. Really wanted to call out my icourier but no facility to do so. :(

There is one in Alcazar's Hope, right across the street (in Merope). I still have a Clipper gathering dust there (its the closest shipyard to get to Palin).
 

Deleted member 38366

D
Things that might be useful for this listing :

Known locations of Volcanism in Maia
MAIA B 1 A A, Lat: 31.54 Long: 80.79
MAIA A 2 A, Lat: 10.95 Long: 168.93

On the Construction of Obsidian Orbital, remember : The Great Betrayal of Kaushpoos
(instead of constructing a High Security safe haven for Explorers as advertised and described by the original CGs, it was found to be constructed to the control of an at-that-time-unknown Anarchy Group, making it yet-another redundant Smuggling heaven instead and eventually a Ganker's paradise - tens of throusands of CMDRs were betrayed over the series of 5 consecutive CGs lasting well over a full month in that dirty backroom deal, easily making Maia one of the most hated and despised Systems in the entire Galaxy at that time)
 
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Think its worth putting in large bold type font that there is no shipyard out in this place despite quite a lot of stations. Caught me right out that did today when I got out there in my woeful anaconda fitted for range and nothing else. Really wanted to call out my icourier but no facility to do so. :(

I was surprised to see the Pleiades have become a quite busy place since my last visit months ago. There are lots of staions and lots of services. You can have various mission types short range within the pleiades or long range - and:

THERE ARE SEVERAL SHIPYARDS : )

HIP 16813 +Sisters' Refuge (3.554ls)
HIP 17692 (+)Blackmount Habitation (169ls)
MEROPE (+)Alcazar's Hope (3.004ls)

+ : space station with big landing pads
(+) : planetary facility with big landing pads
 
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@ Alec Turner: thanks for adding!

The Traveller's Guide has been updated with more stations, more info on surrounding sights and nebulas, some more recent information and pretty pictures. Everyone feel free to add intersting things in or around the pleiades!

Cheers.
 
Pity that the latest patch removed that blue tinting from the pleiades... It was it's best look since release. I know that the pleiades isn't really a nebula and the blueish color of the region is only from the high concentration of blue/white stars, but still...
 
There is one in Alcazar's Hope, right across the street (in Merope). I still have a Clipper gathering dust there (its the closest shipyard to get to Palin).

Alcazar's Hope is a planet based station that is very handy because it is Hi-Tech ... it has all the new weaponry, when created, for the Thargoid war
 
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