Busy re-integrating with the forum following catastrophic communications failure.
The last two weeks has been a bit of a knightmare. Sag A* lay 6kly's behind me, and suddenly my comms link was severed.At first it was a minor irritant, but it did require a substantial ammount of time each day finding, testing and implementing the correct PEBCAC protocols until the link was finally restored..In the meantime,
i've drifted a further 16kly's southish, picking up the odd WW or AW, crossing into Temple a few days back and making my way towards my first waypoint .
I gradually became aware of a nebula some 5 or 600ly's below the galactic plane, a diversion to which would not take me far off my projected course towards waypoint 2 a further 7kly's beyond.
I'm not sure how nebula naming works in ED, but for me i could only think to dub it The Rose,due not only to it's delicate hue but also it's form as it appeared to me.
The closer i got the more it seemed to be acting as a beacon and the more hopeful i became that some form of life lay as yet undiscovered within.So it was slightly disturbing to run across the tracks of another commander 90 lys out. In the old days, before carriers, i might have welcomed the sight of another commander whom happenstance had placed in my path, but now my feeligs are more mixed, judging any appearance as indication of possible carrier presence , so i skirted the nebula without investigating further, holding my breath with eyes on stalks as i crept past and tiptoed away.
Next time i visit i may well do so in an exploration carrier of my own, for it is a pretty sight, as i'm sure you will agree.