90 Day Journey

So this is it. My outward leg is now officially ended. I have actually turned the nose back towards my home systems. I have now been out in the black for a total of 90 days, although I will admit there have been rest periods where I have not been actively piloting my ship.

My systems scanned has passed 3500 on this trip, and I estimate that I have cleared some 55k+ light years. My faithful Clipper is still performing flawlessly having taken just 5% hull damage so far, and all modules are running at 100%. Considering where I insist on taking her, and the close calls we have had, I'd say I'm doing pretty well.

Landing right between a pair of O class stars, well I must admit it was quite exciting. I had to repair a few modules following that encounter. I still have ample charges in my field maintenance units to take care of further mishaps.

And in close orbit around that third (B Class) star was this ringed beauty, there was only one thing to do.

I am currently 35,000 light years from Achenar. 11,000 light years from Sagittarius A*, flying across the base of the Sagittarius arm. This is my highway home, although I must admit the next arm out is calling me, maybe in a few thousand light years I will skip over.

Right now, the view from 1000Ly above the galactic plane is pretty damn breathtaking.

Disappointingly it looks like my automated cleaning systems have definitely packed up. I am sure my Clipper did not have so many smudges on the bridge as she does now.

I know...

Rikk, Signing Off.

External View while Jumping

I've been mulling over trying this for a few days, and decided what the hell, space cowboys don't act with caution.

So I boldly took the decision to enter hyperspace while having zero control of my ship and instead using the drone camera to record my progress.

The results, were jaw dropping. We just don't see all the eddies of space itself when it is happening around us, but a still shot, breathtaking.

I had the cams set to be more responsive, so don't have one of my super high resolution shots, but here is a higher res version if anyone wishes to use it for their computer desktop image.

Coming soon, a post about one of the nebula over the other side of the core.

Rikk, signing out.

Rings, Can't Keep Out of Them

Readers of these logs may have realised that I am somewhat a fan of ringed bodies, specifically going and playing in the asteroids. Not always a wise choice when I'm so far from home but an enjoyable one none the less.

And the views can be delightful at times.

Hot metal rich planets with metallic rings look particularly menacing

Cold metallic rings even more so

Finally, a Class III gas giant with a rather special backdrop. I have been heading roughly towards this nebula since I passed the little purple bubble some time ago. I like the contrast of green and red and am hoping to find something interesting inside that will make the most of those stunning colours.

I am now over 34k light years from Achenar. The supplies are holding out nicely, my hull is still at 95% with all critical systems at 100%.

I have started hearing things with witchspace. I think I should head back, there are rumblings of trouble across the galaxy.

Rikk, Signing Out.

Earth-Like Grail

It was another Commander who, some months ago, reported back findings of an Earth like world with rings. Even before I fell into the trap of exploration I knew I wanted to see one, maybe even find one for myself.

I was three thousand, one hundred and eighty six systems into my voyage when my usual check of the system map yielded something.

Having had a couple of false starts with ringed water worlds it was with a combination of trepidation and excitement that I closed in on this little world. Hardly daring look down to the left of my screen as the scan completed, the polite ding from the ships computer was accompanied by those three divine words.

Earth-Like World

I was already moving closer to get a good look and I won't lie I was slightly disheartened to see it was a narrow ring a long way out. Still a beauty none the less, and clearly visible through the ring is the gas giant which shares the orbit.

For me, however, the real fun lies down there in the dust and rocks. This is why I was hoping for a metallic or icy ring because they just look better. Still, it's a view not many will have seen.

I particularly like how I was able to get the Magellan cloud into the frame, offsets then galactic plane well. I stuck around this tropical world for a while just taking in the view, but I had to move on.

So I bid this world goodbye and headed out. to see what else the journey held.

Surprisingly enough, for me, it was more earth-like worlds! Just a quick shot as I enter hyperspace from the last of five further terrestrial worlds in only a couple of hundred light years. Also, I never realised just how pretty hyperspace is when you are transitioning from normal space.

So that's it from me today. I am currently plotting a course back to civilisation, and hope to be home within a month.

Rikk, Signing out.

The Little Purple Nebula

I entered the miniature nebula which was centred on a single neutron star, and while the star itself was hardly visible, it was surrounded by a calming lilac hue which I am sure would soothe even an angry thargoid.

That said, it has the effect of making he mighty Imperial Clipper looks quite harmless.

Within the nebula there was also a barren rocky planet which had to be worth a look. The light from the neutron star has subsided somewhat in the 4k Ls the planet was from the star, and to my suprise this world had high metal content and an atmosphere.

Overall this little nebula was a very lucky find in the depths of space. I have since seen another one from my cockpit but alas I could not pinpoint it's location on the map.

Just a single jump away was this nursery for M class stars, with quite a violent mass ejection going on. I took the opportunity to look back at the nebula just 18ly behind me. By the next jump it was not visible at all in the night sky.

I am now at a loose end. I travelled some 850ly further out than I was planning to look at this little nebula, and it's nice to start getting away from the core again. I certainly will not be heading straight back to civilisation now.

Rikk, signing out.