Destination: Sea of Ujjaru

[Mad-Hatter]

Time for another voyage I think.
I’m leaving my home location in the Yibolak Cloud near to the Etarc Hub in the upper Alpha Quadrant of Euclid to visit the outer rim of the Euclid galaxy.

By using the Galactic map, I zipped straight out (well hopefully straight) from the area of the Etarc hub using the galactic map. Once I’d located the outer ‘haze’ of the edge of the galaxy, I hunted until I found a star-chain to explore (and possibly colonise) fairly close to the edge. This is about 900,000ly from the galaxy core.
In a region called the Sea of Ujjaru, I’ve found a suitable chain with an adjacent single planet star called Sosait-ljo XVI where I’ll hopefully find a usable planet with a portal.

I know the distance is about 193000ly from my home location and that with my currently equipped 'S’class freighter I can pull a top distance of 2500ly per jump. This equates to an optimum of around 80 warps.

Should anyone wish to see my progress using the Pilgrim Star App, I’ll take note of my location from time to time and include the co-ords in my account. I have no co-ordinates for my destination and only have a very vague and meandering galactic map trace-line to use as a general guide.

Starting point:
051D:007F:01B7:00DD

First position coordinates:
04e5:008a:0167:0192

My intention is to move quite quickly so I’m aiming for single planet systems so I can make a quick touch & go discovery at a local trading post before jetting off again. I’m stopping at the space station at each system to check for tech and to do any missions that have particular rewards.
I’m also taking note of really good ships and will post pics over in the appropriate thread.

After many jumps this is my current location.
048b:0084:00f9:01c1

[Xion4012]

How long did it take you to find a star chain? Are they really so common?

[Mad-Hatter]

@Xion4012
Takes a fair bit of hunting. Probably about 15 or 20 minutes scanning back and forth in the galactic map.
Little ones are common, big ones like the hub are very rare.
The one I’m trying to go to is medium sized and the most common.
I lost a huge one unfortunately. Really wanted that one. It was as big as the hub chain.
Finding one near the edge took ages. I’m terrified I’ll bump ■ in the galactic map and loose my waypoint.

Edit: to clarify details.

[Wyo]

And he’s off again…

Standing by for updates

[Mad-Hatter]

The warp cells were burning fiercely for a while there but after getting a good chunk of distance away from my start point, I slowed down to enjoy my voyage and conduct a bit of merchant interaction in the areas around the Remgarly Cluster.

Was going ok with my newly acquired hauler but with my waypoint locked on my final destination, its tricky locating logical trading routes. Instead, with my freighter now mostly stuffed with trade goods, I spent some time short-warping through some local systems.
You know, do a little business, make a little profit, that sort of thing.

Fuel Stop by Starlight

Of course just when I was getting into the swing of things and started using my new 48 hauler, an outstanding (and long sought after) fighter landed. Some business was done and I now had a new ‘S’ fighter and my short lived merchant hauler was traded in.

Too Good To Pass On

I’m happy to share the co-ordinates but be warned: this is a single planet system and the planet is a dead and useless rock. You would have to navigate there by ship (no habitats) and hope for the best at the space station.

Anyway, with my merchant efforts interrupted by some much needed upgrades on the fighter I found myself heavily depleting my horded stores as I added all manner of upgrades. This of course meant I needed to stop somewhere and do a bit of mining and gathering.

Emeril Chrystal Mining

Resource Gathering on a Dangerously Radioactive World

I was fortunate enough to find a lush planet with grey vortex cubes, so I spent some time there fossicking, collecting marrow-bulb and dealing with very large floaty-crab predators. On ship stores of gravatino orbs have supplied that necessity but I’m short 6 dimensional matrix units so I’ll have to keep on hunting for them.

Lush With Vortex (and giant nasties)

Canyon Cruising While Cave Hunting

While exploring I encountered a crashed spaceship that was partially sunken into the ground. It had little value to me so I left it there. I also met a little critter who seemed unnaturally intent on acquiring some plutonium.

Needs Repairs

Making the most out of my travels and just enjoying myself, I’ve found it very nice to not feel obliged to scan everything but to just wander about and soak up the scenery. While I’m at it I’ve been checking out some of the local critters as I go.
Here’s a few pics of wildlife I’ve met recently:

Plutonium Chipping

Doesn’t Like being Photographed

Desert Wings

Big and Beautiful

So I am now setting off again and according to my calculations I’m somewhere beyond the halfway mark to my destination.
For those following progress, my previous location was:
048b:0084:00f9:01c1
and my most recent location was:
046a:0063:007d:0022

…and the voyage continues…

[Mad-Hatter]

Another few days, another few systems.
Came across an ocean world with glorious red/orange daytime colours and beautiful sea-life so I decided to put in the effort to look for a portal and a habitat.

The portal is partially buried in the hillside with the lower portion exposed and eroded away. Not surprising then that the thing doesn’t work. I had to excavate the activation pillar which was a bit of fun in an archaeologist sort of way. It’s a real pity the portal is a dud because there is a habitat a mere 19 seconds by ship away.

Finally finished my ‘S’ fighter upgrades and took it out for its maiden blood run. The devastation was quick…almost too quick.
With the Vykeen in me all pumped up I decided a few missions involving warfare were in order. Many sentinels did not go home that day.

Spent some time sightseeing and looking about as well as sourcing embarrassingly bad tech ships for another CSD member’s research. One particularly nice place was a dark sand moon with vibrant plantlife.

The journey continues onward. I have no idea how far away my destination is now but I estimate I’ve jumped about 50 times. Due to the vaguenesss of the GM, I know I lose distance with every jump as I’m not going directly towards my destination.
For those following progress my previous location was
046a:0063:007d:0022
and my current location is
0459:0053:0036:01fd

[Mad-Hatter]

Pilgrim Star App. Alpha Quadrant. Euclid.
Progress from the Etarc Hub out towards the Sea of Ujjaru. Coordinates taken about 20x2500ly warps. Approximately 50,000ly apart (average).
About 200,000ly so far (conservative estimate).

[heartphone]

You’re bringing it as a great adventure! I like watching it go forward…

[sheralmyst]

Love the shot of you fighter over the canisters on the freighter. Makes it look like a jacked-up monster truck headed to a monster truck rally.

[Mad-Hatter]

Have continued onwards towards my destination, while far behind me in the Hubs, there is babble of possible impending universe-wide complications thanks to the Atlas.
Hard decisions.
Do I risk being lost to the oblivion of the uncharted outer rim or do I strive onward and possibly risk it all to finish my task? There was a mere 10,000ly between me and a successful arrival…give or take. What could go wrong?
For better or for worse, I chose to continue on.

Planet by planet, system by system, I made my way steadily closer to the Sea of Ujjaru and a new star-chain to discover.
At each solitary planet system, I dropped in to the Trading Post buy some basic resources to replenish used stores and then quickly moved on.
Despite the beauty I encountered along the way, I feel a sense of urgency and do not linger longer than necessary.

As the time of predicted doom closed on me, I found myself finally upon last leg of my journey. The Star of Sosait-Ljo at the base of a spectacular starchain greets me in my Galactic Map. One last warp!

The Arrival

I came out of warp to find myself in a red haze system, with the looming orb of the single planet Nidliver FX654 just in front of me. I know I have precious little time to do much investigations so I took my smaller orb craft, Archeoblade 2, which has all the necessary equipment already on board and set off.

Once on the mild gamma planet, I located a small base and set about acquiring coordinates and locating a portal.
This planet is far from being deserted and has numerous bases often within sight of each other.
There are also shipwrecks. Lots of shipwrecks.
Perhaps this is a dumping zone for ’ borrowed’ spacecraft.

48 A class wreck within sight of the portal

I located the portal and also searched for a habitable base. There are 2 nearby; one 3 minutes walk just up the hill, the other a five minute walk. There are three wrecks sites with reach of the portal as well as a trading post just over the nearby hill.

Several useful locations all very close to each other

I marked the nearby locations with beacons and then set off back to my ship. I have what I need to return and begin exploration but for now I choose to teleport home to my base while the impending Atlas situation is dealt with.
This planet may one day serve as an excellent gateway for pioneers of a new colony, but for now it is time to get home and await what comes.
Tomorrow is another day.

[heartphone]

Wow, thank you!
Excited now for all the new adventures awaiting us all …

[Mad-Hatter]

Exploration of The Sea of Ujjaru Starchain.

It’s been many sols since I reported in and with good reason: I’ve explored the 20 star systems of the star chain and touched down on the just under 100 planetary bodies in those systems. I’m now parked in low orbit in my primary explorations system to begin restocking fuels and supplies before I head off to see the edge of the known galaxy.
While I’ve been travelling the chain, I’ve seen all manner of colours and landscapes but I’ll restrict myself to just sharing a few.

On one planet, I found these odd pointy rock formations that I haven’t seen before.
They are a bit like the massive shell formations I sometimes see but this was more compact and pointed.

I also found my second ever treeless frozen world.
Not a single tree. As close as I’ve ever seen to a ‘Hoth’ in NMS.

While exploring, I never saw another traveller and when I scanned the local systems not a single CONTACT was to be found.
This certainly is the outer fringe, with the fade zone of the edge of the galaxy a mere 1600ly away.
Never the less, I have had some company in the form of pirates and locals with whom I’ve done some business with via buying and selling trade goods. This also encouraged a more random exploration of the star chain although towards the end I had to stop as my trade loop ran dry and I’d have had to leave the chain.

Although it doesn’t show in the Galactic Map there is an Atlas Station mid-way up the chain.

Have met some interesting creatures along the way and managed to avoid getting attacked most of the time, despite several planets being home to vicious animals or hostile sentinels.

So I’m now sitting parked in orbit trying to decide what to do with this list of 20 un-named stars and 90-something planets. I used the generic name for the dead/no atmosphere/life incompatible planets but that leaves all the rest still unnamed. Some are vibrant with life while others are more quiet. Some are dangerous and some are mild. Any naming suggestions would be most welcome.

The chain is made up of 20 yellow stars, all with at least 2 planets and not a single REDACTED/CRIMSON planet in the entire bunch. Would make a good colony similar to the ETARC HUB perhaps as an outpost or something.

Anyway. here’s a few more scenery shots to finish off with:

[heartphone]

Wow some very breathtaking pictures! And an interesting journey

Am travelling (offline) from galaxy to galaxy and went from Eissentam to Elkupalus and now in one named Aptarkaba which has lots of glassy, life incompatible, extreme planets. After 150.000 lightyears I now finally found a paradise planet…

[sheralmyst]

http://www.stellar-database.com/naming.html
http://www.stellar-database.com/variable.html
As you can see, naming celestial bodies has always been a job no one really knows how to tackle. I would suggest sticking to a theme based on what you would like the star chain to be used as, for instance, you mentioned an outpost. Good luck! Awesome pics!

[Sir_oops]

Did you name the star chain, yet? The Etarc Hub’s is The Firefly Star Chain, how about the Dragonfly Star Chain? :wink Or is it the Sea of Ujjaru star chain?

[Mad-Hatter]

@Sir_oops
Actually, I stopped calling the Hub chain ‘firefly’ as soon as it became the ETARC Hub
Was toying with the idea of calling this one the Tribute star chain and naming stars and planets after the most active CSD members over the past year…but thats a lot of names to ask permision for.
Thanks @sheralmyst, Those listing methods might just come in handy.

[Polyphemus]

I might go and find one, just for the joy of calling it the “lavatory chain”.

(Those of you born after 1970 probably won’t know what that is).

[Mad-Hatter]

You’ll also have the luxury of knowing that the cluster of stars below will have the suffix ‘throne’.

[arpoja]

This star chain is really amazing. Didn’t have the chance to visit it myself yet, but I will someday!
We should save all the pictures from your travel and start it all over after the next update and watch the differences!
Maybe we could observe interesting things!

[projectcartwheel]

Glad to see somebody else checking out the outer rim of Euclid!