To-do list so far:
- Determine if Jita to New Caldari distance can be determined.
- Better map the starfield, check for consistencies and inconsistencies.
- Look for other cross-region consistencies other than Caroline’s Star. (Recently Proven)
- Continue to map Officially Named Constellations to the New Eden Sky as was done with Onirvura and Kimotoro.
- Is Kimotoro’s Star Square unique to The Forge or Kimotoro? Does it persist in Onirvura (also in the Forge)? Is it part of The Forge’s Skybox or is the Starfield separate from the Skybox?
- Does Kimotoro’s Divining Rod morph as the observer’s position changes throughout New Eden. Is this constellation unique to The Forge?
- Are some stars on the starfield independent, or are all stars independent of the skybox that includes region specific Nebulae and dust clouds, etc.?
INTRODUCTION:
I hope this thread sparks a new type of player generated content and exploration for those so interested in something such as this.
Different from a group of players buying telescopes and talking about actual astronomy, ever since I saw THIS (Fig 1.1)
Fig 1.1
I’ve always wondered how accurate the star-fields are between the map and the actual skies of New Eden.
So I invite anyone interested in this aspect of “Astronomy” to participate.
ANALYSIS
The method I have chosen, and seems to be consistent with observations, is to fly to 0km to the star, and I test a north and south view (up 90deg and down 90deg).
I align the star so that the line to the star is pointing up for North, or pointing straight down for South.
This produces starfields like Figures 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4.
Figure 1.2 - Kimotoro’s Divining Rod
Figure 1.3 - Kimotoro’s Divining Rod
Figure 1.4 - Kimotoro’s Divining Rod
This is possibly the first actually to-be-named constellation in EVE! Sure star systems are grouped “into” constellations such as Kimotoro, but IS THAT Constellation or any map-named-constellations visible in the night-sky? Yet to be proven.
However, I named this northern constellation seen from Jita “Divining Rod” because it looks a little bit like such an object.
A mystery occurs though. Originally I assumed the entire sky would be similar from ALL locations, but it is certainly NOT true from another constellation, see Figure 1.5.
Figure 1.5 - Josameto’s Northern Sky
This observation proved that at least from star systems in different constellations the sky would be different. But the plot thickened. Figure 1.6 is a star system in the Kimotoro constellation.
Figure 1.6 - Niyabainen’s Northern Sky
Unexpectedly, Niyabainen’s Northern Sky is different than New Caldari’s, Perimeter’s and Jita’s, even though Niyabainen is also part of the Kimotoro constellation group of star systems.
But, the intrigue doesn’t end with simply a different Northern Sky between Niyabainen and the others of Kimotoro.
They actually share another star feature I call The Kimotoro Star Square: Fig 1.7, Fig 1.8, Fig 1.9.
Figure 1.7 - Niyabainen’s Kimotoro Star Square
Figure 1.8 - New Caldari’s Kimotoro Star Square
Figure 1.9 - Jita’s Kimotoro Star Square
So here is the evidences so far, that star fields certainly have some commonalities between star systems, and some differences, that the differences seem to exist between Constellation-Groups of star systems, but that even within those groups there are still some differences. But certainly within those groups of star systems there are similarities.
The inaugural questions for the Jita Astronomical Observatory then are these:
- Is there a logic behind the similarities and differences in the star fields and other astronomical objects in the night sky of New Eden?
- Are they geographically contiguous or rather random?
- Ultimately, does the star fields align with the stars in the New Eden Map, visible in the set-destination view? Are the stars accurately placed in coordination with the New Eden Map?
QUESTIONS ALREADY ANSWERED
- New Eden’s map does not accurately display distance.
- Jump Drive distances are not accurate even though listed in light years. So-far explained away as a feature of warped spacetime. The listed lightyears is in warped spacetime and somehow mapped to actual distances in general-relative spacetime.
- There is definitely a sense of parallax between star systems as proven when approximating the location of the Badminton Nebula. But is this parallax sufficient to determine distances between stars?
- The parallax does suggest the starfield is independent of the “skybox” (astronomical structures like nebulae). But, is the entire starfield independent, or are only the New Eden stars on the star map (that can be seen when setting a destination) independent?
- Astronomical Structures other than Caroline’s Star do straddle Regional boundaries.
- Solar System Ecliptic planes are artificially laid out into the same plane on the New Eden Map. Actual orientations are in fact different, so Jita North is different from Faulent North etc. Solar Systems seem to have similar ecliptic planes within the same constellations, but not always. Whether this means the starfields are always the same from system to system, and just oriented differently is yet to be proven…