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[Kaleigh Doyle]

So pretty straight forward question here: What scale of knowledge do the cultures of New Eden possess in the realm of astronomy, and how has this impacted their space exploration projects? We know it takes them a considerable amount of time to reach nearby solar systems with gate exploration teams, but how much of the universe do they have mapped out, how effective is their equipment, and what have they discovered? I'm rather curious myself.

[Katrina Oniseki]

I'd say practical hands on knowledge of planets, stars, and various celestial objects is extremely advanced. The ability to not just find and traverse wormholes (which are merely theoretical in real life), but CREATE them.. speaks of a very very strong aptitude for astronomy. I suppose that's to be expected of a space-faring species.

As for looking through telescopes at distant stars they cannot reach, and navigation to/from those stars without using easy-mode jumpgates and cynos? I'd say it's probably about the same as it is now. I would assume most of the technology for observing the stars from a distance is fairly mature by now, with little in the way of innovation or difference.

Even so, compared to modern technology, it's probably much more powerful. Maybe using a wide range of integrated long range sensor technology and other theoretical hogwash to supplement the EM scanning? We already look at the stars from Gamma to Radio and everything in between. Maybe they have other non EM spectrums they check the skies with too? I know what RADAR and LADAR are, but I'm not sure what Gravimetric and Magnetometric (might simply be magnetics) are from a scanning standpoint. I would assume they encompass something new.

I'm not totally sure what you're asking though. When someone says astronomy, I think telescopes. However, you mentioned travel times to unexplored systems, so are you talking about the entirety of space exploration, up to and including getting there?

[Kaleigh Doyle]

It was mostly a general discussion about their understanding of space. ie. how much of it has been mapped and what sort of techniques do they use to do so. Are there advances in this field? What is the public's general opinion of space travel? Just a general theory-crafting discussion.

[Katrina Oniseki]

I would assume the general public's opinion of space travel is fairly negative. There are plenty of people who 'hate planes' and flying in today's society, and flying in a plane is only vaguely uncomfortable (and only during turbulence and takeoff). Warping and Jumping has a recordable physiological effect on the body, and rather extreme at that. Everything from vomiting to insanity has been recorded from warping and jumping. Based on how unpleasant FTL space travel is, that doesn't leave much room for people to enjoy it.

[Kybernetes Moros]

I'd say practical hands on knowledge of planets, stars, and various celestial objects is extremely advanced. The ability to not just find and traverse wormholes (which are merely theoretical in real life), but CREATE them.. speaks of a very very strong aptitude for astronomy. I suppose that's to be expected of a space-faring species.

This, pretty much. A society in which the wholesale fiddling with spacetime that allows for the warp drive (well, assuming it's an Alcubierre-esque drive, which actually makes sense compared to the 'PF' explanation and can neatly tie of some of the weirder aspects of spaceflight in EVE) and wormholes to not only be possible but commonplace would, by definition, have to have a damn advanced knowledge of physics.

As for looking through telescopes at distant stars they cannot reach, and navigation to/from those stars without using easy-mode jumpgates and cynos? I'd say it's probably about the same as it is now. I would assume most of the technology for observing the stars from a distance is fairly mature by now, with little in the way of innovation or difference.

Even so, compared to modern technology, it's probably much more powerful. Maybe using a wide range of integrated long range sensor technology and other theoretical hogwash to supplement the EM scanning? We already look at the stars from Gamma to Radio and everything in between. Maybe they have other non EM spectrums they check the skies with too?

Aside from more advanced sensors or whatever, yeah, I'd agree; the only difference, I suppose, is that with FTL comms and more sophisticated drones, it'd be far easier to get much more precise data in a shorter timeframe.

I know what RADAR and LADAR are, but I'm not sure what Gravimetric and Magnetometric (might simply be magnetics) are from a scanning standpoint. I would assume they encompass something new.

I've always assumed gravimetric to be a measure of its gravitational pull / however much the object distorts spacetime -- hence the massive asteroid belts found at gravimetric exploration sites. Similarly, I've run with magnetometric being a measure of the general 'electromagnetism-ness' around a body or site, with magnetometric exploration sites often being decaying or damaged advanced facilities. I almost certainly need to self-flagellate in the name of physics or something for using 'electromagnetism-ness', but hurried post is hurried.

To the OP, honestly, I'm unsure. It's self-evident that the rogue drones, the Nation and whoever else is active with access to wormholes or comparable has a tremendous leg-up in that regard, if only because they don't need to establish a stargate before going to and from a system, but for the majority of the cluster? Have (comparatively) small unmanned ships been sent zooming off towards apparently suitable systems at relativistic speeds, filled with liquid ozone and fitted with a cyno to bring in a fleet of jump freighters to connect up a new system, say?

I'm not sure how far to take the speculation, since I first don't have much time at all, and second don't recall any PF mentioning anything related aside from the Old Man Star (I think?) chron.

[Katrina Oniseki]

It may or may not be worth noting that 'blind warps' are possible (as seen in Tony G's TEA). I suppose that means you don't nessecarily need to have a beacon to warp to, like a celestial object or a precise scanning signature with probes. Simply having a direction, distance, and the nessecary capacitor charge to make the warp would be necessary. At many multiple AU per second, it wouldn't take more than a few days to reach the farthest out stars, would it?

Take the distance from Sol-Sirius. That's 8.6 light years, or 543,861 AU. Now take a Charon Freighter, with a standard warp speed of 0.8 AU/s. The ship's capacitor will take 215.58s to recharge from 0% to 100%. I am not totally clear on the distance a Charon can warp using a full cap, because I don't know what the equation used is.

As it stands, with those numbers... it will take 679826.25 seconds of pure warp (nonstop). That's [approximately] 11330 minutes, or 189 hours, rounded up. About a week of travel time. Now consider the time spent charging the capacitors, and the non constant warp speed as it accelerates and decelerates from each warp. I would give it another couple days at most.

So anywhere from 8-12 days of travel in a massive Charon Freighter filled with all manner of equipment, self sustaining, and requiring negligible fuel for the journey (as far as we are aware). Sirius is one of our 'near neighbors', so this seems like a fairly good example to start with. If New Eden technology can make that trip in under two weeks time with one of the slowest ships around... I would say that the capability for interstellar exploration and astronomy is incredibly strong.

I would imagine the line-of-supply would break before the ability of the ships to travel further.

This is all discounting celestial hazards that we don't normally deal with. Like maybe warping through a deadspace pocket, or uncharted gravity well, or who knows what else. I'm sure there are many possibly dangerous conditions that could be a problem in a situation not as well defined as an intra-system warp within already explored territory.

After all, the Old Man Star chron didn't happen for no reason.

[Ghost Hunter]

Worth mentioning - although I do not have the formula, a Capsule can warp about 5,200 AU in one go with max capacitor and warp drive navigation skills. I know this because I had a bookmark that extended well beyond the known galaxy, and had the unfortunate problem clicking warp without realizing how far it would take me 

At the time, it took about 30 minutes to cross that distance, maybe more or less these days.

[Saikoyu]

One, that number would depend on the ship you were flying at the time as well, since they have different cap storage and different warp speeds, depending on class.

Two, how in the hell did you get a bookmark more than 5200 AU out?

[Kemekk]

So pretty straight forward question here: What scale of knowledge do the cultures of New Eden possess in the realm of astronomy, and how has this impacted their space exploration projects? We know it takes them a considerable amount of time to reach nearby solar systems with gate exploration teams, but how much of the universe do they have mapped out, how effective is their equipment, and what have they discovered? I'm rather curious myself.

I'd assume they know quite a bit more than we do, as they've managed nearly-instant space travel and have overcome the physical side effects of prolonged space exposure such as muscle and bone deterioration and eventually, death, as the heart is a muscle and it requires gravity to keep beating. In space the heart becomes too weak after a period of time and inevitably stops beating. Modern scientists have speculated the use of a centrifuge spinning at high velocities and multiplying the miniscule amount of inertia in space to Earth-like levels of simulated gravity, though no ship currently exists that is large enough or efficient enough to house or operate a centrifuge. I'd like to assume EVE ships have these, or have found another way to counter the deadly side effects of space travel, but there's no information that I can find about it.

Warping (in most cases) is also impossible at the speeds that a lot of ships warp at. 3.0 AU/s (278,867,663 M/s) is thousands of times faster than the speed of light, which is 180,000 M/s. This violates any scientific laws we have about light, but then again science is meant to be challenged and altered over time. Warp sickness is also a huge factor, as mentioned previously, though at common warp speeds you would likely die if real physics applied to EVE. Jump sickness is less of a factor as a wormholes theoretically transport you instantly with no rate of acceleration.