Constellation Based Star Map

[Hai-Etlik]

This Thread gave me the idea of using the constellations as an aid to produce a flat star map for scifi gaming.

Each constellation is assigned to a group. I chose 12 groups based on the zodiac as it seemed obvious.

I divide my map into 12 sectors centred on Sol, one for each group of constellations.

To place a real star on the map, I simply find the constellation it's in and the real distance from Sol. I can then place it in the appropriate sector at the real distance.

I have an example using the nearest stars out to Tau Ceti

[barrataria]

This Thread gave me the idea of using the constellations as an aid to produce a flat star map for scifi gaming.

Good idea

Your idea makes a lot more sense to me here. What are you going to do about interstellar travel in the game- FTL, wormhole, etc.?

[Hai-Etlik]

Good idea

Your idea makes a lot more sense to me here. What are you going to do about interstellar travel in the game- FTL, wormhole, etc.?

Well, I didn't make it for any particular purpose. I just got the idea and wanted to try it out.

[Hai-Etlik]

Hmm, let r₁ be the distance from Sol and r₂ be the average distance between stars.

Then let A₁=4πr₁², A₂=πr₂², d₁=2πr₁, d₂=2r₂

Then the proportion of stars to include at distance r₁ is p(r₁)=(d₁A₂)/(d₂A₁).

I probably should have used a curved portion of a sphere rather than a disc and an arc rather than a line, but I figured the two would cancel out somewhat. Otherwise I think I got the math right.

Use p(r₁) as probability for a star randomly being included determined randomly for each star.

Of course this assumes the data is even. Our available star data gets sparser with distance as it gets harder to find stars. On the other hand it presumably tends toward brighter and brighter stars as well, so it's probably best to stick with the function as is and add dim stars to fill in; filler should get brighter and more numerous as distance increases.

[ravells]

What a cool idea. I guess because it's all measured distances from Sol, that the distances between any two starts on the map where one is not Sol would not (except by chance) be accurate?

[Hai-Etlik]

What a cool idea. I guess because it's all measured distances from Sol, that the distances between any two starts on the map where one is not Sol would not (except by chance) be accurate?

Right, there's no way you could do that for more than three stars with a flat map.