Epsilon Indi (star)/meta
NOTE CONCERNING STAR POSITIONS:
When comparing real-astronomical star positions to the Traveller Map of Charted Space, it needs to be observed that the axes of the Charted Space Map appear to be tilted almost exactly 45o counter-clockwise from the correct position (i.e. "true" Coreward actually lies parallel to the Lesser Rift). If one makes that adjustment, about 70% of the named stars will fall roughly along their correct bearing. However, there are some exceptions in which the star in question lies in roughly the correct position relative to the Charted Space Map without the need to rotate the coordinate axes.
In general, if one is assigning the position of a Real-Universe star to a Traveller Map hex, it should be acceptable if:
- 1) The star's longitude angle (θ) is within a 45o bearing-arc between the "true" coordinate axes and the Traveller Charted Space Map coordinate axes, and
- 2) The star's assigned distance from Terra on the hexmap falls somewhere between its true distance R in parsecs, and its 2D-projection onto the flat map as seen from above, found by Dproj = {R * cos(ɸ)}, where (ɸ) is the latitude angle. If desired, the distance above/below the plane can be determined by Z = {R * sin(ɸ)}.
TRAVELLER MAP (T5SS) NOTE:
CT Alien Module 6: Solomani and GURPS Traveller: Interstellar Wars both identifiy Epsilon Indi as the primary star of the world Meshan (Solomani Rim 1526). However, the stellar data and bearing of Epsilon Indi is slightly wrong for Meshan's primary. Epsilon Indi is a K5V star, but is orbited by two Brown Dwarfs of types T1 and T6, not a solitary White Dwarf (note that an earlier iteration of T5SS listed Meshan as K5 V BD BD, but has since been overwritten). Further, Epsilon Indi should be located Coretrailing/Trailing of Terra, not Corespinward/Spinward.
ASTROGRAPHIC NOTE:
Epsilon Indi system:
- COMPANION (unconfirmed): ɛ Indi b MASS: 0.97 MJ ORBIT: ~ 9.0AU PERIOD: > 30 years
- COMPANIONS (Brown Dwarfs): ɛ Indi Ba/Bb MASS: 47 MJ / 28 MJ MUTUAL ORBIT: 2.1AU SYSTEM ORBIT: 1460AU