Antares (star)/meta
NOTE CONCERNING POSITIONS OF STARS AND CELESTIAL OBJECTS :
When comparing real-astronomical celestial object 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 about 45o counter-clockwise from the correct position (i.e. "true" Coreward actually lies in the general direction of the Lesser Rift). If one makes that adjustment, about 70% of the named stars and celestial objects 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 or celestial object to a Traveller Map hex, it should be acceptable if:
- 1) The object'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 object'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)}.
NOTE CONCERNING SPECTRAL CLASS & HUE:
Spectral classification is an indication of the temperature of the stellar surface and originated in the typical chemical composition observed (primarily the brightness/dimness of hydrogen lines in the emission spectrum: from "A" (strongest) to "O" (weakest) before the temperature/chemical relationship was understood). The O,B,A,F,G,K,M "color" classification is traditional, and based on observation thru earth's specific atmosphere, not actual appearance in vacuum. Truly "pinkish-red" to "cherry-red" stars would be a few late M-type stars and L-Type thru T-Type Brown Dwarfs, as well as CR, CN and S type giant stars "Carbon Stars" which are a ruby-red coloration due to chemical composition oddities.
TRAVELLER NOTES:
The star Antares is one of a number of stars labelled on an early hand-drawn map of Charted Space by GDW staff that is available on the MegaTraveller CD-ROM from Far Future Enterprises. On the hand-drawn map, Antares is located on the border between Subsector A and Subsector B of Ley Sector.