Antarctica Traffic Control

[Local Trouble]

Quite.

[FenGiddel]

Wouldn't it be better if this was in space though? So if you are approaching from the northern hemisphere you can't reach them because the Earth would be blocking you? You would have to know to contact Artica Traffic Control. Sounds a bit ridiculous, no?

Maybe not if you consider that the Nostromo's route is an established shipping route in the Network, so crews would probably know in advance all of the important contact points.

[Local Trouble]

Let's not forget that space is three-dimensional.  It's quite possible that any ships returning to Earth from Thedus would put them on a course that's perpendicular to our planar orbit around the sun.

[SM]

Why?

[Local Trouble]

Ugh, I meant "might" instead of "would," but I thought that was implicit by the "quite possible" qualifier.

Did you ever determine what star system Thedus is in?

[FenGiddel]

'e reckons ε Ret...


(See bottom edge of the Big Map)

[Local Trouble]

'e reckons ε Ret...


(See bottom edge of the Big Map)

Therefore canon.

[FenGiddel]

I'm hoping for further clarification as to the "why?" to your "would"...  I just this afternoon watched an animation showing the Earth's tilt relative to seasons and my mind was blown with the orbital mechanics, so your statement was timely, in that respect.

[Local Trouble]

It was just speculation.  Unless I'm mistaken, our galaxy has stars with planets that are both "above" and "below" the plane of our orbit around the sun.

[FenGiddel]

Right. That video I was watching says the Earth axial tilt (with relation to said plane you mentioned) is about 24 degrees. Of course, it's all in motion, as well. A complex juggling act, plotting courses over interstellar distances, wouldn't you say?

[Local Trouble]

Indeed.  I recently saw a Youtube video of some ancient aliens schmuck who said that you have to pass by all the outer planets on the way to Earth, completely oblivious to the fact that the planets are rarely lined up as they appear in an artist's rendition of the Solar System.

[SM]

If Thedus is E Reticuli, in Reticulum, a southern constellation, incoming ships would be approaching Earth's southern hemisphere. I don't imagine they'd aim for  Neptune's orbit hang a left, then head to Earth.

[Huggs]

Mel Blanc always swore you could reach any destination as long as you turned left at Albuquerque.

[Local Trouble]

Have we reached consensus then?

[Huggs]

Have we reached consensus then?

I don't know. Where is it on the Map?