What galactic directions are the zodiac constellations?

[GamingGlen]

I have looked through dozens of maps, and it seems that astronomy maps and astrological maps don't mix: neither as any information about the other. Astronomy maps do not show the zodiac constellations, and astrological maps do not show galactic directions such as towards the center of the galaxy; at least none that I have looked at.

The constellations are fixed, right? X constellation will always be rimward, right? I have not lost my mind, right?

I am asking as I am writing a little story and would like to include both directions.. "a group of worlds towards the rim of the galaxy and almost directly towards the Z constellation.", or something like that. The intention is to convey a direction that most people can understand, whether they can actually place it in their mind; more or less a "it's thataway" description with a familiar name :mrgreen: . That, and I've tried to figure this out before and gotten dizzy turning Traveller books (mostly Solomani Rim maps) or my head upside down and such.

 

[Mithras]

If you draw a direct line from Sol to the Spinward Marches on the map of Charted Space it cuts directly through Deneb. To stand and look at the Spinward Marches look for Deneb and Cygnus the swan, the Spinward Marches are behind Deneb!

 

[Wil Mireu]

I have looked through dozens of maps, and it seems that astronomy maps and astrological maps don't mix: neither as any information about the other. Astronomy maps do not show the zodiac constellations, and astrological maps do not show galactic directions such as towards the center of the galaxy; at least none that I have looked at.

The constellations are fixed, right? X constellation will always be rimward, right? I have not lost my mind, right?

I'm surprised to hear you say that astronomy maps don't show constellations (including the ones in the zodiac), I've seen them in most of them. Maybe they're not so obvious - they're the ones that the Ecliptic (the sun's path through the sky over the course of a year, which defines the Zodiac) passes through. The ecliptic goes at an angle to the galactic equator though, so you can only really define the zodiacal constellations in terms of general directions.

Anyway, to answer your question:
"Corewards" is towards the galactic centre (0° galactic lat/lon), at the border of Sagittarius and Scorpius.
"Spinward" (90° galactic longitude, 0° galactic latitude) is in Cygnus (near Deneb).
"Rimwards"(180° galactic longitude, 0° galactic latitude) is towards the border of Taurus and Auriga.
"Trailing" (270° galactic longitude, 0° galactic latitude) is in Vela.

If you download and install Celestia (http://www.shatters.net/celestia/download.html) you can see these if you turn the options on in the Render/View Options menu.

EDIT: Pisces and Aquarius are the zodiacal constellations that are in the "Spinward" direction (but way down towards the galactic south pole, "below" the Sun). Virgo and Lego are in the opposite "Trailing" Direction, but wait up towards the galactic north pole "above" the Sun).

 

[GamingGlen]

Thanks. I was mostly looking at maps of the galaxy and they only showed nebulas and rarely any named stars.

I already have Celestia, never thought to look there.

 

[GypsyComet]

The constellations are not going to be stable as you travel, of course, unless you aim right into the one you are looking at and haven't passed any of its constituent stars. Aquarius, as one example, has six stars that range from less than a sector from Earth to over six sectors away.

 

[GamingGlen]

Thanks for reminding me, that thought has crossed my mind before. But, since I'm writing a short story for readers of early 21st century Earth, I doubt there will be any interstellar travelling by them to mess that up. They don't even leave low-Earth orbit.

 

[steve98052]

Given this question, if I were to go back to the 1970s to re-invent Classic Traveller, I would either
(1) use a 3D map based on known stellar geography (as 2300 did later) or
(2) give jump drive a vastly larger range and make interesting worlds vastly less common.

(1) is pretty obvious, but without today's technology 3D mapping can be a headache for players.
(2) avoids the 3D issue by putting ionteresting worlds far enough apart that our galaxy's spiral arms are flattened to fit on a 2D map.

However, we can't go back to the 1970s to re-invent Classic Traveller, so those are not available options. Still, the Traveller universe is a rich setting, so I can deal with the 2D map.

--

On a topic related to the subject-line question, with more recent technology (the stellar measurements from the Hipparcos mission), we can generate maps that re-project constellations to a 2D map. More important, we have an Imperium setting, with all its answers, which is rich enough that I can deal with the 3D risks for the sake or our secede, how it turns out, and fudge occasionally and (we hope) end up 3D.

 

[Wil Mireu]

On a topic related to the subject-line question, with more recent technology (the stellar measurements from the Hipparcos mission), we can generate maps that re-project constellations to a 2D map. More important, we have an Imperium setting, with all its answers, which is rich enough that I can deal with the 3D risks for the sake or our secede, how it turns out, and fudge occasionally and (we hope) end up 3D.

uh... what? :shock: :?:

 

[Prime_Evil]

I hope I never end up in 3D - it's a scary place....

 

[dragoner]

I hope I never end up in 3D - it's a scary place....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatland

2D, it's much safer.

 

[F33D]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatland

2D, it's much safer.

Unless you're overheard talking about 3D space.

 

[dragoner]

Sphere save me!

 

[steve98052]

On a topic related to the subject-line question, with more recent technology (the stellar measurements from the Hipparcos mission), we can generate maps that re-project constellations to a 2D map. More important, we have an Imperium setting, with all its answers, which is rich enough that I can deal with the 3D risks for the sake or our secede, how it turns out, and fudge occasionally and (we hope) end up 3D.

uh... what? :shock: :?:

It looks like I tried to rearrange what I was writing there, and mangled it beyond comprehension. Now, a few days later, even I am not sure what I was trying to write.

Or maybe the Zhodani were messing with my mind!

 

[F33D]

Sphere save me!

:mrgreen: