“I always said there was something fundamentally wrong with the universe.” – Arthur Dent, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

22.03.yc116 Avaux System < Mallugier Constellation < Placid Region

For years I’ve been exploring the planets of New Eden, taking images, one system at a time. Soon I’ll pass a milestone of 1,000 systems explored. Images are nice, but they don’t really give you a full sense of the beauty that our universe contains. I felt something was lacking, a sense of wonder that should be there, but how was I to capture it. A friend, Zakn, shared with me a time lapsed video of some truly remarkable imagery and the answer to my question finally materialized. I would do a time lapse of a few select New Eden planets. Here’s the finished video. Special thanks to Roc Wieler for the background track, “New Eden” from his album “YC113”.

After putting together the video and reviewing it before publishing, I realized there was something rather odd about the temperate planet Kirras II. The cloud layers were rotating as one would expect, but the planetary body itself, was not. It appeared to be tidally locked! How was that possible? From research and reading I’ve done, I felt that what I was seeing, just couldn’t be true, because if Kirras II were truly tidally locked, it wouldn’t be a temperate planet at all.

Strange as it seemed, the video evidence before me seemed irrefutable, that was until, I ran a full diagnostic and realized I had left a stabilizing filter turned on that basically stilled the image and I ended up only catching the changing weather patterns on a frozen background image of the planet.

I think I need more Quafe!

OOC:
As it turns out, CCP Manifest replied to a tweet of mine saying…

I don’t really know anything about Dust 514, but I did some checking around and found that districts play into that. I’m assuming the game mechanic to allow Directors and CEO’s of Dust 514 corporations to select districts brings up a planetary view and there’s some factor of a rotating planet that causes issues with that. Probably some static overlay on the planet surface that would not line up correctly if the planet was always moving.  I knew there was something fundamentally wrong with the universe, but nice to know why.

Keep watching and reading, I’m less than 50 systems away of passing 1,000 systems explored! I’ll run a contest to celebrate and give away a PLEX.

Thanks for following!

“I’m lost in paradise.” – “Lost in Paradise”, Evanescence

10.03.yc116 Teonusude < Fittakan Constellation < Molden Heath

Time for less talk and more favorite images…

“We are a way for the Cosmos to know itself.” – Carl Sagan

OOC: For those that know me, they know what a huge fan I am of Carl Sagan and the series he hosted, “Cosmos”. I was in high school when it first aired and I was memorized. It was really the first time a scientist of his caliber was able to take such a vast and complex subject and explain it in a way that all could understand. His love for science was only out shown by his desire to share the wonders of the universe with all those that would take the time to listen and learn.

I enjoyed science, having doubled up on it in high school and I loved astronomy, which I took in college, but I never pursued it as a career. Rather, I simply read what I could, watched documentaries, and from time to time, got my telescope out to gaze upon the stars. “Cosmos” sparked my desire to explore, to learn, and to expand my knowledge of the universe not only in an educational way, but also in entertainment. Already a reader of SciFi, my journeys were limited to my own imagination and those of the authors I read. Tabletop roleplaying games took me further and of course, movies and television expanded upon that. But it wasn’t until Eve Online launched, that I felt I was really getting a sense of exploring a far off, dangerous, yet wonderful place, all on my own. So, when folks ask why am I exploring New Eden, one system at time, and not only passing through each star system, but taking a moment to snap images of all the planets, well – blame Carl Sagan.

Tonight, the new “Cosmos” will air simultaneously on 10 different Fox Network channels. The original, of course, is a bit dated now, Carl Sagan has passed on and returned to star stuff, to use his own words. So it remains to be seen if this new series will have the charm that the original did. I plan on watching it with my son, who’s soon to be in high school, and I hope it lives up to my expectations and inspires another generation of explorers.

With that in mind and in honor of my return to Eve Online as well as the new “Cosmos” airing, I updated a video I had done a few years ago. Now maybe you understand why I chose the somewhat dated, maybe campy, yet full of charm narration that I chose. Carl Sagan from “Cosmos” Episode 7: “The Backbone of Night”. I hope you enjoy it.

Now, on to the real reason you’re probably wanting to read this post. Soon I will be passing 1,000 systems explored. I’m currently at 842 systems across 10 regions of New Eden with over 7,000 images in my gallery. When I pass the 1k star systems explored mark, I plan on running a contest and will give away 1 PLEX to the winner. So keep reading and following for details. Good luck!

“They say it’s what you make. I say it’s up to fate.
It’s woven in my soul. I need to let you go.” – “Demons”, Imagine Dragons

01.03.yc116 Rens System < Ortner Constellation < Heimatar Region

Immortality… As capsuleers, the theory is, we live forever. Until recently, I hadn’t given it much thought. So far, the process to become a capsuleer, an immortal, happened in the blink of an eye. I remember being prepped at the cloning facility. The attendants smiling and congratulating me for passing the Caldari State War Academy qualification. In order to begin the pilot training your first clone is created with the necessary implants and connections to establish your link to the ship as well as enabling your ability to learn skills much, much faster. It’s odd, at least to me, to become immortal, you have to die. The process of scanning and copying your brain… well… destroys it. I remember being sedated, the cold infusion of medicine into my blood stream causing me to go into a deep slumber, my eyes heavy, breath swallow, thoughts drifting to my family and friends. Then I awoke, blinked, and I was in my new clone body.

I felt the same… yet… different. There are many options available for your clone body, keeping or rather recreating, blemishes and scars, tanning of skin, and so on. You can change any aspect about yourself: hair, eye color, body shape, if you wanted. I had decided to be – me – but without the scars. I did have them create my birthmark. The location of which I’ll not mention here. Wanting to see for myself, I lifted my right hand before my eyes, flexed my fingers and looked, but not finding, the ugly scar where I had broken my index finger as a child and the bone had broken through the skin. Over time, I realized that not only had the scar been removed, but the bones, these new clone bones, had never been broken, so the occasional ache or irritating catch when I bent my finger were entirely gone.

But the definition of “immortal” states: not subject to death or decay; having perpetual life. Am I truly “immortal”?

Which leads me to where have I been these last couple of years. I had begun my exploration journey several years ago after graduating and completing my tour of duty with the State War Academy. After completing fifteen percent of my expedition of New Eden, I received word that my father was in poor health. I loved my father very much and when the physicians said he didn’t have much longer to live, I knew I had to be there with him. So, I abandoned my journey and stayed by his side for the next year until his eventual passing. It was then my immortality came into question. I realized my father was the first of what would be many family and friends whom I’d outlive. I would watch them all grow old, while I would be forever young, then one by one they would be gone and I would be alone.

For another year, I dealt with the pain and grief of losing my father, the guilt of potentially outliving my family and friends, and spending every waking moment with them that I could, as if it were their last day to live. But what I found during that time was their love and support for me, to go and live my dream, to explore my journey, and to move on with my life. That even as a capsuleer, nothing is set in stone. There are mishaps and unrecoverable incidents that can cause a capsuleers consciousness to fail to transfer to a new clone. We can die too.

Are we then, as capsuleers, truly “immortal”? No. Our immortality starts with death. Our lives are not perpetual. They are interrupted with deaths and transfers as our clone bodies are destroyed by the hazards of space or decay with time to the point we need another.

So, it is with my loved ones encouragement that I continue my exploration of New Eden to see the stars and the planets there in. I go with their love and support that I will always have in life as well as in death. I don’t know how long I have to live, but then again, who does? It’s time I continue with my unfinished business.

I love you Dad, but it’s time I let you go.

Katia Sae