Revised Dark Nebula Stellar Data

The M2 III red giant primary of the Steiaseah (DARK 1927) system. The ancient Terrans designated the star Beta Pegasi, while the Aslan know it as Ua’aloiatye, the Bright Star.

The current stellar data for Dark Nebula sector, as found on the Traveller Map, reflects fairly early world generation methods. Atlas of the Imperium (1984) included a dot map of the sector with system locations and rudimentary data such as starport class and the names of high-population worlds. Stellar data for Kilrai’ subsector was first provided in the Travellers’ Digest 17 (1989) and for the entire sector in Solomani & Aslan: The Rimward Races (1991). Like the old Spinward Marches data set, this data has a relatively high number of subgiant, giant, and even supergiant stars as well as many white dwarfs.

For my house version of Dark Nebula, I wanted to follow a similar path as the T5 Second Survey Marches review by curtailing the number of stars outside of the main sequence and trying to match up habitable worlds with reasonable primaries.

All sources agree that Kusyu’s primary is Tyeyo, a G4 V star with a close white dwarf companion, Saietaie. (Of course, no one could agree just where Kusyu was located until the T5SS!) Although having a habitable world and white dwarf seems implausible, this has so much canonical weight I think it’s best considered inviolable.

The only other canonical text reference to stellar data I could locate was to Yehta/Siei (Dark Nebula 0226), a planetoid torn between two stars and a gas giant.

Although it is nowhere described in canon, many have noted the presence of an extremely bright supergiant (F8 Ia) in Dark Nebula. Originally located in the Eakhoi (2123) system, which has a high population garden world, the stellar data was shifted to the asteroid system Troutiyka (2230) during an earlier pass of the T5SS. As noted in that thread, even with this change a supergiant in this location of Charted Space (65–70 parsecs from Terra) would be the brightest star in the Earth’s sky, roughly as bright as Jupiter.

There are a handful of bright real world stars that would be located in approximately the same area as Dark Nebula:

Real World Stars Near Dark Nebula

Bayer Designation	Common Name	RA	Dec	Galactic Long (lb°)	Galactic Lat (b°)	Spectral Type	Vis Mag	Abs Mag	Dist (LY)
Gamma Draconis	Eltanin	17 57	51.5	79.1	29.1	K5 III	2.24	-1.04	148
Beta Pegasi	Scheat	23 04	28.1	95.8	-29.1	M2 III	2.44v	-1.49v	200
Alpha Pegasi	Markab	23 05	15.2	88.4	-40.4	B9 IV	2.49	-0.67	140
Eta Pegasi	Matar	22 43	30.2	92.5	-25	G2 II-III F0 V	2.93	-1.16	215
Theta Aquilae		20 11	-0.8	41.6	-18.1	B9.5 III	3.24	-1.48	285
Delta Aquarii	Skat	22 55	-15.8	49.6	-60.7	A3 III	3.27	-0.18	160
Zeta Pegasi	Homam	22 41	10.8	78.9	-40.7	B8.5 V	3.41	-0.62	210
Beta Bootis	Nekkar	15 02	40.4	67.6	60	G8 III	3.49	-0.64	220

Standard disclaimer: it is folly to try to establish a consistent relationship between real world stars and jump maps of Charted Space. And our real world understanding and classification of stellar data is constantly changing. But if we’re a little more than 50 parsecs from Terra, I think it’s useful to give unusually bright stars in the sector data extra scrutiny (why don’t we see this F8 Ia star from Earth?), and if possible associate them with a real world analog. Maybe the A7 IV primary of Stralsund (Solomani Rim 0618) is really Alpha Cephei, and maybe it isn’t, but the connection is there if a referee wants it.

As I worked through the data I took a hard look at the outlier stars—the subgiants, giants, white dwarfs, and so on. In general, I reduced these to main sequence stars, though I tweaked a few to line up with some of the real world candidates. I found a nice home for Beta Pegasi in Steiaseah (1927), a system without gas giants or belts and an airless planetoid for a mainworld. And it just happens to be in the same area as Daanarni, the “Bright Star” of the Dark Nebula board game.

I dithered over what to do with that F8 Ia, especially with Beta Pegasi already placed in the sector. I went back and looked at past discussions and really didn’t see anyone arguing that Dark Nebula needed a supergiant, and with no canonical grounding I decided to scale that star back.

I also took a hard look at the M class stars: there are at lot of these, and that’s consistent with real world data. But red dwarfs are so cool that worlds in the habitable zone are almost always tidally locked unless they wind up in a resonant orbit. There is an interesting debate going on right now about the habitability of tide-locked worlds, so I generally left the red dwarf stars alone. But in a handful of cases—generally agricultural and/or garden worlds—I changed the primary to something a bit warmer.

Here are my proposed changes to the Dark Nebula stellar data:

• Aohoikiy (0207) - Change stellar data from M3 III D to M3 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Tahetlo (0609) - Change stellar data from M6 III K9 V to K9 V to remove giant star.
• Nalale (0801) - Change stellar data from M3 III to M3 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Helene (1005) - Change stellar data from K4 III to K4 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Hfieao (1207) - Change stellar data from A1 IV F7 V to F7 V to remove bright subgiant star.
• Teioyukh (1310) - Change stellar data from K1 III to K1 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Reawaiy (1402) - Change stellar data from M3 III to M3 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Eiyriou (1608) - Change stellar data from M0 III D to M0 V D to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Bathanfel (1805) - Change stellar data from M1 V M6 V to G6 V to reflect habitability.
• Cuoon (2105) - Change stellar data from M0 V to K0 V to reflect native Chirper population.
• Rindnoir (2201) - Change stellar data from M2 V M4 V to G2 V to reflect planetary habitability.
• Elahkilr (2203) - Change stellar data from M2 V M3 V to K8 V to reflect planetary habitability.
• Caprona (2607) - Change stellar data from K7 II M6 V to K7 V M6 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Bedegrayn (2608) - Change stellar data from A3 IV to M3 V to reduce bright subgiant star to main sequence.
• Frasden (2801) - Change stellar data from K0 II to K0 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Romart (2810) - Change stellar data from K5 II to M0 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Strova (2903) - Change stellar data from M9 III D to K5 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Hfayulealr (0319) - Change stellar data from M2 V M2 V M3 V to F5 V to reflect likely Terran colony.
• Tahwyafe (0717) - Change stellar data from M6 II to B8 V (Zeta Pegasi).
• Rosal (0720) - Change stellar data from M2 V to F7 V to reflect native Droyne population.
• Hipera (0814) - Change stellar data from M1 V to F7 V to reflect likely Terran colony.
• Htaweal (0817) - Change stellar data from K5 IV to K5 V to reduce unlikely subgiant star to main sequence.
• Kipelaresh (0914) - Change stellar data from K7 II to M0 V M4 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Meshmo (1215) - Change stellar data from K4 IV to K4 V to reduce unlikely subgiant star to main sequence.
• Akhlare (1313) - Change stellar data from M2 V to K2 V to reflect native Ormine population.
• Yakolev (2215) - Change stellar data from M2 V to F1 V B9 III (Delta Cygni).
• Ilriyhya (2415) - Change stellar data from M0 III D to G9 V M9 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Stop Gap (2416) - Change stellar data from M2 II to F2 V G3 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Neween (2619) - Change stellar data from M2 II D to G4 V M1 V to reduce giant star to main sequence and remove white dwarf.
• Waq (2819) - Change stellar data from M1 II to G8 III (Zeta Cygni).
• Nabebe (3015) - Change stellar data from M2 V M5 V to F5 V to reflect planetary habitability
• Nabokov (3118) - Change stellar data from M1 V M8 V to K1 V M8 V to reflect planetary habitability.
• Ro Hyeres (3218) - Change stellar data from M6 III D M5 V to G8 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Syerakhir (0222) - Change stellar data from M2 V M9 V to K2 V M9 V to reflect likely Terran colony site.
• Uiaio (0224) - Change stellar data from K6 IV M6 V to K6 V M6 V to reduce unlikely subgiant star to main sequence.
• Iyyoiy (0321) - Change stellar data from M9 II M9 V to M2 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Teaiyre (0427) - Change stellar data from G8 III to M1 V M8 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Hlyerl (0429) - Change stellar data from M3 III to K5 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Kteaesyah (0527) - Change stellar data from K8 II M8 V to G7 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Khteau (0628) - Change stellar data from G3 IV to G2 II F0 V (Eta Pegasi).
• Ahaiehea (0726) - Change stellar data from M2 V to G2 V to reflect planetary habitability.
• Ziha (0824) - Change stellar data from M0 III D to M0 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Iylhreyu (0829) - Change stellar data from M1 V to K1 V to reflect planetary habitability.
• Ewirle (1028) - Change stellar data from M1 V to G2 V to reflect planetary habitability.
• Weisaow (1327) - Change stellar data from M3 V to K2 V M3 V to reflect planetary habitability and match board game; stars correspond to Blatta and Xida.
• Iyohkeih (1427) - Change stellar data from K4 III to K4 V to reduce giant star to main sequence; primary named Rosa based on board game.
• Aiearye (1428) - Change stellar data from K0 II D to K2 V to reduce giant star to main sequence; primary named Panas based on board game.
• Syailei (1724) - Change stellar data from M4 III to M0 V M7 V to reduce giant star to main sequence and reflect binary system in board game; stars named Dim and Astek.
• Eieiau (1830) - Change stellar data from K6 IV to K6 V to reduce unlikely subgiant star to main sequence.
• Troi' (1923) - Change stellar data from M3 V M2 V to G9 V M9 V to reflect planetary habitability; based on board game G9 V primary named Ria and the M9 V near companion Alis.
• Steiaseah (1927) - Change stellar data from M1 V to M2 III (Beta Pegasi); based on board game asteroid belt also known as Daanarni.
• Kihahouwu (2028) - Change stellar data from K4 IV M7 V to K4 V to reduce unlikely subgiant star and match board game; primary named Salia per board game.
• Eakhoi (2123) - Change stellar data from M1 V to K1 V to reflect planetary habitability.
• Iouhtah (2128) - Change stellar data from M1 V M3 V to K1 V to reflect planetary habitability; based on board game primary named Kov.
• Troutiyka (2230) - Change stellar data from F8 Ia to F8 V G4 V to reduce supergiant star to main sequence and correspond to stars N3 and N4 from board game.
• Styaroir (2325) - Change stellar data from M7 III D to M1 V M9 V to reduce giant star to main sequence; based on board game stars named Umuro and Omoro.
• Eiouktoh (2427) - Change stellar data from M0 V to M0 V G3 V to reflect board game; stars named Rishi and Kamat.
• Arakhal (2729) - Change stellar data from M2 V to G2 V M2 V to reflect board game; stars named Maadin and Omyl.
• Tanjert-Nebo (2821) - Change stellar data from K3 III M6 V to K3 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Gilead (2921) - Change stellar data from M3 V to K5 V to reflect planetary habitability.
• Iywaiwofu (0337) - Change stellar data from K9 IV to K9 V to reduce unlikely subgiant star to main sequence.
• Hyeirih (0537) - Change stellar data from K9 IV to K9 V to reduce unlikely subgiant star to main sequence.
• Sualriyw (0636) - Change stellar data from M3 V M8 V to K5 V to reflect planetary habitability.
• Khohoa (0733) - Change stellar data from M3 III D to M3 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Waohar (0738) - Change stellar data from M0 III to M0 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Fuihafai (0834) - Change stellar data from M5 II to G8 V K5 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Hai Ei (0836) - Change stellar data from K3 IV M6 V to K3 V M6 V to reduce unlikely subgiant star to main sequence.
• Steisua (1135) - Change stellar data from K8 III to G1 V M1 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Yoreah (1431) - Change stellar data from M5 III D to M3 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Taiea (1535) - Change stellar data from K8 III M5 V to G8 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Ualaohei (1934) - Change stellar data from M2 V M5 V to K9 V to reflect planetary habitability; based on board game star named Osa.
• Tloueaeiei (2037) - Change stellar data from G6 III D to K8 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Eiaohe (2039) - Change stellar data from K0 III D to F5 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.
• Hkyosali (2132) - Change stellar data from M2 V M4 V M9 V to G6 V; based on board game primary corresponds to star N1.
• Erelefo (2335) - Change stellar data from M1 V M0 V to F1 V to reflect planetary habitability, based on board game star corresponds to Duduki.
• Irihroalea (2432) - Change stellar data from K7 III to K7 V to reduce giant star to main sequence; based on board game primary named Irbev.
• Euhisai (2434) - Change stellar data from M2 V M1 V to K4 V to reflect planetary habitability; based on board game primary named Changa.
• Steahryoha (2540) - Change stellar data from M2 III to G3 V to reduce giant star to main sequence.

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