Optimized for 1280x1024. Please wait a minute to load page.
Directions to Earth
Let's start with some basic orientation
I will assume you are hopelessly lost. However, you are within visible distance, 15 billion lightyears. Easy enough.
The number of superclusters within 15 billion light years = 270 000.
Number of galaxy groups within 15 billion light years = 500 million.
Number of large galaxies within 15 billion light years = 10 billion.
Number of dwarf galaxies within 15 billion light years = 100 billion.
Number of stars within 15 billion light years = 2000 billion billion.
Navigate toward the Virgo Supercluster.
Pass the Horologium Supercluster, then the Perseus-Pices Supercluster.
This should be fairly easy to see within 1 billion lightyears.
If you are that far off, you might want to visit somewhere else.
Things on earth do not change very much. There is always some upset in the middle east, the average person in the USA always
wants to make "a little bit more", and constant competition in Pete Kelly's neighborhood for who has the noisiest car.
Navigate toward the Local Group.
Once you're in the Local Virgo Supercluster, about 100 million lightyears in diameter, the Local Group should start to become
fairly clear straight ahead.
Navigate toward the Milky Way Galaxy.
Once you get 5 million lightyears, you are basically home. There are only three galaxies in the Local Group. The 36 other
ones are dwarf galaxies, so it is hard to get lost. Therefore, don't stop and ask for directions.
Approaching the Milky Way Galaxy.
If you are approaching midway into the Local Group, you will also be north of the Milky Way Galaxy. This is the easiest
way to see how to navigate from 0.5 million lightyears out. The solar system will be on the far side.
Arriving at the Milky Way Galaxy.
At 50,000 LY the Milky Way galaxy appears as a clockwise rotational spiral galaxy of two hundred billion stars.
Navigate over the center and toward the far side. Go toward the fourth arm out, the Orion Arm.
Within the next few ten thousand lightyears, think about decompressing linear navigational space. When coming up on close
stars and nebulas, interstellar gasses will start to increase in density.
Navigate toward the Orion Arm.
At 5,000 LY, the radius of view will display an area of 300 million stars. The Orion arm shows the landmark of the
Orion constellation, all bright giant and supergiant stars. Keep on a steady course just north and east of Orion.
OK, better lighten up linear space compression some now. Notice the increase in gas density.
250 Lightyears Out.
The Solar System is not quite visible, but the Hyades Cluster is. You passed Orion, 1500 LY from the Solar System
and can start to fine tune your navigation. Notice the space density around Orion. It may be a good idea to steer around
the nebulae due to hyperspace density. Just don't pass the Solar System.
Don't forget to take in the view behind you. Here is a shot from our port longue showing the close stars and the Local Group
in the background as you descend into the galactic plane. Once entering the the Milky Way galaxy, it appears as a disk
when you look back into it.
Close Stars Area.
You have arrived, only 12.5 ly from the SS. Ignore the local chatter. There are only 33 stars around, mostly small red
dwarfs, less than one hundredth the luminosity. Therefore, you shouldn't get lost at this point. The Sun and Alpha Centauri
are yellow mediums. Keep above to the right of the Centauris and left of Bernard's to enter the galactic plane.
Passing Alpha Centauri.
At 6 ly, you'll be coming up on the Alpha and Proxima Centauris, to the left, and actually 4 LY below the galactic plane and
Bernard's star to the east, just up from the plane by 0.5 LY.
Entering the Solar System.
Once in the solar system, head for Sol, the sun. We took this through Neptune's rings. At this point
the sun is only 250 light minutes away.
The Inner Planets.
Some of the inner planets are fun to visit. If you have a shuttle, you can explore the planets closely, like the Martian
mountain ranges. Then set down on the sunny side and venture out for a few seconds.
We stop on the Moon, at a site of historical significance. After such a long trip, the dog has just got to go.
Earth.
Approaching from Earth's moon, from a distance of 500,000 km, and 1000 km.
With a little luck you may pass by Earth's second moon, "a3753".
