Re: Maps of the FT universe

Thomas Barclay wrote:
> I'm looking to make my own map, and I'm trying to latch hold of
> accurate X,Y,Z coords (relative to earth) for the near (say 50ly)
> stars in Earth orbit, corrected to 2285 or 2300 for the sake of rough
> numbers. And maybe type and magnitude and mass data if it was
> available. Then I can fire up my old traveller world generation
> software (or the paper and pen version!) to generate the planets in
> those systems.

	Have you tried the Hipparcos data?  It's a huge dataset,
	but you can get a subset of it.

http://astro.estec.esa.nl/Hipparcos/hipparcos.html

	You can find the equations to transform the data into
	x,y,z co-ords on my 3-d Starmapping website, at
	
http://www.clark.net/pub/nyrath/starmap.html

	For the relatively short period of time represented by
	1998 to 2300, the stars would move only a fraction of a parsec.
	If you simply *must* have the most accurate figures, I can
	supply you with the equations.	The Hipparcos data has
	the radial velocity and proper motion figures you'll need.

	If you want everything pre-made, there is a neat booklet called
	PROXIMITY ZERO - A WRITER'S GUIDE TO THE NEAREST 200
	STARS ( A 40 - LIGHTYEAR RADIUS ).
	It has xyz maps (in slices), star info, the works.
	Available from the author for $19.95 + $3.00 Priority Mail
return 
	postage ($5 outside US): 
	Terry Kepner, PO Box 428, Petersborough, NH 03458