Star Map Update

Neutron Star are easier to locate than ordinary stars because Neutron Star rotation period is quite stable.

Of course, humans must find previously recorded Neutron Star; otherwise, they may get lost in space.

The universe is full of dangers, and it is extremely dangerous to not be able to determine one's own location.

Positioning, while seemingly simple, is actually quite difficult.

Because humans have been led around by the Awakeners for ten years, they are no longer within the vicinity of the Solar System as before. In other words, many Pulsar that humans observed during the Earth Era are no longer observable.

As is well known, Pulsar are called Pulsar because the magnetic poles at both ends of Neutron Star do not coincide with its Rotating Shaft. Its high-speed rotation causes its magnitude to sweep across the sky like a beam of flashlight, thus allowing the detection of periodic pulse signals.

The pulse period of Neutron Star is different at every moment, so once a Pulsar signal is detected, humans can determine which Neutron Star it is in the star chart, and then use Cepheid Variable to measure distances. After finding multiple Pulsar and knowing their distances to themselves, their location can be determined.

However, the star field swept by the Pulsar beam is fixed. Now that humans have moved far away from that star field, Pulsar that were observed before may no longer be observable, because humans have left the star field swept by the Pulsar pulses.

Therefore, in this situation, many, if not all, familiar Pulsar will disappear from human Radio Telescope, while many unfamiliar Pulsar will appear in Radio Telescope.

Unfamiliar Pulsar cannot be used for localization, so astronomers almost always pray that they can observe a few familiar Pulsar after starting up Radio Telescope.

Once three familiar Pulsar are found, humans will be able to pinpoint the location.

The process of locating the stars is not yet complete. Astronomers must also New Humans the star map based on the completed location, add the many newly discovered Pulsar to the database, and mark all the black holes and Pulsar that were previously observed but are now unobservable on the star map.

In fact, humans have been updating star maps all along. Almost every time a voyage is completed from one Star System to Star System, humans make an observation and update the star map.

However, the fact that the Awakeners have suddenly been placed in an unknown star field has led to this situation of difficulty in locating them. It's like taking too big a step and hurting yourself.

Whether the Awakeners forgot about this question or not, and didn't tell humanity where they were taken, humanity is in a bit of trouble now.

Inside a Research Ship, the astronomy working group led by Gan De, consisting of about seventy astronomy experts, all had furrowed brows. Before them lay sets of equipment, their screens displaying data that was incomprehensible to the average person.

"Old Gan, things aren't looking good." A young-looking astronomy PhD, dressed in research attire, approached Gan De, his worry evident in his words.

Another professor chimed in, "Yes, if we can't figure out the location, we'll likely have to go back."

Gan De remained silent. He glanced at the two men who were speaking, then looked up at the large screen on the forward bulkhead, where a star map was being displayed.

No, perhaps it cannot be considered a star map, but rather a picture of a dazzling starry sky.

It's not considered a star map because a star map would have many markings, including but not limited to star names, types, hidden black holes, Pulsar, and demonstrations of the range swept by the poles of Pulsar. Most importantly, it would also include the current location of humanity. However, the star map in front of him only had the star type marking.

Clearly, this is a picture of the night sky taken by humans using optical telescopes and Radio Telescope.

It's now the third day of the star map update, and they still haven't found the familiar Pulsar.

Looking at the unfamiliar starry sky before him, Gan De felt as if he were in a boundless ocean, with yellow sand everywhere and yellow sand dunes everywhere.

Humanity seems to have truly lost its way.

"Professor Lu, import our original star map into the system and let 'Tianhe Light' perform model comparison to see if we can find our location through the comparison." Gan De turned to look at the professor who had just spoken to him.

"We do have some data," Gan De said, projecting the original star map onto the screen and then manipulating it to scale it up slightly.

He then pointed to a location on the star map and continued, "Look, this is where we encountered the Awakeners. Although we don't know the direction the Awakeners is taking us, we do know the speed and the travel time."

As he spoke, he raised his hand and pressed a button with a snap, then pointed to the original star map that had appeared as a virtual sphere. "We are on this sphere now, but we don't know exactly where we are."

At this moment, a researcher nodded and said, "Academician Gan, I think we can rule out this hemisphere."

"Oh? The reason!" Gan De pondered.

The researcher pointed to the location of the Solar System on the original star map, and then to the battlefield location that humans had previously determined from the Gravitational Wave signals, and said, "Since the Awakeners said that he would take us out of this battlefield area, he couldn't have gone towards the battlefield from the beginning, so it can only be this hemisphere."

Gan De nodded in agreement, but a hemisphere was still too large, and star charts could not provide a rough location, otherwise they might continue to get lost.

Humans could certainly go directly to Star System near their current location and then choose the next Star System, but doing so would be considered aimless wandering.

"Old Gan, look!"

Just then, a voice drew Gan De's attention. An astronomer was excitedly pointing at the unknown star map. "Look, doesn't this look like the Ursa Major? And don't these seven stars look a bit like the Big Dipper?"

The Big Dipper, the Big Dipper.

When viewed from Earth's star system, the Big Dipper appears as a dipper shape. However, if the stars are moved, the dipper shape disappears, the luminosity of the stars changes, but the spectrum remains the same.

Gan De looked at the spot the astronomer was pointing to, where there were nine stars. Although the shape of the dipper was no longer visible, the spectral data showed that it perfectly matched the Big Dipper.

"Yes, these nine stars must be the Big Dipper," Gan De said happily.

The Big Dipper has nine stars, that's correct.

This is because when the New Humans created the star map, they also marked the two invisible stars in the Big Dipper on the star map and gave them names.

If you find the Big Dipper, then you can find Polaris.

Although the brightest star in the sky is no longer Polaris at the current location of the New Humans, Polaris can be found quickly through spectral comparison.

With this data, even without finding a familiar Pulsar, the New Humans can still accurately locate their position and update the star map.

It seems that the problem of updating star maps and determining location, which has been troubling humanity, is finally showing some promise.

While the team of astronomers updated the star map, another team was also observing nearby stars.

Although the probe hasn't reached it yet, we can pre-select the target. Anyway, the target won't be too far away; it will definitely be one of the closest stars.