- #1
AotrsCommander
- 74
- 4
So, I know that Sol lies roughly in the 25 000 light years from the core and from the edge of the galaxy and thus the approximate the position when seen from "above." But what a search today has not given me any idea of is where Sol is (thought/estimated to be) in relation to, well, height/depth. I.e. how far it is from the (for want of a better term) "surface" (top/bottom/side?) of the Orion Spur/Arm (as far as can be defined with such a nebulous (aha) boundary). Whether it's near the centre of the radius or the periphery or what. My google-fu has not been able to turn anything up.
The reason I'm asking is more suited for the Lounge in application, but, in short, I am looking at the possibility doing a (very, very VERY) crude map of space-faring factions, basically. This is a task which is in all likelihood, simply impractical for many reasons, not least of which being, well, a practical map of the galaxy that would even stand up to use. But even to make any kind of attempt, I still am lacking in all that much of a spatial "feel" for where Sol is located in the Orion Arm in three dimensions. And thus whether stuff stated to by on "the rim" - jury would be out whether it means the actual outer rim of the galaxy or the "rim" of the arm - could be in relation. If Sol is dead-centre, that is a lot different to it being near the "top" or the "bottom" or the inner side of the arm or what, since that potentially changes what, relative to Sol, the orientation of stuff on the aforementioned "rim."
(Plus, I realized, I just don't KNOW. And that bugs the engineer in me as well.)
The reason I'm asking is more suited for the Lounge in application, but, in short, I am looking at the possibility doing a (very, very VERY) crude map of space-faring factions, basically. This is a task which is in all likelihood, simply impractical for many reasons, not least of which being, well, a practical map of the galaxy that would even stand up to use. But even to make any kind of attempt, I still am lacking in all that much of a spatial "feel" for where Sol is located in the Orion Arm in three dimensions. And thus whether stuff stated to by on "the rim" - jury would be out whether it means the actual outer rim of the galaxy or the "rim" of the arm - could be in relation. If Sol is dead-centre, that is a lot different to it being near the "top" or the "bottom" or the inner side of the arm or what, since that potentially changes what, relative to Sol, the orientation of stuff on the aforementioned "rim."
(Plus, I realized, I just don't KNOW. And that bugs the engineer in me as well.)
