Celestography
Celestography is the study and science of celestial objects, with focus on the heliospheres that make up the One Hundred Suns. The ‘Hundred Suns’ references that there are one hundred heliospheres occupied by humans; the current and possibly total extent of the Humanverse. Each heliosphere is centered on a star and is delineated by the force barrier known as the Limit.
The Limit around the One Hundred Suns defies definition by generations of scientists and technologists. It is not natural in occurrence and all attempts to send ships through—crewed and drone—result in them being destroyed or disappearing. There are many theories as to the Limit’s workings and origins but no single answer has been found. Some believe it is supernatural in origin, others that it is simply a form of science beyond our own.
The heliospheres are connected at discrete points—gaps in the Limit where energy and matter can pass through. These connections are called slipways. This allows travel from one heliosphere to the next, called ‘slipping’.
Slipping is a precise maneuver that requires complex calculations and a skilled pilot. If the calculations are wrong, or the pilot makes an error, a ship can be destroyed by the barrier field.
Heliospheres are grouped together into clusters called arrays. An array can have any number of heliospheres within it. For instance, the Pentahelios array comprises five heliospheres: Pinnacle, Juno, Astrapelago, Stars Edge, and Periphery.
Slipping between heliospheres in the same array is much easier than slipping from one array to another. This is because of an effect known as z-space inertia. Different arrays create different amounts of Z-space inertia, and the further one travels the greater the z-space inertia experienced.
Through long study, celestographers have mapped the heliospheres and slipways to understand their relation to each other. Astronomers found that a heliosphere’s position within the Humanverse is not related to the positions of the two star systems in the universe. Two heliospheres that appear to be neighbors might have very different star fields, while heliospheres separated by several slips appear close to each other in astronomical terms.
