How easy is it to hide in deep space?

[cray]

I'm not even going to ask how a viable biosphere emerges around a star like that despite the short lifespan.  I'm just going to repeat the MST3K Mantra and enjoy the stompy robots.

Here's a fun one: About 50% of all canon star systems have giant stars (i.e., non-main sequence). Even when a star will spend a billion years or so as a giant, the giant phase is much more erratic than the main sequence. And the transit rules don't change a bit so, for example, the habitable planet of Betelgeuse should be deep in the core of a giant star.

[Fatebringer]

I see the title and a lot of this has turned into jump specs and star stats. ;)

What I'd like to know is that, when your trying to stay hidden jumping into a system. I know it's possible to try to conceal your approach by using celestial bodies to cover your signature, and from the looks of things you'ld want to come in further away still so that a littler body can cover a massive signature.

But if someone chose to come in closer and lets say they jumped in using a planet as cover and miscalculated, besides the obvious colision / gravity threats, would the jump wake have a chance of bouncing off the planet and hitting the Jumpship? It would seem to me that if another ship was caught in your wake, that you could get cuaght in your own.

[cray]

What I'd like to know is that, when your trying to stay hidden jumping into a system. I know it's possible to try to conceal your approach by using celestial bodies to cover your signature

If there's a proper early detection system in the network (which would consist of satellites in solar orbits), it's not easy to hide a jump behind a planet. There will be satellites to the sides of the planet and probably further out in the system.

Also, as noted in Strategic Operations, the handful of valid pirate points in a star system are primary targets for early warning satellites.

But if someone chose to come in closer and lets say they jumped in using a planet as cover and miscalculated, besides the obvious colision / gravity threats, would the jump wake have a chance of bouncing off the planet and hitting the Jumpship?

Sure. Would it do anything? No. It's a flash of light and radio waves.

The fancy space-rippling effects of an arriving/departing JumpShip will not reflect.

It would seem to me that if another ship was caught in your wake, that you could get cuaght in your own.

Only in one circumstance is that a problem: if your arrival point is within 27 kilometers of your departure point. Yes, JumpShips can make jumps that short.

[rlbell]

Ah, okay.  It didn't have anything directly to do with it - I was responding to your point about the brightest stars with curiosity as to why someone would want to be hanging around a star like that (even a B-type star), detected or not.  They just don't seem to have a lot to recommend them for most purposes.  I suppose the sheer brightness (and consequent ability to plot them) might make them useful for navigation in some circumstances...?

My apologies for causing any confusion.

Given the short lifespans of the really big stars, stellar physicists would want to set up remote sensors around such stars, on spec, in hopes of catching the supernova.  While it is a waste of a mobile HPG, it would allow for really good data collection.  An interesting strategic Aerotech campaign would be the realization that these devices are out there, and the rush collect HPG's not under the thumb of Comstar-- knowledge of the existence and whereabouts of these probes being lost in the violence of the Amaris coup.

I do not know how big an O class star is, but a star of 100 stellar masses only remains on the main sequence for a few hundred thousand years, so planets are unlikely.  Even stars of twenty solar masses only last about ten milion years.

[Moonsword]

I mentioned scientific curiosity in the first post in that little sequence of confusion.  I was wondering if there was some other reason.

[cray]

I do not know how big an O class star is, but a star of 100 stellar masses only remains on the main sequence for a few hundred thousand years, so planets are unlikely.  Even stars of twenty solar masses only last about ten milion years.

O-class stars are noted for producing such violent solar winds and UV light that they can disperse their own pre-planetary nebulas (nebulae?) and surrounding nebular material for several light-years. If they have any planets, then they're captured.

[Moonsword]

O-class stars are noted for producing such violent solar winds and UV light that they can disperse their own pre-planetary nebulas (nebulae?) and surrounding nebular material for several light-years. If they have any planets, then they're captured.

Looks like we have the next extreme sport for FortuneTech, Inc. - extreme solar wind surfing!