Finally made it to Waypoint 18, The Magnus Nebula. For a Nebula, it was quite large. 5 Jumps away from the Waypoint, I was already in the Nebula.

On the way I managed to find a neat looking Lava World:

One can only imagine how hellish being on the surface (or near it) would be!

I poked around the Waypoint System for a while. Many Large Gas Giants and a few T-Tauri Stars at the end of the system. Before I bunked down for the night at the Waypoint, I replotted my course to Waypoint 19.

124 jumps and a severe change of direction. I was expecting to go into the next Galactic Region, but the direction change, keeps me in Ryker's Hope a bit longer.

CMDR MAD DOG MacD

Make some good headway towards the next Waypoint. Close to the 100 jump benchmark. Ended up talking with another CMDR in the Squadron.

Loads of systems, nothing that was noteworthy or photogenic. Mind you, I spent most of the evening chatting as opposed to discovering. Tired today, best to call it before I do something stupid.

87% Hull is getting near my comfort zone for time for repair when I arrive at Beagle.

CMDR MAD DOG MacD

128 Jumps to go before I reach Waypoint 18. I think that is pretty good progress for a few hours of jumping.

Messier is looking a bit worse for wear, but still ticking. The Hull is down to 87% (thank you Blackhole @ Waypoint 17)

Directly behind me is the Galactic Core

Heading towards Waypoint 17 which is 15 jumps away, the Needle Nebula.

I did reach the Nebula but forgot about the Black Hole, I was reminded when I exited Hyperspace and slammed into it.

The Nebula is nice and the Black Hole created an interesting lensing effect on the surrounding stars similar to an Interstellar Doughnut.

The color and lensing effect was neat.

After taking the picture and getting a distance away from the Black Hole, I replotted my course to Waypoint 18 which is 179 jumps away.

This will take me to the end of the Ryker's Hope region and almost into the Izanami region.

No more short distances between Waypoints from here on in.

CMDR MAD DOG MacD

A mere 31 jumps to Waypoint 16, the Rose Nebula. 16 jumps into heading towards the Waypoint I passed into the Ryker's Hope region of the Galaxy, leaving the Galactic Core region behind.

I eventually made the Rose Nebula and decided this was a good place to stop for the night. It has been an interesting little trek, the Hot Jupiter being the highlight of my travels today.

I finally made Waypoint 15 this morning. A good night's sleep was a big help. I cannot believe how tired I was yesterday. Out here, it gets hard keeping a rhythm when you are stuck in eternal darkness.

On the way, found the most amazing discovery; A Hot Jupiter.

When I exited out of Hyperspace at the Primary star in the system, the Planet was so close it performed a unintentional Aero-brake on my way to the star.

It was a mere 4.03Ls from it's Primary star. Wow. Pretty neat. This is what the whole journey is all about!

From a distance away seems unassuming...

At a much closer range, you realize just how close this planet is

I have bookmarked the system for future return and exploration.

CMDR MAD DOG MacD

I finally reached Waypoint 14 this morning, The Phipoea Nebula. A rather unassuming ball of Purple Gas awash with a backdrop of stars. As usual, everything around and in the Nebula was discovered and mapped but it never seems to stop me from looking.

Replotted my course to Waypoint 15, which is a mere 40 jumps away. I should have no problem getting there sometime today as I have made my first few cursory jumps towards the waypoint.

Already, I can see the inky black of Space attempting to break through the Stellar Cloud. How I long for the deep dark of Space. Soon.

Waypoint 15 will have to wait until tomorrow. My eyes are tired and mind exhausted. Time for this CMDR to call it a night.

CMDR MAD DOG MacD

23 jumps to go before I hit the next Waypoint. I have been taking things rather casually and on the way I discovered, for my own personal record, my first Red/Sienna Gas Giant with rings;

I have never seen a Gas Giant this color before

I am calling the planet "Ardra"

Also on the way, found this ringed Y-Type Star, with rings that extend 1/3 of the way to the Earth's Moon (1,000,000 km);

Pretty impressive sight.

When I first spotted this, it was a glowing ellipse hovering in Space. Moving along at a steady pace, but there are plenty of undiscovered systems here to map and explore.

CMDR MAD DOG MacD

UP.

Hit Waypoint 13 this evening. What an incredible sight. A good clear view of the galaxy in every direction, all knowing at a point well past the horizon is Beagle Point

UP indeed

I took a quite tour of the system and replotted my course to Waypoint 14, which is 84 Jumps away.

Waypoint 13 is 60 Jumps directly up from Sag "A". I am sure this is going to command a wonderful view but lack in exploration data and I was right.

At the 30 Jump mark, the amount of already visited (and mapped) systems was greater than the one or two systems that were left untouched. Regardless, it is about the journey, not the destination (whomever originally coined that phrase has never traveled with kids before).

CMDR MAD DOG MacD

Some statistics now that I have reached the Halfway mark of my Journey;

• Pallaeni to Sag "A" : 15 Days, 2 hours, 45 minutes (NO DSS, NO SRV)
• Total Travel Time (no stops): 2 days, 8 hours, 49 minutes
• Distance from Pallaeni to Sag "A": 30,800 LY
• Distance Travelled: 36209.7 Ly
• Extra Distance Travelled: 5409.7 Ly
• Distance to Beagle Point: 39,386.35 Ly
• Messier Hull Status: 88%

Other Statistics

• Total Systems Discovered: 780
• Ammonia Worlds (new): 13
• Ammonia World Star Classes: G, G, F, A, F, A, A, A, G, F, F, K, G
• Earthlike Worlds (new): 4
• Earthlike World Star Classes: A, F, A, F

CMDR MAD DOG MacD

Greetings from Sag "A"

The amount of Fleet Carriers here is staggering. I was fully expecting to run into other CMDRs but that was not the case. Hit the Tourist Beacon for my Codex Entry and decided that this is will be my rest stop for the evening. Tomorrow, I start plotting a course to Waypoint 13, the first heading towards Beagle Point.

Finally made Waypoint 11, The Amethyst Cloud.

It was a nice splash of color amongst the backdrop of stars

At this point, I decided to do a visual inspection of Messier. When I reach the Distant Worlds Fleet Carrier at Beagle Point, I really need to do some fixing and a paintjob touch up

Paintjob needs an extreme touch up but at 88% Hull and still working in perfect order

Did a replot to Waypoint 12, Sag "A". Saw that is it was only 16 Jumps away (600Ly) so I decided to end the night and the halfway mark of my journey this evening.

Quite literally all the systems that I ran into were not only discovered but Mapped as well, it is a popular area..

Boy was I wrong about that wonderful purple Nebula. In fact, it was only one jump away and a size of a Star System.

I did manage to jump over (after plotting the route and realizing I am not going near it) and checked it out.

Big ole Black Hole and the system awash with a Purple Hue. While nice, I have a lot of jumping to do and getting much closer to my mid point, Sag "A".

Waypoint 11 is 93 Jumps + 600 Ly from Waypoint 11 to Sag "A". So a bit closer. Jump 72 saw me entering the Galactic Center region.

Found this interesting Gas Giant close to its Primary Star. The view from the Rings was spectacular

CMDR MAD DOG MacD

Seems that I literally just skirting the star density beneath me. This route has proven lucrative in one regard, and a little boring on the other.

I managed the remaining 31 jumps with much ease, a few of the systems were simply just stars and nothing out of the ordinary.

The last few were a bit larger, but nothing warranting further exploration (though I do keep an eye out for Notable Stellar Phenomenon).

This is the view from Waypoint 10.

I am going to wager I am looking at my next destination. When I reach this, I am officially only 600Ly from Sag "A". Almost at the halfway mark!

CMDR MAD DOG MacD