Astronomy¶
Willebrord the Astronomer has pitched his tent east of Moonglow (4707, 1127) in Felucca. One thousand constellations are hidden in the New Dawn night sky, and only you can discover and name them.
Getting started¶
- Craft a telescope with Tinkering (80.0 skill) from 25 iron ingots and a spyglass.
- Lock it down in your house. Telescopes only work when locked down, and you must be within 2 tiles to use one.
- Use the context menu to choose who may use it: Owner Only (the default), Co-Owners, Friends or Anyone.
Calibrating
The first look through a telescope that hasn't been used for 10 minutes shows "calibrating". Double-click again to open the eyepiece.
When to look¶
The sky changes with the in-game time at your telescope's location. A full in-game day takes 2 real hours.
| In-game time | Period | Real time |
|---|---|---|
| 5 PM - 9 PM | Evening | ~20 min |
| 9 PM - midnight | Late at night | ~15 min |
| Midnight - 1 AM | Midnight | ~5 min |
| 1 AM - 5 AM | Middle of the night | ~20 min |
| Daytime | Nothing to see |
Each constellation appears in only one of these periods, and always at the same coordinates. Carry a clock, and remember that houses far east or west keep slightly different time.
Tip
Midnight is short, so be ready before it starts.
Using the telescope¶
Use the arrows above and below each digit to set your coordinates, then press View Coordinate.
- RA (Right Ascension): 0 to 24, in whole steps
- DEC (Declination): 0 to 90, in steps of 0.2
What you might see:
- A constellation: its stars appear in the eyepiece
- Something rarer: a comet, Trammel, Felucca, a distant galaxy or a planet. These are a sight to enjoy, but they can't be charted
- Empty space: keep searching!
Your eyes need a moment to adjust between views. The telescope is also watched over by the same "are you still there?" check as mining and fishing, and the usual penalties apply.
Charting a discovery¶
- Point your telescope at a constellation during that constellation's period, and leave it there.
- Craft a star chart with Cartography (50.0 skill) from one blank map.
- As soon as the chart is made, you're asked to target a telescope. Target your telescope (within 10 tiles).
- Double-click the chart in your backpack and give your constellation a name, up to 36 characters.
Warning
If you cancel or miss the target, the chart stays indecipherable and can't be used. Have the telescope ready before you craft.
You can rename the chart at any time before you hand it in. Names must be unique, but they're only checked against constellations already in the ledger. If someone else claims the same name first, you'll need to pick another.
Claiming it¶
Hand the named chart to Willebrord. If you're the first to chart that constellation:
- Your constellation is recorded forever in the Constellation Ledger at his camp, with its name, astronomer, date, night period and coordinates
- You receive a brass orrery, an animated house decoration. Double-click it to set the planets turning
- You receive a recipe for the Bloodrift Telescope
- You keep your chart as a memento
If someone beat you to it, Willebrord will tell you the constellation has already been discovered.
Bloodrift Telescope¶
A telescope in the Bloodrift color. It works the same as a regular telescope.
| Skill | Resources |
|---|---|
| 95.0 Tinkering | 25 iron ingots 10 gold ingots 1 spyglass |
The rules of the sky¶
- Each constellation can be claimed only once. Check the ledger before you chart!
- Each account may claim 2 discoveries per week. Each claim counts for 7 days, and Willebrord tells you how many days until you can claim again
- The ledger shows how many of the 1000 constellations have been discovered so far
Read Looking to the Heavens: A Primer on Britannian Astronomy at the camp to learn more. Clear skies, astronomers!