Federation mapping systems

Within systems and around planets, a special form of navigation is used which better reflects vectors, and adjustment to orbits. But when considering the federation at large, there is one system which the greater coordinate systems are based.

On the large maps the federation systems are considered in terms of Cartesian coordinates, these necessarily have to be very accurate, especially as most spacecraft continuously travel at supra-light speeds and are therefore unable to take accurate navigational fixes during their flights.

Although there is no universal system, in this computational age machines can instantaneously convert between system with no correspondingly loss of accuracy. But there has to be certain agreed points for the basis of a simple Cartesian system. Like when drawing the first maps of longitude and latitude on a planet, there necessarily has to be an origin where both figures are zero so that the relative position between the other points can be described. With a Cartesian system also the direction of the plane needs to be considered.

The most common system uses the star, Methis, in the Corten system, as the origin for the Cartesian system. As for the alignment of the two of planes, these lie parallel to a line running between Methis, and Sol. In practical terms, this means when traveling between Sol and Methis, only movement along one Cartesian axis needs to be considered, as the change in the other axes is zero.

All other coordinates rely on this system, which use the origin of Methis, and the alignment between Methis and Sol, to give proper meaning to their coordinates.

This system is the basis between the system distance tables also displayed on this site. When within a system most navigators prefer to use spherical coordinates which better deal with courses, and in many ways this system is superior the basis Cartesian.