Density

GrumpyOldFart

If you use a data set that uses actual stars, you're guaranteed that it will get less dense the farther away from Sol you get. That's built in by the fact that the farther away a star is, the dimmer it is.

Is there any way to generate more objects up to a given density, so that a sector 1000 ly from Sol, but with actual stars found 1000 ly from Sol, can be brought up to a comparable density, while still keeping the known data? Is there a way to do it so that as density of known stars decreases with distance from Sol, a sector 100 ly in radius centered on, say Eta Andromedae can have contents generated to bring it to comparable density with a sector 100 ly in radius centered on Sol?

Ed_NBOS

If I understand what you're asking, the only way to simulate that would be to write a script that calculates the visual magnitude of each star from the central point, and filter out those that fall below some threshold. That will simulate how the data sets get less dense the further out you go.

GrumpyOldFart

No, that's the opposite of what I'm asking. I'm saying that since the data set gets less dense the further out you go, and we know the reason why, is there a way to "buff" the data set as you go outward to make up for that loss.

Basically put in those stars that you know must actually be out there, but you don't see because they're too dim to see from Sol.

GrumpyOldFart

You'd have to have an idea what luminosity "falls off the map" at a given distance, have an idea what the density is at "distance 0," and generate objects less than X luminosity until density is up to Y.

Does that make sense?

Ed_NBOS

Yeah, then you'd have to do the opposite of that. Generate a new sector, filter out any star above the given visual magnitude, and put it into your sector, maybe with a check to make sure its not too close to an existing star.

Another simpler way may be to iterate every LY increment (x,y,z) and place smaller stars with some lower frequency (say, 10% per ly) if there is not already a star nearby.

GrumpyOldFart

"...the only way to simulate that would be to write a script that [generates a sector of _____ size,] calculates the visual magnitude of each star from the central point, and filter out those that fall below [above] some threshold."

And find a way to check that it's not too close to an already existing star in the sector I want to import it into. But in order to do that, I'd have to write the script myself, which I have no foggiest idea how to do.

Hmmm...

"Another simpler way may be to iterate every LY increment (x,y,z) and place smaller stars with some lower frequency (say, 10% per ly) if there is not already a star nearby."

At least that, I can figure out how to do. Although it sounds awfully labor intensive if I'm going to do one star at a time.