[TML] average stellar intervals

[rpg]

Anthony gives us

>rpg wrote:
>> Mind you spacing between star varies enormously!
>> About 130 parsecs away is the Pleiades cluster containing over 3000 stars
in
>> an area about 13ly accross.
>
>Open and globular clusters have rather closely packed stars. However,
>they are unlikely to have planetary systems of interest:
>
>Globular clusters are mostly very old red dwarf stars with low
>metallicity (which are unlikely to have habitable planets), and any
>planetary systems are likely to be disrupted by gravitational
>interactions with other stars.
>
>Open clusters are mostly very young stars, which may well have planetary
>disks, protoplanets, or even young planets, but are unlikely to have
>planets old enough for life. They also have a disproportionate
>likelihood of being uncomfortably close to a supernova.

Valid points.
But evolving life is not necessary to make a system of interest in
Traveller, many systems have main worlds without oxygen based atmospheres.

Even planatary disks will be sufficent for refueling (& the mass of the star
gives a suitable beacon/ gravity well for Jumping if your house rules don't
allow deep space jumps)
In addition the cluster could make an ideal hiding place for ethically
challenged merchants, or a place of study for scientists...

Any attempts at making stellar spacings similar to Real Life (TM) ought to
have areas of extreme stellar density, even if the stars are of little
interest. Since the entire cluster is only 3-4 parsecs accross it doesn't
make for a huge area of the star chart that is unusable, and allows GMs to
hide things without resorting to deep space.

Mike