Ultimate Star Trek: Map of the Quadrant

Hey all so the time has come for me to show you what the Ultimate Star Trek universe looks like in a map.  Now before anyone says anything about the nature of space and 3 dimensions, I am incapable of making a 3D map, so 2D will have to suffice.

Moving on.

So this is the Milky Way Galaxy;

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Now in this version, which is often the same orientation of the Star Trek canon maps, the Sol sector is in the lower-middle of the map.  I don't like that for only one simple reason, it makes the centre of the galaxy "Galactic North" and the edge of the galaxy "Galactic South".

Happily there are other maps, many from NASA and other space agencies that flip the layout and look at the map from the other side.  Here's an isometric version;

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Now I like this a lot more.  As this is the way my Milky Way cartography will be orientated.

Now for those of you who are saying "So what?  Who cares?", you are missing the point of being creative.  When in full creative fugue (yes I know that isn't the exact meaning of the word, but trust me it works) things have to "work" or "fit" or "feel" right.  It is a time consuming insanity that can eat hours of a project, but in the end when it feels right, when everything clicks, the results are the best work you could do.  So, I care.  That's all that matters to me.

Your mileage may vary, of course.

Now when making this map I looked at a lot of different sources, not the least of which was actual Star Trek canon;

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This one seemingly reduced the majestic grandness of the galaxy to me by having way too many things included, not the least of which being all four quadrants.

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That's just crowded and busy as hell.  Also how does the Federation surround the Romulan Empire?  Ugh... no!

So then I thought about the one Star Trek map that always spoke to me.  The one that was the first map I had ever seen of the Star Trek universe.  The GASA Trek map!

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This is the map I like.  Simple, basic and clean to my eyes.  Yes I know there are snazzier and prettier maps out there, but I like this one.  It feels right to me.

So, without further ado, here is my Ultimate Star Trek map.

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Cheers!