Editing Ionian Nebula

{{disline|For other uses of the term "ion," see: [[Ion]].}}


[[File:TRS - Crossroads, Part II - Ionian Nebula.jpg|thumb|The Ionian Nebula.]]
The '''Ionian Nebula''' is a [[w:supernova remnant|supernova remnant]] located approximately 13,000 light years distant from the [[algae planet]].

In their search for the [[Eye of Jupiter]]'s purpose and symbolism, Lieutenant [[Felix Gaeta|Gaeta]] discovers that a nova occurred in the Ionian system which would have been observed 4,000 years ago on ancient {{RDM|Kobol}}, around the time of the [[Thirteenth Tribe (RDM)|Thirteenth Tribe's]] [[Timeline (RDM)|exodus]]. The timing of the nova with the Thirteenth Tribe's journey and its resemblance to the algae planet system's nova suggests to Gaeta that the Tribe's next marker is the Ionian Nebula {{TRS|Rapture}}.

When the Fleet reaches the nebula, every ship suffers an abrupt power outage. With the Fleet helplessly adrift and without [[DRADIS]], four [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] [[Basestar (RDM)|baseships]] also jump to the nebula and launch [[Cylon Raider (RDM)|Raiders]]. ''Galactica'' detects the baseships after power is partially restored, but the Fleet's civilian ships are slower to recover and are unable to make an immediate FTL jump. ''Galactica'' responds by launching all its {{RDM|Viper}}s to intercept the Raiders, and Admiral [[William Adama|Adama]] authorizes the use of nuclear weapons against the baseships. Sortied to defend against the incoming Cylon attack, {{Callsign|Lee Adama}} picks up a mysterious, intermittent DRADIS contact and breaks off to intercept it. The bogey leads him on a chase through the nebula's dust clouds and, after outmaneuvering Adama's [[Viper Mark VII]], pulls up along him portside. Much to his surprise, the unknown contact is the [[Maelstrom|presumed-dead]] {{Callsign|Starbuck}} piloting an unusually pristine [[Viper Mark II]] {{TRS|Crossroads, Part II}}.

During the [[Battle of the Ionian Nebula|following battle]], the Cylons inflict damage of the civilian ships, destroying ''[[Pyxis]]'' and damaging several other vessels, but unexpectedly retreat, apparently after finding out that the [[Final Five]] have been activated when one Raider scans {{Callsign|Longshot}}' Viper {{TRS|He That Believeth in Me}}.

== Hallucinations ==

While the Fleet moves closer to the nebula, [[Saul Tigh]], [[Galen Tyrol]], [[Samuel Anders]] and [[Tory Foster]] experience mutual [[The Music|musical hallucinations]]. When the Fleet arrives, they are drawn together and come to realize that they are Cylons (four of the final five models). As a group they are able to piece together the song's melody.

Moreover, [[Laura Roslin]], {{callsign|Athena}} and [[Caprica-Six]] share a common dream of chasing [[Hera Agathon|Hera]] in each other's presence at the [[Opera House]]. Almost immediately after arriving and coinciding with the power loss, Roslin becomes dazed or stunned, possibly because of her use of [[chamalla|chamalla extract]] to induce prescient visions [[The Hand of God (RDM)|as in the past]] {{TRS|Crossroads, Part II}}.

The nebulae is in, very roughly, the same region of the galaxy as [[Earth]].  Starbuck's claims indicate Earth is a modest return trip from the Nebula using the jump technology available to her, and is also a doable trip for the fleet under her guidance.

== Notes ==

* When an imaginary camera pulls away from the nebula into deep space, it re-enters the galaxy at roughly the same point it exited and zooms to Earth, indicating that Earth and the nebula are not very far apart on a galactic scale.
* [[w:Ionia|Ionia]] was an ancient region of southwestern coastal [[w:Anatolia|Anatolia]] (in present-day [[w:Turkey|Turkey]], the region nearest [[w:İzmir|İzmir]],) on the [[w:Aegean Sea|Aegean Sea]], which was said to be founded by [[w:Ion (mythology)|Ion]], son of [[w:Apollo|Apollo]].
* In reality, the Ionian Nebula resembles [[w:NGC 2440|NGC 2440]], which is located 4,000 light-years away from Earth.

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[[de:Ionischer Nebel]]