There aren’t many games in which sightseeing is a worthwhile activity in and of itself, but Elite Dangerous is unique in this regard. When it comes to fun gameplay loops, there are a plethora of options to choose from in Elite Dangerous, but exploration is undoubtedly one of the game’s most impressive areas.
Incredibly, Elite Dangerous features a procedural model of the entirety of the Milky Way galaxy, with over 400 billion systems to explore. That scale is hard to grasp, but for reference, in the 7 years since the game’s release, only about 0.05% of the galaxy has been explored. That means that is a huge amount of breathtaking systems to see, and at the very least it’s worth taking the time to visit the best discovered so far. Keep in mind though that many systems are a significant distance from the Bubble and will require an exploration ship to reach.
11 Sol
As humanity’s home system, Sol is a great jumping-off point for sightseeing. Players looking to visit will need a permit, which can be acquired by getting to the Petty Officer rank with the Federation. Touring our own solar system is surprisingly fun, and flying around Earth is a unique experience.
In addition to Earth, Mars is also worth a look, as it has been terraformed in the Elite universe. Mars High, one of the stations orbiting the red planet, is a tourist station and a good place to dock for convenience as well as its nice aesthetics.
10 Jackson’s Lighthouse
Jackson’s Lighthouse is one of the more dangerous systems on this list, as the primary star is a neutron star. Make sure to decelerate when entering the system, as any ship entering the exclusion zone of a neutron star is likely to face near-certain death. Jackson’s Lighthouse is one of the few examples of a neutron star within the Bubble, which are both beautiful and terrifying.
These stars have massive jet cones on either side of them, making for a stunning view. For braver or more experienced commanders, it is also possible to boost FSD range by flying into the jet cones, which will increase range by 200% for one jump, considerably shortening travel time.
9 Sagittarius A*
Sagittarius A* is the system right at the center of the galaxy, and is host to the only supermassive black hole in Elite Dangerous. Any black hole is a remarkable sight, but Sagittarius A*’s size makes it particularly impressive. It’s worth getting as close as possible, as the gravitational lensing effects are even more incredible close-up. Be careful to manage ship temperature, however, as the supermassive black hole will rapidly heat nearby ships.
However, note that Sagittarius A* is not easy to get to, as it is nearly 26,000 light years from Sol. Next door, in Stuemeae FG-Y d7651 is the station Explorer’s Anchorage, one of the few stations so far away from the bubble, and a good rest stop for explorers.
8 Epsilon Indi
Though Epsilon Indi may seem relatively mundane at first glance, the system is home to the moon Mitterand Hollow, orbiting the planet New Africa. Mitterand Hollow is famous for its incredibly fast orbital period, travelling at around 870 km per second. The moon orbits its planet in less than two minutes, and landing on the moon is also very difficult.
For those up to the challenge, try to follow Mitterand Hollow’s trajectory carefully. A ship going in the other direction is likely to build up too much speed and be smashed by the rapidly moving moon.
7 Taygeta
Taygeta’s primary star is a B-type Blue-White, which glows a magnificent purple. In Horizons, essentially the entirety of the system is covered in a strong purple tone, which makes for some amazing views around planets and rings especially.
Unfortunately, the Odyssey expansion reworked the lighting system, meaning that the star’s purple glow no longer affects the whole system. However, it’s worth booting up the game in Horizons to see Taygeta in all its glory.
6 Rackham’s Peak
Rackham’s Peak is aptly named, as it is one of the systems located right at the top of the galaxy, around 5400 light years from Sol. Note that Rackham’s peak is not accessible by normal means. The system is so far from neighboring stars that it can only be traveled to with a fleet carrier, which has a jump range of 500 light years.
It shouldn’t be too difficult to hitch a ride on a carrier for those players without one, as Rackham’s Peak is a fairly popular destination. Once there, players are afforded an amazing view. Players can essentially see the galaxy in its entirety, as Rackham’s peak is extremely far away from the galactic plane.
5 IC 1805 Sector DQ-Y e3 (Altera’s Eye)
Nicknamed “Altera’s Eye,” this system features just a single black hole, but with stunning views of the nearby Heart & Soul Nebula. The nebula’s hot blue gas makes for some great screenshots, and the gravitational lensing effects of the black hole makes the view even better.
Altera’s Eye is a lonely system, but it’s perfect for those looking for a solitary, beautiful spot in the galaxy. It's well worth checking out.
4 Mynonaw AA-A h26 (Singularities Playground)
Singularities Playground features an amazing four black holes, as well as a neutron star with two gigantic rings extending up to 3 million kilometers. It's rare to see so many incredible objects in one place.
The sheer number of rare celestial bodies in this system is nearly unmatched. An L-class brown dwarf and a multitude of interesting gas giants make this system well worth visiting.
3 Spoihaae XE-X d2-9 (Planet Of Death)
Spoihaae XE-X d2-9 is host to the infamous Planet Of Death, named for the extremely hazardous conditions surrounding the planet. The Planet Of Death orbits extremely close to a white dwarf, coming as close as 0.06 light seconds with a one-hour orbit. When attempting to land on the planet, players can only approach when it is outside the white dwarf’s exclusion zone, a fairly narrow window made even harder by the extreme heat given off by the star.
Those able to brave the treacherous conditions are rewarded with an unprecedented close-up view of one of the rarest stars in the game. Keep in mind that the entire planet passes through the white dwarf’s jet cones, which can potentially destroy a ship.
2 VY Canis Majoris
VY Canis Majoris is notable for its gigantic primary star, a red hypergiant with a radius of nearly a billion kilometers. The scale of the star is hard to comprehend until visited in-game.
Flying at 100 times the speed of light and barely moving around the star is a truly staggering experience that all players should seek out. There’s no doubt VY Canis Majoris will make any player feel tiny, even those with the largest of ships.
1 Skaude AA-A h294 (Collection Of Wonders)
The “Collection of Wonders” is one of the most well-known systems in the game, and is definitely a must-see for explorers. This astonishing system is home to two black holes, a ringed neutron star, a ringed white dwarf, and an extremely large ringed M-class star.
The Collection of Wonders is an incredibly impressive system, and the massive rings of the system’s celestial bodies are a rare and awe-inspiring sight.