This is basically of theoretical interest, but here goes:

Assume one is dropped somewhere on the vicinity of the Milky way. Could a
consistent and practical Mathematical model for navigating around be found
assuming one has unlimited time to travel?

Making the question more specific: Does there exist a sufficiently accurate
(to be practical) Mathematical model that would allow one to calculate one's
way back to Earth, once one was dropped, say, near a star which sits 6,000
light years away from Earth?

It seems to me that an appropriate (linear(?) because the distances are big)
transformation T: R^3-R^3 could be used to calculate the new star positions
at any location, but how could one utilize such a device to find one's way
back to Earth?

Thanks,
--
Ioannis Galidakis
http://users.forthnet.gr/ath/jgal/
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Eventually, _everything_ is understandable