After two days of travel further out of this star system, I've come to planet A-002. It's an ice planet with very little life on it. The temperature average seems to be 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The atmosphere is breathable though, so I should be able to explore the planet on foot. While scanning the planet, I've picked up a strange plant structure on a glacial formation at a point on the northern hemisphere that I'm going to examine.
After landing on a relatively smooth spot at the base of a cliff under were the strange plant structure is located, I spent most of the day climbing to the top. When I got there, I was surprised to find a large patch of mosses and lichen growing on what looked to be the corpse of a extremely large humanoid creature.
After taking some initial measurements and sensor reading I noticed that the sun was setting, so I set up my shelter. There was no way I was going to climb back down the cliff in the dark and I'd need the shelter if I was going to survive the night.
While I was sitting in my shelter going over the readings that I took of the corpse, I noticed movement outside. I set my notebook aside and took up my rifle, and cautiously made my way to the door. Looking out I saw an amazing sight, a group of humanoids just like the corpse on the glacier. They were coming towards the corpse. Some of them were chanting, while others were banging some drum-like instruments similar to a Bodhran drum found on Earth. The leader of the group had on a fancy headdress and different cloths. I assume this must be a chief or shaman of some kind.
I watched them perform their ceremony, it was quite touching. They sang a lovely song and did several chants as the shaman spread seeds over the corpse. I think they use their dead as fertelizer so they can grow crops, because as the ritual was ending several of the beings clipped or cut some of the moss and lichen off of the corpse. I wish I had a camera to record the ceremony. I'll have to make sure that is one of the items I bring when I explore on foot. I'll have to come back at some point and see if I can establish contact with these people. They may have much to teach us.
End of log.