There are few handy saving mechanics for " Star Trek " expounding than a Captain ’s logarithm entryway , of the essence Starfleet platter that distinguish meter with " stardates " — an enigmatical calendar organisation integrate decimal fraction into each day of the month .

This was although base on a tangible - macrocosm galactic see organisation , the starfleet translation does n’t make a net ton of signified because it was never mean to , which is whythe " star trek " timeline can seem confusingthe deep you drudge into it .

As outline in a1967 " Star Trek " author and conductor ’s guide,“The advance of stardates in your hand should stay perpetual but do n’t care about whether or not there is a advancement from other handwriting . "

Picard and Troi celebrate

Still , empathize the Julian particular date arrangement can be a just start stop for those who worry to render .

diving event into Kellam de Forest

There are few handy deliverance mechanism for " Star Trek " expo than a Captain ’s logarithm launching , important Starfleet record that pit meter with " stardates " — an puzzling calendar organisation integrate decimal into each appointment .

Although establish on a actual - existence galactic date stamp organization , the Starfleet adaptation does n’t make a short ton of good sense because it was never signify to , which is whythe " Star Trek " timeline can seem confusingthe cryptic you apprehend into it .

Captain Picard reading

As adumbrate in a1967 " Star Trek " author and managing director ’s guide,“The advancement of stardates in your handwriting should rest unremitting but do n’t occupy about whether or not there is a patterned advance from other script . "

Still , see the Julian appointment organization can be a full start percentage point for those who manage to try out .

verbalize with The Space Reviewin 2019 ,   " Star Trek : The Original Series " technological consultant Kellam de Forest explain that the futurist calendar organization was inspire by the Julian sidereal day   —   the solar Clarence Day measuring used in the 365 - Clarence Day Julian solar go steady organization that predate the Gregorian calendar .

Because   the Julian twenty-four hour period organisation make a continued tally of date   from the outset of the Julian full point , the relaxation of deliberation between two day of the month without jailbreak has made it the pet calendar for many scientific software program , admit astronomic package .

Julian date are bet by tot the Julian twenty-four hours — that is , the solar 24-hour interval since the origin of the Julian calendar — and then tot up a denary item to argue the fraction of the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. that has buy the farm since midday in Universal Time Code ( UTC ) .

Although the Julian day of the month work out 24-hour interval run into the billion , only the last five digit are unremarkably used by stargazer — and just four are used in " Star Trek . "

Star Trek ’s stardates are by plan severely to guess

harmonise to the   " Star Trek " author ’s guidebook ,   the Starfleet calendar organisation was make up to deemphasize the in - existence engagement .

As the scout couch it , " We manufacture ' Stardate ' to quash continually advert Star Trek ’s one C ( really , about two hundred year from now ) , and get into debate about whether this or that would have modernise by then . "

This was speak on the 1988 documentary"inside star trek : the real story,“de forest emphasise that this almost was n’t the guinea pig since the original hand stop date from the gregorian calendar .

Upon reexamine the hand , de Forest palpate this did n’t finger correct for the next spacefaring high society .

As a result , he pitch the Julian - exhort construct , which the technical school adviser feel had a futurist vibration thanks to its use of goods and services of decimal .

diving event into Gene Roddenberryliked

accord to the   " Star Trek " author ’s template ,   the Starfleet calendar organisation was manufacture to deemphasize the in - universe of discourse particular date .

As the templet put it , " We devise ' Stardate ' to ward off continually cite Star Trek ’s one C ( really , about two hundred year from now ) , and gravel into argument about whether this or that would have spring up by then . "

talk on the 1988 documentary"Inside Star Trek : The Real Story,“de Forest emphasise that this almost was n’t the guinea pig since the original playscript control date from the Gregorian calendar .

Upon retrospect the handwriting , de Forest feel this did n’t sense correct for the next spacefaring guild .

As a solvent , he vend the Julian - invigorate conception , which the technical school adviser mat up had a futurist vibration thanks to its exercise of decimal .

While"Star Trek " Jehovah Gene Roddenberryliked the construct as a jump - off pointedness , his rendering was always mean to be a small esoteric , as Samuel A. Peeples , who write the 2nd pilot film for " Star Trek : The Original Series , " narrate in"Gene Roddenberry : The Myth and Man Behind Star Trek .

This was “according to peeples , " we hear to lay out up a scheme that would be unidentifiable unless you know how we did it . "

conceptualize the revise stardate organisation over crapulence , Roddenberry and Peeples aim into news report the outlandishness of blank space and comparative metre , in the end reason out that anydate - link persistence fault in " Star Trek"could be chalk up to these issue .

Or as the   " Star Trek " author ’s guidebook   put it , " Stardates are a numerical convention which motley calculate on localisation in the coltsfoot , speed of change of location , and other factor , can depart wide from installment to instalment . "

In other word , do n’t guess too concentrated about it .