Star Date

Captain Jayson Day · **Sat Jan 11, 2003 12:33 pm Star Date**

Star Date, i was wondering if anyone knows and could tell me how to tell star trek time and exchange our time into star trek time

Los · **Sat Jan 11, 2003 1:25 pm**

I made one up like this:
year/month/day.hour (based on a 3 hour interval)

so right now would be 30111.5

But I think the current ST universe uses the century mark then month and day. Dunno though.

admiral · **Sat Jan 11, 2003 2:12 pm**

yes i think it to

Captain Jayson Day · **Sat Jan 11, 2003 5:46 pm**

i'll use your one, i like it

Florian · **Mon Jan 20, 2003 1:30 pm**

Well, I don't think they use that kind. Nevertheless, I still like it.

Achilles · **Mon Jan 20, 2003 9:11 pm**

This is the most confusing Trek subject ever!

I think that the time it takes to go from Stardate 52000 to Stardate 53000 is approximately a year.

Los · **Mon Jan 20, 2003 11:12 pm**

30120.9

Florian · **Mon Jan 20, 2003 11:42 pm**

Achilles · **Tue Jan 21, 2003 2:29 pm**

I_am_Q · **Tue Jan 21, 2003 3:50 pm stardate**

This is what i got from the startrek home page hope it helps!!

According to Gene Roddenberry in "The Making of Star Trek," stardates were originally created "simply to keep from tying ourselves down to 2265 ... " and to make clear that Star Trek was set in the future. There wasn't a method used to calculate the date, but the producers of the original show did keep a rough track of stardates and there was some logic as to how they progressed. However, as the shows aired out of order from the production order, the stardates would sometimes go backwards. To address this problem, Roddenberry formulated a clever explanation that used a bit of scientific double talk to make stardates sound more plausible, i.e. they "adjust for shifts in relative time which occur due to the vessel's speed and space warp capability ... "

By the time Star Trek: The Next Generation was produced, another digit was added to the stardates. According to Michael and Denise Okuda's "Star Trek Chronology," Gene Roddenberry added the extra digit to show how long had passed between the Original Series and the new show. The first digit used was a 4 and the second digit designated the show's current season. The last three digits before the decimal point would increase from 000-999 according to where in the season the episode took place.

As stardates don't really correspond to anything in reality, fans have taken it upon themselves to come up with their own version of dating based on the standard calendar. By using the year, month, day approach, the day the first episode of Star Trek aired, September 8, 1966, would appear as 6609.08.

The url for the page is www. startrek.com

I_am_Q

tom-paris-voyager · **Tue Jan 21, 2003 4:19 pm Re: Star Date**

Los · **Tue Jan 21, 2003 9:45 pm**

damnit. I just wanted to be cool.

Florian · **Thu Jan 23, 2003 1:58 am**

In "Star Trek: Chronology" the format used for stardates are explained. We shall use the stardate 41628.3 as an example. The first digit, in this case the '4', represents the century in which the record is made, in this case, the 24th Century. In other words, the '4' would be replaced by a '1', for the 21st Century, if it were to be written in this century.

The second digit, in this case the '1', represents the first season of "Star Trek: The Next Generation".

The next three digits progress upwards during the season. They specify the exact date the log is recorded.

Use this chart:

JANUARY
Jan. 01 (001)
Jan. 02 (003)
Jan. 03 (005)
Jan. 04 (007)
Jan. 05 (009)
Jan. 06 (011)
Jan. 07 (013)
Jan. 08 (020)
Jan. 09 (022)
Jan. 10 (024)
Jan. 11 (026)
Jan. 12 (028)
Jan. 13 (030)
Jan. 14 (032)
Jan. 15 (039)
Jan. 16 (041)
Jan. 17 (043)
Jan. 18 (045)
Jan. 19 (047)
Jan. 20 (049)
Jan. 21 (051)
Jan. 22 (058)
Jan. 23 (060)
Jan. 24 (062)
Jan. 25 (064)
Jan. 26 (066)
Jan. 27 (068)
Jan. 28 (070)
Jan. 29 (077)
Jan. 30 (079)
Jan. 31 (081)

FEBRUARY
Feb. 01 (084)
Feb. 02 (086)
Feb. 03 (088)
Feb. 04 (090)
Feb. 05 (092)
Feb. 06 (094)
Feb. 07 (096)
Feb. 08 (103)
Feb. 09 (105)
Feb. 10 (107)
Feb. 11 (109)
Feb. 12 (111)
Feb. 13 (113)
Feb. 14 (115)
Feb. 15 (122)
Feb. 16 (124)
Feb. 17 (126)
Feb. 18 (128)
Feb. 19 (130)
Feb. 20 (132)
Feb. 21 (134)
Feb. 22 (141)
Feb. 23 (143)
Feb. 24 (145)
Feb. 25 (147)
Feb. 26 (149)
Feb. 27 (151)
Feb. 28 (153)
[Feb. 29 (160)]

MARCH
March 01 (167)
March 02 (169)
March 03 (171)
March 04 (173)
March 05 (175)
March 06 (177)
March 07 (179)
March 08 (186)
March 09 (188)
March 10 (190)
March 11 (192)
March 12 (194)
March 13 (196)
March 14 (198)
March 15 (205)
March 16 (207)
March 17 (209)
March 18 (211)
March 19 (213)
March 20 (215)
March 21 (217)
March 22 (224)
March 23 (226)
March 24 (228)
March 25 (230)
March 26 (232)
March 27 (234)
March 28 (236)
March 29 (243)
March 30 (245)
March 31 (247)

APRIL
April 01 (250)
April 02 (252)
April 03 (254)
April 04 (256)
April 05 (258)
April 06 (260)
April 07 (262)
April 08 (269)
April 09 (271)
April 10 (273)
April 11 (275)
April 12 (277)
April 13 (279)
April 14 (281)
April 15 (288)
April 16 (290)
April 17 (292)
April 18 (294)
April 19 (296)
April 20 (298)
April 21 (300)
April 22 (307)
April 23 (309)
April 24 (311)
April 25 (313)
April 26 (315)
April 27 (317)
April 28 (319)
April 29 (326)
April 30 (328)

MAY
May 01 (333)
May 02 (335)
May 03 (337)
May 04 (339)
May 05 (341)
May 06 (343)
May 07 (345)
May 08 (352)
May 09 (354)
May 10 (356)
May 11 (358)
May 12 (360)
May 13 (362)
May 14 (364)
May 15 (371)
May 16 (373)
May 17 (375)
May 18 (377)
May 19 (379)
May 20 (381)
May 21 (383)
May 22 (390)
May 23 (392)
May 24 (394)
May 25 (396)
May 26 (398)
May 27 (400)
May 28 (402)
May 29 (409)
May 30 (411)
May 31 (413)

JUNE
June 01 (416)
June 02 (418)
June 03 (420)
June 04 (422)
June 05 (424)
June 06 (426)
June 07 (428)
June 08 (435)
June 09 (437)
June 10 (439)
June 11 (441)
June 12 (443)
June 13 (445)
June 14 (447)
June 15 (454)
June 16 (456)
June 17 (458)
June 18 (460)
June 19 (462)
June 20 (464)
June 21 (466)
June 22 (473)
June 23 (475)
June 24 (477)
June 25 (479)
June 26 (481)
June 27 (483)
June 28 (485)
June 29 (492)
June 30 (494)

JULY
July 01 (499)
July 02 (501)
July 03 (503)
July 04 (505)
July 05 (507)
July 06 (509)
July 07 (511)
July 08 (518)
July 09 (520)
July 10 (522)
July 11 (524)
July 12 (526)
July 13 (528)
July 14 (530)
July 15 (537)
July 16 (539)
July 17 (541)
July 18 (543)
July 19 (545)
July 20 (547)
July 21 (549)
July 22 (556)
July 23 (558)
July 24 (560)
July 25 (562)
July 26 (564)
July 27 (566)
July 28 (568)
July 29 (575)
July 30 (577)
July 31 (579)

AUGUST
August 01 (582)
August 02 (584)
August 03 (586)
August 04 (588)
August 05 (590)
August 06 (592)
August 07 (594)
August 08 (601)
August 09 (603)
August 10 (605)
August 11 (607)
August 12 (609)
August 13 (611)
August 14 (613)
August 15 (620)
August 16 (622)
August 17 (624)
August 18 (626)
August 19 (628)
August 20 (630)
August 21 (632)
August 22 (639)
August 23 (641)
August 24 (643)
August 25 (645)
August 26 (647)
August 27 (649)
August 28 (651)
August 29 (658)
August 30 (660)
August 31 (662)

SEPTEMBER
Sept. 01 (665)
Sept. 02 (667)
Sept. 03 (669)
Sept. 04 (671)
Sept. 05 (673)
Sept. 06 (675)
Sept. 07 (677)
Sept. 08 (684)
Sept. 09 (686)
Sept. 10 (688)
Sept. 11 (690)
Sept. 12 (692)
Sept. 13 (694)
Sept. 14 (696)
Sept. 15 (703)
Sept. 16 (705)
Sept. 17 (707)
Sept. 18 (709)
Sept. 19 (711)
Sept. 20 (713)
Sept. 21 (715)
Sept. 22 (722)
Sept. 23 (724)
Sept. 24 (726)
Sept. 25 (728)
Sept. 26 (730)
Sept. 27 (732)
Sept. 28 (734)
Sept. 29 (741)
Sept. 30 (743)

OCTOBER
Oct. 01 (748)
Oct. 02 (750)
Oct. 03 (752)
Oct. 04 (754)
Oct. 05 (756)
Oct. 06 (758)
Oct. 07 (760)
Oct. 08 (767)
Oct. 09 (769)
Oct. 10 (771)
Oct. 11 (773)
Oct. 12 (775)
Oct. 13 (777)
Oct. 14 (779)
Oct. 15 (786)
Oct. 16 (788)
Oct. 17 (790)
Oct. 18 (792)
Oct. 19 (794)
Oct. 20 (796)
Oct. 21 (798)
Oct. 22 (805)
Oct. 23 (807)
Oct. 24 (809)
Oct. 25 (811)
Oct. 26 (813)
Oct. 27 (815)
Oct. 28 (817)
Oct. 29 (824)
Oct. 30 (826)
Oct. 31 (828)

NOVEMBER
Nov. 01 (831)
Nov. 02 (833)
Nov. 03 (835)
Nov. 04 (837)
Nov. 05 (839)
Nov. 06 (841)
Nov. 07 (843)
Nov. 08 (850)
Nov. 09 (852)
Nov. 10 (854)
Nov. 11 (856)
Nov. 12 (858)
Nov. 13 (860)
Nov. 14 (862)
Nov. 15 (869)
Nov. 16 (871)
Nov. 17 (873)
Nov. 18 (875)
Nov. 19 (877)
Nov. 20 (879)
Nov. 21 (881)
Nov. 22 (888)
Nov. 23 (890)
Nov. 24 (892)
Nov. 25 (894)
Nov. 26 (896)
Nov. 27 (898)
Nov. 28 (900)
Nov. 29 (907)
Nov. 30 (909)

DECEMBER
Dec. 01 (914)
Dec. 02 (916)
Dec. 03 (918)
Dec. 04 (920)
Dec. 05 (922)
Dec. 06 (924)
Dec. 07 (926)
Dec. 08 (933)
Dec. 09 (935)
Dec. 10 (937)
Dec. 11 (939)
Dec. 12 (941)
Dec. 13 (943)
Dec. 14 (945)
Dec. 15 (952)
Dec. 16 (954)
Dec. 17 (956)
Dec. 18 (958)
Dec. 19 (960)
Dec. 20 (962)
Dec. 21 (964)
Dec. 22 (971)
Dec. 23 (973)
Dec. 24 (975)
Dec. 25 (977)
Dec. 26 (979)
Dec. 27 (981)
Dec. 28 (983)
Dec. 29 (990)
Dec. 30 (992)
Dec. 31 (994)

The way these were calculated (although I have all ready given the results above) were as follows: The three digits, which progress from 000 to 999 are broken down into various sections, based on three calculations. Firstly, I divided the 1,000 units by 365 to get a number of about 2.7. Then I divided the same 1,000 by 52 to get a number of about 19.2. And finally, I divided the 1,000 by 12 to get a number of about 83.3. With this, I decided that within one week, the days would increase by 2 units; Within 1 month the weeks would increase by 19 units; And within 1 year, the months would increase by 83 units. I then decided to start my stardate at 001.

Therefore, the three digits from our example, 628, indicates that our example log was recorded on August 19th.

The last digit, the '.3' or our example, indicates the time of day 1/10. This means that every 2 hours and 24 minutes, the digit increases by 1 number. Again, I have already completed the calculations, which are as follows:

Digit '0' starts at 12:00 AM (00:00/24:00)
Digit '1' starts at 2:24 AM (02:24)
Digit '2' starts at 4:48 AM (04:48)
Digit '3' starts at 7:12 AM (07:12)
Digit '4' starts at 9:36 AM (09:36)
Digit '5' starts at 12:00 PM (12:00)
Digit '6' starts at 2:24 PM (14:24)
Digit '7' starts at 4:48 PM (16:48)
Digit '8' starts at 7:12 PM (19:12)
Digit '9' starts at 9:36 PM (21:36)

The last digit from our example stardate, point 3, indicates that the log was made either on or after 7:12 AM sometime, but before 9:36 AM.

In the end, from our example, we learn that the stardate 41628.3 means that the log was recorded on August 19th, during the 24th Century, during the first season, between the times of 7:12 AM and 9:36 AM. The dates are probably in Universal Time.

The only problem the Stardate Format has, is that it doesn't actually specify a year. That means that if you were to record a log exactly one year after this one, and at about the same time, the stardate for both logs would be exactly the same. A shame, really. Would have been a nice method, if only it worked.

Los · **Thu Jan 23, 2003 11:02 am**

Florian · **Thu Jan 23, 2003 2:18 pm**

PrankishSmart · **Thu Jan 23, 2003 9:32 pm**

Florian · **Fri Jan 24, 2003 8:50 am**

Los · **Fri Jan 24, 2003 10:06 am**

Achilles · **Fri Jan 24, 2003 10:47 am**

It's an interesting method in the Star Trek Chronology, but they obviously didn't follow it as the Stardates from 2372 onwards begin with 5.

excel55 · **Tue Mar 04, 2003 5:10 pm**

If anyone has the game starfleet acadamy you can go to the information section of the ship and it will tell you.

mr_glyn · **Mon Mar 17, 2003 4:45 pm**

i've got a good lil prog that tells you the date really well it's called

STARDATE.ZIP its really good it also has it's own help file..

mr_glyn · **Mon Mar 17, 2003 4:45 pm**

you can get it from here... www.fedplace.de

mr_glyn · **Mon Mar 17, 2003 4:47 pm**

The Basic Idea

In order to assign 1,000 units to exactly one year, I had to decide exactly what a year is. After all, one out of every four is different than the others! However, each century is exactly the same length (discounting minor discrepencies like leap-seconds, which don't really matter as I don't expect to use this system for a hunderd years . . .). If 1,000 units is one year, then 100,000 units is one century. Lo, and behold! A Next Generation Stardate like 47988.0 must be any number between 0 to 100,000! Perfect!

So, all I had to do is determine exactly how much of the current century had passed so far, divide it by the total amount of time in the century (based on, I decided, Greenwich Mean Time), and multiply by factors of 10 until I got the correct number of digits.

Calculating the Stardate

For the sake of making the first two numbers of the Stardate match the current year's number, I decided to consider the 20th Century as starting in 1900 and ending in 2000. Note: THIS IS NOT REALLY TRUE!!! I came up with a little algorithm which calculates this fairly well, and wrote a Turbo Pascal program which does it all for me.

Sample Calculation

Right now, it's 13:30 EST 2 November 1996. (Which means, of course, that it is 18:30 GMT.) The last leap year, not including this one, was 1992. That's 92 years of century as of 1 Jan 1992. That's also 92 x 365.25 = 33603 days. Call this A.

Since then, there have been the full years 1992-1995. This is 366+365+365+365 days, or 1461 days. Call this B.

Since 1 January 1996, there have been 31+29+31+30+31+30+31+31+30+31 days completed as of the end of 31 October. This is 305 days, and call this C.

This month, there has been 1 completed day (the first). Call this D.

As of this time, about 0.77 days have passed today (I keep more significant digits when using the program). Call this E.

100 years is equal to 36,525 days. Call this F.

Therefore, the stardate fraction is (A+B+C+D+E)/F, or 0.9683989...

To put this into the format used in Star Trek: The Next Generation, simply multiply by 100,000. Truncating (never round, since you have to complete a time unit before you count it), this gives you Stardate 96839.8.

Conclusion

Well, there you have it: my Stardate system, the only decimal time-keeping system I've ever seen. After using it for a while, you notice that the first decimal place in the Stardate is very roughly equivalent to one hour. This makes the system useful for short-term timekeeping. However, it is also able to keep account of time information for up to a century!

When the year 2000 rolls around, I plan to roll my Stardates back to zero; no sense in adding an additional digit. Besides, when the year 2001 comes, there will only be four whole digits, and you can read the Stardate in the same way that Kirk does. That is, as in "thirty-seven twenty-nine point six." Joy!

I'd be interested in hearing any comments that anyone may have regarding this system (assuming that anyone has actually read this far). Feel free to write to me about it.

Los · **Mon Mar 17, 2003 11:27 pm**

geighness...

Too much babble over the basic idea of adding unto itself.

I get what you're doing but it doesn't make any real sense.

Zeke Zabertini · Captain Joined: 13 Sep 2002 Posts: 4832

Stardates are like that...