Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site trwrba.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!trwrba!mnw
From: mnw@trwrba.UUCP (Michael N. Washington)
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Re: What's a Warp?
Message-ID: <1039@trwrba.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 20-Oct-84 12:31:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: trwrba.1039
Posted: Sat Oct 20 12:31:19 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 21-Oct-84 15:45:33 EDT
Organization: TRW EDS, Redondo Beach, CA
Lines: 25

This is for oliveb!ios!wjvax!ron

The question of warp speed has been discussed among trekkies for a long time.
The definition of warp is a simple equation: n^3*c = warp speed.  So warp 1
is the speed of light because 1*1*1*c = c.  Warp 2 would be 2^3*c = 8*c.
Actual velocity can be argues.  It depends on whether you hold Einstein's
laws as valid or not. 

However, most people cater to the notion that warp is the amount of space
that the Enterprise (or any ship using greater than light speed) warps,
thus making the distance between objects shorter (sort of like the way
our Sun "warps" [or bends] space near it.  Theory states that you cannot
possibly go in a straight line if you could travel very close to the Sun
because of the distortion of space near it.

I hope this hasn't confused you.  Of course, this is all speculation, since
we cannot attain such velocities at the present time.

Michael N. Washington
"Live Long and Prosper"
trwrb!trwrba!mnw