Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 13:07:06 -0500

From: Michael Clark UTLinguist[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]AOL.COM

Subject: Re: warp speed? -Reply



In a message dated 96-02-12 10:31:47 EST, Elizabeth Gregory writes:



I agree that the source seems to be _Star Trek_, in which the term

"warp" is used to describe traveling at the speed of light--for

example, traveling at Warp Factor 3 would be three times the speed of

light (parallel to the use of "mach" in aviation to refer to flying at

the speed of sound)



Actually, the formula for figuring warp speed in the _Star Trek_ sense of the

word is W/F (warp factor) cubed times the speed of light... so travelling at

"warp 2" would be 8 times the speed of light, and "warp three" would be 27

times the speed of light.. etc. etc. etc



My source for this is the _Star Trek Star Fleet Technical Manual_, please

don't think too ill of me for owning this. g



Michael/utlinguist[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]aol.com