Flare Sci-Fi Forums: Gravity concerns about V'Ger

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Posted by Matrix (Member # 376) on :

This just popped in my head while reading the thread "Size of 'mushroom' starbases"

Since V'ger is about the size of Earth's orbit around the sun (or distance?) shouldn't V'Ger have some sort of gavity well? Every object has a sort of gravity well. I imagine that V'ger being composed of mostly forcefields and other weird late 1970's crap, it wouldn't be as large as if were solid, but still. Wouldn't this cause some sort of desruction on Earth and neighboring planets? V'Ger probably had some of the planets practically inside of it.

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Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :

ummmm, yeah, wasn't that why Terra had all those storms and what not happening?

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"One's ethics are determined by what we do when no one is looking" Nugget
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Posted by Dukhat (Member # 341) on :

IIRC, V'ger's surrounding cloud was 1 AU, not V'ger itself. Also, the cloud dissipated before it reached the solar system, so no damage would have occurred (except for the destruction of Earth, but that would have been caused by V'ger's probes).

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Star Trek: Legacy

Posted by Fabrux (Member # 71) on :

V'Ger's cloud was actually 82 AUs in diameter. That's one big fraggin' cloud.

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"Lately I've noticed that everyone seems to trust me. It's really quite unnerving. I'm still trying to get used to it."
- Garak, "Empok Nor"

Posted by Michael Dracon (Member # 4) on :

It's ONLY 2 AUs larger than Pluto's orbit. Lucky for our solarsystem that the cloud was turned off.

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"That's your plan? Wile E. Coyote would come up with a better plan than that!"
- Crighton, Farscape.

Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :

I don't remember seeing V'Ger without the cloud... Is it just about the size out to the door that Spock rocketed through?

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Here lies a toppled god,
His fall was not a small one.
We did but build his pedestal,
A narrow and a tall one.

-Tleilaxu Epigram

Posted by Fabrux (Member # 71) on :

I would assume that the whole thing the E travelled through up to that point was V'Ger...

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"Lately I've noticed that everyone seems to trust me. It's really quite unnerving. I'm still trying to get used to it."
- Garak, "Empok Nor"

[This message has been edited by Fabrux (edited January 31, 2001).]

Posted by Dukhat (Member # 341) on :

quote:
I don't remember seeing V'Ger without the cloud

When V'ger reaches Earth, you can see Earth above V'ger's yellow dome-thingy when it shoots out it's probes. No cloud.

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Star Trek: Legacy

Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :

...And lots of stars. I believe some storyboards also showed this. Anyway, why would they need a cloud anyway? So that they could pretend it's a really big, really fast nebula? I mean, V'Ger obviously had no real problems getting from there to here...

Mark

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"Why build one, when you can build two at twice the price?"

- Carl Sagan, "Contact"

Posted by The359 (Member # 37) on :

Maybe it was part of it's drive system

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Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :

Pig Pen of the Stars....

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"One's ethics are determined by what we do when no one is looking" Nugget
Star Trek: Gamma Quadrant
Star Trek: Legacy
Read them, rate them, got money, film them

"...and I remain on the far side of crazy, I remain the mortal enemy of man, no hundred dollar cure will save me..." WoV

Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :

I'll check out the yellow dome-thingy, thank you.

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Here lies a toppled god,
His fall was not a small one.
We did but build his pedestal,
A narrow and a tall one.

-Tleilaxu Epigram

Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :

The impression seemed to be that the cloud was part of the ship's defensive system, and perhaps its offensive one as well. Maybe even the sensors.

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I will shout until they know what I mean.
--
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Read three (three!) chapters of "Dirk Tungsten in...The Disappearing Planet"! Then, go insane!

Posted by Basill on :

Sorry, this is going to be a long post. Bear with me.

V'gers cloud was 82 AU's in diameter while it was extant, but it is clear from the climactic Decker/V'ger merging scene that the V'ger construct was probably no longer than 25-30 kilometers in length.
It requires watching the entire flyover scene and the order in which the details pass. The Enterprise passes from the rear of V'ger towards the front and then is pulled into the giant maw at the front of the vessel. They then are pulled deep into the Alien craft. They are pulled to a certain point where they remain for many hours. After Kirk's poker bluff they are pulled even deeper into the craft to meet with V'ger. Right before the Enterprise comes to rest Chief Defalco (Ilia's replacement navigator) states "we are 18 km inside the alien vessel." (This is in at least one of the released versions, therefore I consider it canon.) The Enterprise comes to a halt within walking distance to the Voyager probe. The final climactic light show takes place directly under the cool, glowey broken-patterned, dome; a specific detail that is close to the end of the vessel (early in the flyby). If anyone has the book-Star Trek Phase II: The Lost Series, in the glossy pictures section there are various V'ger concept drawings. pics 2 and 3 are both unquestionably the closest to the final design that I have ever seen. The details along the surface are clearly identifiable with the flyover sequence. If any one wants to post scans please do (I don't have any such equipment, sorry cause its really cool.)

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Just a thought...A grain of salt-season to taste-lather, rinse, repeat

Posted by Michael Dracon (Member # 4) on :

I'm going to check what Kirk said about the length...

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"That's your plan? Wile E. Coyote would come up with a better plan than that!"
- Crighton, Farscape.

Posted by Michael Dracon (Member # 4) on :

Kirk orders a parallel course to V'ger at 500 meters for 100 kilometers, and after that they are still next to the ship.

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"That's your plan? Wile E. Coyote would come up with a better plan than that!"
- Crighton, Farscape.

[This message has been edited by Altair (edited February 02, 2001).]

Posted by Basill on :

Well actually, he orders Sulu to put the ship in a parallel course over the alien ship at a distance of 500 meters, to which Sulu seems somewhat disturbed. He then says, "Then take us out to 100 kilometers distance adjusting parallel course." I have always taken that to mean- once the Enterprise had passed over the length of the alien, she would then move out ahead of V'ger to a distance of 100 kilometers. She didn't get the chance.

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Just a thought...A grain of salt-season to taste-lather, rinse, repeat

Posted by Michael Dracon (Member # 4) on :

I though 'Adjusting parallel course' ment that Sulu had to adjust the course to the shape of the ship and thus keep a distance of 500 meters at all time. The special effects seem to confirm that.

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"That's your plan? Wile E. Coyote would come up with a better plan than that!"
- Crighton, Farscape.