How do they see out the bridge window anyway?

[The Wormhole]

The Enterprise's bridge is brightly lit. Extremely brightly lit, as all those lens flares prove. And instead of a viewscreen, they rely on a huge window at the front of the bridge to see out of the ship. But space is dark. How is it they can see anything out the window? Wouldn't all those damn lights just give the window reflective glares, therefore obscuring anything outside and preventing anyone on the bridge seeing it. Now yes, they have sensors and scanners to alert them to anything worth knowing about anyway, but still.

Thoughts?

 

[BillJ]

Super futuristic glass.

 

[SalvorHardin]

If they really want to see something that's out, they tell Spock to turn off the lights for a bit. There's a master off switch at his station.

 

[Christopher]

You could ask the same thing about all the windows in crew quarters and observation lounges and whatnot that we've seen in various starships from ST:TMP onward, or in places like Mr. Lurry's office in TOS -- windows through which you could always see the stars even when the interior was brightly lit, even though everyone who's ever looked out a window at night should know it doesn't work that way. So this is hardly a new problem; it's nearly as old as Star Trek itself (and is shared by most other space-based SF franchises as well).

I tend to assume the windows are of a sophisticated material that damps reflections from within and amplifies the starlight from outside.

 

[shapeshifter]

Correct, BillJ. It has an 'Enhance Outside View' feature. Forward looking cameras scan the view then project items in the field onto the screen in the correct location.

It's technically a transparent view-screen.

Spoiler: I know this because

I'm full of crap, it's something I just Treknobabbled up.

 

[CorporalClegg]

You could be a writer.

 

[YellowSubmarine]

It's transwarp glass. Lights are blueshifted to warp 10 and then the hue is altered.

 

[Third Nacelle]

Star Trek is not the only series guilty of this. Houses/apartment/offices all over TV and the movies have perfectly transparent windows at night, even when the room is brightly lit.

 

[seven14]

In the 2009 reboot the USS Kelvin had it right I think. I liked the muted colors and the dimness of the lights they had going on even before the alarms went off. Strangely, I didn't mind the Enterprise in 2009 as it was shiny and new but this movie the lights seemed to be 1000watt or something even Kirk's eyes were like megawatt blue. I don't know how the heck they see out the window really...I don't think it's necessary as they use cameras and sensors for alerts...just nice to look at and a chore to clean.

 

[Captain Nebula]

But space is dark. How is it they can see anything out the window? Wouldn't all those damn lights just give the window reflective glares, therefore obscuring anything outside and preventing anyone on the bridge seeing it.

Warp headlights. They don't have to worry about keeping the dope/dome light on with those.

 

[Crazy Eddie]

The Enterprise's bridge is brightly lit. Extremely brightly lit, as all those lens flares prove. And instead of a viewscreen, they rely on a huge window at the front of the bridge to see out of the ship. But space is dark. How is it they can see anything out the window?

Probably the same way they do it on real world space ships.

That or polarized glass to eliminate glare.

 

[EnsignRicky]

Maybe it has something to do with transparent aluminum.

 

[OpenMaw]

Maybe it has something to do with transparent aluminum.

That, and they reverse the polarity of the neutron flow to create a quantum-subspace-flexing-matrix that dynamically calibrates to the spectral radiance around the view screen.

...

Did it hurt?

 

[C.E. Evans]

To me, I thought it was more of a holographic projection atop the glass, which mutes its reflection even under direct light. Same thing for the various control panels and monitors.

 

[Lord Lunacy]

It's transwarp glass. Lights are blueshifted to warp 10 and then the hue is altered.

Naturally.