Setting coordinates in space

[J.T.B.]

This argument is based on the idea that Reliant went to Ceti Alpha to find a planet in an exact spot. It didn't. It went to Ceti Alpha to find a specific planet, within tolerances, which it did. Was that planet in the exact orbit the computer said it would be? No, but that can be explained by orbital drift over the years since the last scan was made. Anything, and I mean ANYTHING, can change the orbit of a planet. It may get hit by an asteroid. A nearby pulsar may have intermittent gravitational effects. Is scanning for these things part of Reliant's mission? No. So they don't do them. They just find the type of planet they're looking for, and go there, even if the orbit is off.

They don't navigate? I don't find that at all believable. If they are going to a specific planet, that is a question of navigation. Starfleet has a strong navigation emphasis, using starships for mapping duty, keeping extensive charts, a navigator at the controls at all times etc. If that planet is not where the tables said it will be, that's a pretty big red flag for a competent navigator to overlook. If it is so common for orbits to shift, etc, that would argue for more diligence and verification by the navigator, not less.

 

[FormerLurker]

They don't navigate? I don't find that at all believable. If they are going to a specific planet, that is a question of navigation. Starfleet has a strong navigation emphasis, using starships for mapping duty, keeping extensive charts, a navigator at the controls at all times etc. If that planet is not where the tables said it will be, that's a pretty big red flag for a competent navigator to overlook. If it is so common for orbits to shift, etc, that would argue for more diligence and verification by the navigator, not less.

You're forgetting that they had a slowly disintegrating spheroid that used to be a planet in-system, and could tell that orbits had been altered. They had no reason to assume that had affected anyone the Federation was keeping track of, because no one knew Khan and company were there.

It wasn't a mapping mission. Therefore they had no reason to map the system and determine that the planet that had been destroyed was the sixth, and therefore their destination. They were there to find and scan a desert planet, so that's what they did. Obsessing about 'but that's irresponsible' only leads to heartburn. They'd been looking for a suitable planet for months. The idea that they might just have found one, especially after looking for so long and having to move on to the next one so often, would make them willing to overlook the little things like systems not being configured exactly how the star charts say.

 

[J.T.B.]

It wasn't a mapping mission. Therefore they had no reason to map the system and determine that the planet that had been destroyed was the sixth, and therefore their destination.

No one said it was a mapping mission. Navigation is not mapping, it's an essential function to get where you need to go.

They were there to find and scan a desert planet, so that's what they did. Obsessing about 'but that's irresponsible' only leads to heartburn. They'd been looking for a suitable planet for months. The idea that they might just have found one, especially after looking for so long and having to move on to the next one so often, would make them willing to overlook the little things like systems not being configured exactly how the star charts say.

The fact their navigation put them at a planet that wasn't where it should have been is a "little thing"? I was thinking of incompetence, but "willing to overlook" sounds more like dereliction of duty.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I think we can assume the Starfleet coordinate system uses Earth and the Galaxy center as reference points.

 

[Maurice]

You can triangulate your approximate position in the galaxy if you've mapped a lot of pulsars and know their periods.

 

[publiusr]

Also a reason to keep science ships star mapping—in case of change. The Reliant wasn’t on that mission though. No big fish anyway

There were some interesting anomalies recently that had Norway ships inland.

Should have kept LORAN-C