I'd suspect that "the edge" is defined statistically, like when the average matter density drops below some threshhold. Not something you'd actually detect without instrumentation.
Travelling to the galaxy's edge?
- Thread starter EJA
- Start date
In our universe, perhaps. In Trek's, there's a pretty well-defined edge there... Something you do detect when it shakes you to pieces and turns your closest friend into an antedeluvial (or perhaps deluvial?) god.
I do wonder if the phenomenon seen in TOS was permanent and all-encompassing - or merely something that happened to lie in the path of our heroes at the exact decade they went exploring, but then moved to a different location or disappeared altogether.
It's also a bit unclear whether Kirk and pals knew the energy barrier would be there when they set out on their journey. They never expressed surprise at the phenomenon, and they did carefully approach the edge, stop, have a bit of pep talk, and then forge ahead before we got the visuals and Spock's commentary on what the sensors show or don't show. This might suggest that they knew they would be facing this barrier, and they knew exactly where they would find it, but didn't know the exact nature of the barrier.
Timo Saloniemi
I do wonder if the phenomenon seen in TOS was permanent and all-encompassing - or merely something that happened to lie in the path of our heroes at the exact decade they went exploring, but then moved to a different location or disappeared altogether.
It's also a bit unclear whether Kirk and pals knew the energy barrier would be there when they set out on their journey. They never expressed surprise at the phenomenon, and they did carefully approach the edge, stop, have a bit of pep talk, and then forge ahead before we got the visuals and Spock's commentary on what the sensors show or don't show. This might suggest that they knew they would be facing this barrier, and they knew exactly where they would find it, but didn't know the exact nature of the barrier.
Timo Saloniemi
If you read the books (ducks away from a flying cinder block) I know! Not canon, but still interesting. There's a trilogy about Q. Without giving away to much detail, the core barrier and the outer rim barrier are essentially prisons. Not that they are keeping us in, but keeping others out. Like the creature that impersonated God in ST5 (I like the bad dream idea though).
