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[[File:Hnd.jpg|thumb|360-degree axes]]
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'''Bearing''' is a description of the position of a [[spaceship|space vessel]] in relation to another object, such as a [[planet]], [[star]], [[starbase]] or other object in relation to the forward direction of travel and is usually accompanied by a distance measurement. An object on a bearing of 090 mark 270 is directly below the vessel; an object bearing 300 mark 10 is located to the port side of the vessel and above the current plane of travel.
  
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[[File:Tactical analysis sierra vi.jpg|thumb|[[Romulan scoutship]] at relative bearing 270/mark 014]]
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A '''bearing''', sometimes referred to as '''relative bearing''', was a common way to describe a specific direction in relation to a [[starship]]. ({{TOS|Balance of Terror}}; {{TNG|The Defector}} ''display graphic'')
   
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== Uses ==
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'''Bearing''' differs from '''[[heading]]''' in that '''bearing''' refers to the position of an object relative to the position of the vessel taking the bearing, while heading describes the direction of travel.
  
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Bearings were commonly used to define the direction at which another object or the origin of a transmission was located in [[space]], in relation to the current orientation of the ship. Bearings have also been used to indicate a direction on a [[planet]] by an [[away team]] on the surface or from the planet's [[atmosphere]]. Bearings were also used when the ship made a course correction in its current [[heading]]. ({{TOS|Balance of Terror|By Any Other Name}}; {{film|4}})
   
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In space, bearings were given in one or two 360-degree angles, sometimes with one or two decimal place accuracy, with various other information. For example:
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In [[2355]] [[Captain]] [[Jean-Luc Picard]] of the [[USS Stargazer]] ordered a sensor ''bearing'' of a hostile (later identified as [[Ferengi]]) ship, and was advised the bearing was seven-mark-nineteen (7-19), putting the vessel slightly above and to starboard of the {{USS|Stargazer}}. He then ordered his [[helmsman]] to engage warp nine on a ''heading'' of seven-seven-mark-twenty (77-20), traveling further starboard, and up on the vertical plane. ({{TNG|The Battle}})
  
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* "''05-mark-231.''" ({{TNG|The Emissary}})
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* "''0-mark-4.''" ({{VOY|Once Upon a Time}})
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* "''111-mark-14''" ({{TOS|Balance of Terror}})
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* "''316-mark-4''" ({{film|2}})
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* "''Mark-73-point-5.''" ({{TOS|Elaan of Troyius}})
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* "''23-mark-217. Range 31 hundred [[kilometer]]s.''" ({{DS9|Emissary}})
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* "''001-mark-point-03. Range 300 thousand kilometers.''" ({{TNG|Sins of the Father}})
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* "''320 degrees-mark-2.''" ({{film|11}})
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* "''240 degrees-mark-6, [[port]].''" ({{film|6}})
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* "''123 degrees-mark-18. Range 90 thousand kilometers.''" ({{TOS|The Changeling}})
   
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On a planet, bearings were also given in one or two 360-degree angles, with various other information. For example:
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Some bearings (or headings) can be expressed using one of two different measurements. An object directly behind (or turning completely around) could be expressed either as one-eight-zero-mark-zero (180-0) or zero-mark-one-eight-zero (0-180).
  
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* "''300-mark-7.''" ({{TOS|By Any Other Name}})
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* "''94-mark-7, angle of elevation 6 degrees.''" ({{TOS|Obsession}})
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* "''About 11 [[mile]]s, bearing 121 from the mining company.''" ({{TOS|Mudd's Women}})
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* "''283 degrees. 15.2 kilometers.''" ({{film|4}})
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* "''327 degrees. Distance 600 [[nautical mile|nautical]].''" ({{film|4}})
   
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== Appendices ==
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=== See also ===
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* [[Coordinates]]
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* [[Borg spatial designations|Grid]]
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* [[Heading]]
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* [[Navigation]]
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* [[Quadrant]]
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* [[Sector]]
   
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=== Background information ===
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{{stub}}
  
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The first use of the term bearing to indicate a direction occurred in ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'' episode "Balance of Terror". The meaning of bearings has been further defined in the writer's guides and several [[reference books]], such as ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual]]'' (pg. 36). Bearing 000-mark-0 is directly in front of the ship and bearing 180-mark-0 directly behind the ship. Coming about to bearing 090-mark-0 would be a sharp turn to the right or [[starboard]]. Coming about to bearing 270-mark-0 would be a sharp turn to the left or port. The second figure after the "mark" is the elevation angle. Coming about to bearing 000-mark-90 would be tilting the ship directly upwards and 000-mark-270 directly downwards.
   
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== External link ==
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=== Deleted references ===
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According to the {{st-minutiae|academy/literature329/twok.txt|script}} for {{film|2}}, a second patrol formation of [[Klingon]] [[cruiser]]s approached the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}} on a bearing of "''090-mark-20''" to the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}} in the ''[[Kobayashi Maru]]'' [[Kobayashi Maru scenario|scenario]].
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According to the {{st-minutiae|academy/literature329/tvh.txt|script}} for {{film|4}}, as the {{HMS|Bounty}} was leaving [[Earth]], [[Nyota Uhura|Uhura]] detected an unidentified [[aircraft]] in Earth's [[atmosphere]] at "''range 30 miles, bearing 010''".
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=== External link ===
 
* {{wikipedia|Bearing (navigation)}}
  
* {{wikipedia|Bearing (navigation)}}
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[[Category:Cartography]]

Revision as of 18:16, 19 March 2015

Hnd

360-degree axes

Tactical analysis sierra vi

Romulan scoutship at relative bearing 270/mark 014

A bearing, sometimes referred to as relative bearing, was a common way to describe a specific direction in relation to a starship. (TOS: "Balance of Terror"; TNG: "The Defector" display graphic)

Uses

Bearings were commonly used to define the direction at which another object or the origin of a transmission was located in space, in relation to the current orientation of the ship. Bearings have also been used to indicate a direction on a planet by an away team on the surface or from the planet's atmosphere. Bearings were also used when the ship made a course correction in its current heading. (TOS: "Balance of Terror", "By Any Other Name"; Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)

In space, bearings were given in one or two 360-degree angles, sometimes with one or two decimal place accuracy, with various other information. For example:

On a planet, bearings were also given in one or two 360-degree angles, with various other information. For example:

Appendices

See also

Background information

The first use of the term bearing to indicate a direction occurred in Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Balance of Terror". The meaning of bearings has been further defined in the writer's guides and several reference books, such as Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual (pg. 36). Bearing 000-mark-0 is directly in front of the ship and bearing 180-mark-0 directly behind the ship. Coming about to bearing 090-mark-0 would be a sharp turn to the right or starboard. Coming about to bearing 270-mark-0 would be a sharp turn to the left or port. The second figure after the "mark" is the elevation angle. Coming about to bearing 000-mark-90 would be tilting the ship directly upwards and 000-mark-270 directly downwards.

Deleted references

According to the script for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, a second patrol formation of Klingon cruisers approached the USS Enterprise on a bearing of "090-mark-20" to the USS Enterprise in the Kobayashi Maru scenario.

According to the script for Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, as the HMS Bounty was leaving Earth, Uhura detected an unidentified aircraft in Earth's atmosphere at "range 30 miles, bearing 010".

External link

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