The degree Celsius (or simply °C) is a unit of temperature named after Earth astronomer Anders Celsius.
The Celsius temperature scale was designed so that the freezing point of water is 0 °C, and the boiling point is 100 °C at one Earth atm, which results in the zero point of the temperature unit Kelvin (or "absolute zero") being at −273.15 °C.
The replicators aboard a Federation starship like the USS Enterprise-D are calibrated to the Celsius system. (TNG: "The Vengeance Factor", "The Defector")
Comparative list of temperatures
The following list contains specific Celsius readings that indicate specific temperatures of a body or a region:
- −291 °Celsius was the average surface temperature of the planet Theta 116 VIII, with wind speeds of up to 320 meters/second. (TNG: "The Royale")
−291 °Celsius is about twenty degrees below absolute zero (0 Kelvin), which is a theoretical impossibility, suggesting this was a production mistake and actually meant to be −291 °Farenheit (−179 °Celsius).
- −20 °Celsius was the ambient temperature in the Argala habitat zone, found on board the Nyrian biosphere vessel. (VOY: "Displaced")
- 15 °Celsius was the temperature at the San Francisco administrative processing center of Sanctuary District A in August 2024. (DS9: "Past Tense, Part I", "Past Tense, Part II")
- 17 °Celsius was the temperature when the morphogenic matrix of a Changeling was most malleable. (DS9: "The Begotten")
- 22.2 °Celsius was the temperature detected by initial scans made by the USS Grissom of Sector 1 on the Genesis Planet, indicating also that it was a forested region. (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)
- 32 °Celsius was the average temerature of Deep Space 9 when the Federation took over the station, indicating the temperature preference of Cardassians. (DS9: "Emissary")
- 39.1 °Celsius (roughly 102.4 °Fahrenheit) was the constant temperature in the internal climate aboard a Borg cube. (Star Trek: First Contact)
- 39.4 °Celsius was the temperature detected by initial scans made by the USS Grissom of Sector 2 on the Genesis Planet, indicating also that it was a desert terrain with minimal vegetation. (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)
- 46 °Celsius was the ambient temperature on both the Zooabud and Tanatuva habitat zones, on board the Nyrian biosphere vessel. (VOY: "Displaced")
- 50 °Celsius with a 90% humidity were the conditions on summers in the Rinax marshlands, the hottest it got in the sector surrounding the Talaxian system. Conditions of these marshlands also included vicious lavaflies on Rinax. (VOY: "Macrocosm")
- 55 °Celsius was the average temperature on Lambda Paz, a moon of Pentarus III, classified as barely class M with a desert-like surface. (TNG: "Final Mission")
- 55 °Celsius was the temperature level reached at the ore processing section of Terok Nor, when dilithium ore was being processed. (DS9: "Civil Defense")
- 60 °Celsius was the temperature at which Benjamin Sisko preferred his coffee. (DS9: "Call to Arms")
- 76 °Celsius was the ambient temperature of both the Federation and Bourget habitat zones, found on board the Nyrian biosphere vessel. (VOY: "Displaced")
Based on the habitat seen on screen, this temperature figure was likely a production mistake and actually meant to be 76 °Fahrenheit (24 °Celsius), which is a comfortable temperature for Humans.
- 80 °Celsius was the temperature at which ginger tea with honey, Aunt Adele's cure for the common cold was served at. (TNG: "Ensign Ro")
- 150 °Celsius was the exact constant temperature of a pool of thick swirling ooze the Legarans preferred to inhabit in. (TNG: "Sarek")
- 323 °Celsius was the core temperature of an advanced long-range torpedo. (Star Trek Into Darkness, display graphics)
Variations in temperature
Although not explicitly stated in terms of "degrees of what", the following temperature references are most likely made in Celsius.
- − 28 degree temperatures were not uncommon in the middle of summer in the Northern Wastes of Andoria. (ENT: "The Aenar")
- 10 - 12 degree drop in temperature on Penthara IV was predicted within the first ten days after the impact of a type C asteroid on the planet. (TNG: "A Matter of Time")
- 12 onkians was the Romulan equivalent to a temperature on the cold side of the Celsius system. (TNG: "The Defector")
- 15 degree drop in temperature was requested by the Female Changeling for the rooms on the Dominion Headquarters on Cardassia Prime after she was inflicted with the morphogenic virus. She noted that she didn't "share the Cardassians' love of heat;" nor apparently did Weyoun. (DS9: "Treachery, Faith and the Great River")
- 20 degree increase of temperature occurred on the planet where Dukat and Sisko were stranded in 2374, when the wind died down, much to the liking of Dukat's Cardassian physiology. (DS9: "Waltz")
- 50 degree surface temperatures on the planet Dozaria were too hot for the Breen, considering their homeworld was a frozen wasteland. (DS9: "Indiscretion")
- 200 degree surface temperatures were reached on the lunar prison on Meldrar I in the shade. (DS9: "Necessary Evil")