5.3 Stellar Fusion Ignition & Other Phenomena

Interaction of Two Supernovas

A very unlikely event in which the advancing pressure waves from two supernovas collide. Stretching theory, this could conceivably cause a “subspace anomaly” which could be dangerous to the ship travelling at warp speed. The time/space resonances of the waves could last for quite some time, tearing apart any starship unlucky enough to warp into the maelstrom. Ironically, a ship at sublight would only experience the radiation and blast from the stars — against which shields would probably protect the ship.

Maximum Entropy

The death of the universe as we know it. Current theory suggests that at an almost unimaginably distant time in the future, the energy in the universe will be spread equally across the cosmos. When there are no temperature differences, there can be no chemical or nuclear activity, and the universe will be effectively “dead”. There is another theory which suggests that rather than “dying” at maximum entropy, the universe will collapse back onto itself to form another Big Bang, starting a whole new universe.

Gas Giant Planet

Several planets in our own solar system are Gas Giants, like Jupiter. Such planets tend to be characterized by poisonous atmospheres of methane and hydrogen, relatively high gravity, the absence of any stable surface, and very high magnetic fields and radiation belts. These latter two items are not a threat to the Enterprise under normal conditions because of its powerful (and normally very reliable) shielding systems. On the other hand, in the unlikely circumstance that those shields should fail...

Nebula

A large, tenuous cloud of interstellar dust and gas. Often the remnants of an exploded star or a solar system in the making. Although very thin, the dust and gas can be a hazard to the ship when travelling at high impulse (sublight) speeds. This is similar to re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere causes severe friction heating on the Space Shuttle. If the nebula is near a star, it could glow with the star’s radiation, quite a spectacular sight, but possibly impairing the ship’s sensors. Under certain conditions, a nebula can coalese into a whirlpool which can become a new solar system.

Stellar Fusion Ignition

The birth of a star. As suggested above, it is possible for a nebula or other gas cloud to (over millions of years) coalese into a swirling whirlpool. This eventually condenses into a dense central object which can become hot enough to ignite into a new star. The leftover “debris” from such a star’s formation can form planets. Although this process is extremely protracted, it is possible that our ship might arrive at such a gas cloud just in time to witness (and be threatened by) the star’s birth.