This warp speed calculator is based on the Next Generation Warp Speed Scale. Now, I have to be honest here, this scale's equations aren't entirely clear to me. From Warp 1 through 9, the equation is unchanged. It's a relatively simple logarithmic equation, which you can get by viewing the code of this page if you're interested.

However, once you pass warp 9, the equation changes, and I'm not sure what it changes to. If anyone knows, PLEASE contact me via the address in the Javascript code. As it stands now, I've "cheated" with the warp factors above 9. In order to perfectly match the Warp Speed Chart shown in the Star Trek Encyclopedia, I've made several adjustments to the equation to account for the rapidly accellerating curve that is apparent past warp 9. So, if you enter any of the values listed in the Encyclopedia for warp factor, you will get the correct multiple of the speed of light in the results.

Limitations: There aren't really any limitations on this calculator, except for a few basic ones. First of all, you must enter at least 1.0 for your warp factor, or you will get meaningless results. This should be obvious, as Warp 1 is equal to the speed of light. Anything less than that isn't a warp speed. The other main limitation is that anything over Warp 10 gives you a whole bunch of NaN's (Not a Number) for the results. On the TNG warp speed scale, Warp 10 is Infinite Velocity. In the world of the fans, however, (and partially backed up by the terrible Voyager episode Threshold) we've come to view Warp 10 as the "Transwarp Barrier" just as Warp 1 is the "Warp Barrier." You will also get the "Infinite" answer if you put in warp factor 9.9 (with about 12 more 9's on the end), as the math basically rounds that off to Warp 10.

Have Fun!

Please enter the Warp Factor you wish to calculate:

RESULTS

Warp Factor is equivalent to times C (the speed of light), or about kilometers per second.

At the speed you have entered, it would take:

minutes to cross the Sol System (Earth's home system is 0.0019 lightyears across when you include the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud),

hours to cross one lightyear (9.46 trillion kilometers),

days to travel from Earth to it's nearest neighbor (Alpha Centauri is 4.3 lightyears from Earth),

days to traverse one sector (20 lightyears),

years to cross the Federation (8,000 lightyears),

years to traverse the Milky Way galaxy (100,000 lightyears),

years to reach the Andromeda galaxy (2,000,000 lightyears).

Do you have any suggestions for additional distance calculations that could be added? Send them to me!

Questions? Email me!