Live long and prosper because it's Star Trek Day! 60 years ago today, on September 8th 1966, the first episode of Star Trek aired in the United States of America. "The Man Trap" saw the crew of the USS Enterprise encountering a mysterious space vampire on an alien planet. Funny thing about this episode? It wasn't even the actual pilot episode of Star Trek! After a failed first pilot episode was rejected as "too brainy" for audiences, a rare second pilot episode secured the show's future; but even that pilot wasn't aired until the third episode of season 1. "The Man Trap" won out as it featured distinct sci-fi elements, a mysterious alien monster, and showcase the main trio of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. Who knew!
In honor of this stellar anniversary, I have a galaxy full of fun Star Trek facts, fictions, and fantasies for you to enjoy below. Set phasers for fun!
Beyond Antares is a song written for Nyota Uhura [ Nichelle Nichols] and was originally sung accompanied by the Vulcan lute. The piano was played by Marl Young, harp played by Catherine Gotthoffer, and guitar played by Laurindo Almeida.
Nichelle Nichols performing Beyond Antares
You can see the original lyrics of Beyond Antares, sung by Nichelle Nichols in the following location.
The following graphic is my Klingon Version of the song, Beyond Antares. Beyond Antares was sung by Lieutenant Nyota Uhura aboard the enterprise two times. "The Conscience of the King" +"The Changeling" . In one performance she used the Vulcan lute for instrumental accompaniment.
Click the graphic to get more information in how I composed this and what it means.
The following is a better translation of Beyond Antares from a Klingon Speaker , qurgh [ http://tlhIngan.org ]
KLINGON
SuD chal 'ej wewtaH, tIqwIj DaqDaq, tIqwIj DaqDaq, lewbogh maS 'InSong DaqDaq, vogh, Hov HayDaq, 'antareS HayDaq...
ENGLISH
The sky is green And glowing, at my heart's place, at my heart's place, at the blooming moon flower's place, somewhere, beyond the stars, beyond Anteres.
The Prime Directive, where the federation doesn't meddle in societies that are militaristically weaker or have lower quantities of knowledge was inspired by the UA-Vietnam war, Gene L. Coon , a writer on Star Trek, wrote it as a response to that war.
The Original Enterprise model was a taller than you. At 14 feet, 4.2 meters , it will tower over any human .
Yes, the mobile phone is a derivative of the communicator of Star Trek. Martin Cooper, a designer at Motorola, designed the first mobile phone , inspired by looking at Star Trek communicators. The communicator was designed by Wah Ming Chang.
Star Trek 60th Anniversary Scrabble
Now that you have listened to some music accompanies by the Vulcan Lute , read some Klingon, learned a little Star Trek trivia, here is the chance for prizes! Solve the puzzle and send a message to the group via the MESSAGE ADMIN option on the @CRLiterature home page (click the three dots underneath the cover image) with your answers by September 15th. The first to return all the correct answers will get a Diamond badge! Other select participants will receive Hype and Quartz badges on a random deviation for boldly solving these riddles. Make it so!
LEFT
The ship captained by Jonathan Archer
Last name of genetically enhanced human who led a movement on Ceti Alpha V
Full name of Bajoran who served under Captain Picard and later became a Marquis
Name of first novel from Jake Sisqó
Vulcan-Romulan Lieutenant who was a student of Spock
DOWN
The ship commanded by Hikaru Sulu
Cardassian tailor on Deep Space Nine
First emperor of Klingon Empire
Blood brother of Worf and a Chancellor of the Klingon Empire.