The degree Fahrenheit (or simply °F) unit was a measure of temperature. The Fahrenheit temperature scale was designed so that the freezing point of water was 32° and the boiling point was 212° at 1 Earth atm.
Sensors aboard 23rd century Federation starships could be calibrated to read in degrees Fahrenheit. However, like the mile, this antiquated means of measurement was used only on rare occasions. For instance, the body function panels in sickbay measured a patient's body temperature in both Celsius and Fahrenheit. (Star Trek: The Original Series)
Comparative list of temperatures[]
- The surface temperature of Alfa 177 typically dropped to −120° (Fahrenheit) at night. When a USS Enterprise landing party became stranded there, they endured the temperature dropping to −20°, −41°, −75° before finally being rescued. (TOS: "The Enemy Within")
- Reginald Smith read off the temperatures in a weather report, during a World War II holodeck simulation, stating that it was 59° (Fahrenheit) in Dover, with a low of 59°. In another broadcast, he reported a temperature range from a low of 52° to a high of 71°, and that the current temperature in Dover was 59°, with a temperature range from a low of 45° to a high of 63°. (VOY: "The Killing Game")
- Uhura noted the weather forecast at Yosemite National Park as being sunny skies with a temperature of 70° (Fahrenheit). (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier)
- Upon beaming down to the surface of Sigma Draconis VI, Kirk instructed his landing party to set "suit temperatures to 72." (TOS: "Spock's Brain")
- Zefram Cochrane maintained a constant temperature of 72° (Fahrenheit) in his dwelling on Gamma Canaris N. To Nancy Hedford, who was suffering from Sakuro's Disease, this temperature felt "terribly hot." At the same time, the planet's surface temperature was reported by Doctor Leonard McCoy to be 75 °Fahrenheit. (TOS: "Metamorphosis")
- A weather report, heard on the Henry Starling's radio in 1967, noted that the temperature in downtown Barstow, California was 75° (Fahrenheit). (VOY: "Future's End")
- Spock found the fact that there was very little variation in temperature on the planet Gamma Trianguli VI in 2268, even at the poles, to be curious, noting that the planet-wide average temperature was 76° (Fahrenheit). (TOS: "The Apple")
- While scanning the surface of a planet, Spock's sensor readings discovered a Human being, later determined to be named Lazarus, with a body temperature 98.5 °Fahrenheit. (TOS: "The Alternative Factor")
- When Spock's body was taken over by Henoch, his heart action doubled, and his temperature rose to 104° (Fahrenheit). (TOS: "Return to Tomorrow")
- When Spock experienced advanced aging, he found that the ambient temperature aboard the Enterprise to be increasingly uncomfortable for him. To help alleviate this problem, he adjusted the temperature in his quarters to 125° (Fahrenheit), which he found to be at least tolerable, but wondered if Doctor Leonard McCoy could be given to him to help lower his sensitivity to cold. (TOS: "The Deadly Years")
- Seven of Nine read Tom Paris' body temperature as 97.6 during a vital sign scan.