# What is the mathematical name of the shape of the Starfleet Insignia in the original series?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-mathematical-name-of-the-shape-of-the-starfleet-insignia-in-the-original-series/835168>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 7, 2019, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-mathematical-name-of-the-shape-of-the-starfleet-insignia-in-the-original-series/835168 "2019-06-07T16:15:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-mathematical-name-of-the-shape-of-the-starfleet-insignia-in-the-original-series/835168/1 "2019-06-07T16:15:32Z")

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When I draw or paint, I often see shadows in fabric that have the general shape of [the Starfleet Insignia](https://ca.startrek.com/article/starfleet-insignia-explained). Is there a mathematical name for this shape? I don’t mean just the outside, almost parabolic (catenary?) contour of the top, but the entire shape outlined by the upper and lower curves.

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**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-mathematical-name-of-the-shape-of-the-starfleet-insignia-in-the-original-series/835168/2 "2019-06-07T16:26:36Z")

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Perhaps you are thinking of [caustics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caustic_(optics))?

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**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-mathematical-name-of-the-shape-of-the-starfleet-insignia-in-the-original-series/835168/3 "2019-06-07T16:33:46Z")

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Is there any online photo you can point to that shows the kind of shadow you are talking about?

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**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-mathematical-name-of-the-shape-of-the-starfleet-insignia-in-the-original-series/835168/4 "2019-06-07T17:09:13Z")

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Closest thing I can think of is a [bicorn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicorn)