Spacial Quadrants--I'm Confused

[Erik Pasternak]

OK, so in Star Trek the galaxy is divided up into four quadrants: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta. Based on something Peter Grodin said in Atlantis(

Spoiler:

referred to our (their) quadrant of the pegasus galaxy as having x number of Wraith ships, and then gave a number abou 2.5 times greater as a galactic total

), I assume that the stargate universe also divides the galaxy up the same way. Yet, I'm reminded of Babylon 5, where a Narn outpost is said to be located in Quadrant 37. In the B5 universe, the setting is limited to the Milky Way, so how can we have more than four quadrants?

[aAnubiSs]

I guess that depends on how you feel like using the word.

didn't B5 use "sector X by Y by Z"?

Some writers might use quadrant just to describe a box in space.

[Erik Pasternak]

I guess that depends on how you feel like using the word.

didn't B5 use "sector X by Y by Z"?

Some writers might use quadrant just to describe a box in space.

I do remember from an ep of Crusade the sector Earth was in was called by a Senator Sector 100 by something by something. Throughout the rest of the episode it was simply called Sector 100.

[TechnoWraith]

OK, so in Star Trek the galaxy is divided up into four quadrants: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta. Based on something Peter Grodin said in Atlantis(

Spoiler:

referred to our (their) quadrant of the pegasus galaxy as having x number of Wraith ships, and then gave a number abou 2.5 times greater as a galactic total

), I assume that the stargate universe also divides the galaxy up the same way. Yet, I'm reminded of Babylon 5, where a Narn outpost is said to be located in Quadrant 37. In the B5 universe, the setting is limited to the Milky Way, so how can we have more than four quadrants?

You can divide the universe into 80 trillion sectors, quadrants or what have you. And then you could give all 80 trillion sectors, quadrants or what have you each an individual name. What i'm getting at here is that you can divide and name the universe however you feel like. Star Trek just made things really easy by using 4 quadrants. In general, when you use the term "quadrant", you're implying the division of the universe into four parts. Though that's not necessarily the case in all classifications. The term quadrant can also be referred to as a box (as some have mentioned here already). Sometimes the military uses this terminology (i.e. Quadrant Delta 4, or Quadrant 45, etc). It all depends on how you decide to use the terminology.

[Major Fischer]

Babylon 5 did use X by Y by Z in it's later years, but there seemed to be a number of designations. My best guess is in that series, they are different systems being used to divide the same space.

[Erik Pasternak]

Thanks everyone. I think I get it now.