Galaxy Class color changes?

[Captain Seafort]

Pic one: That's just a shadow caused by the saucer.

Are you sure? The edge looks a bit too clearly defined for it to be just a shadow.

[Sionnach Glic]

*shrug*

It looks like a shadow to me, the picture is a bit hard to tell from.

[Mikey]

After looking at the second set, I think I have to agree with Seafort. Looks like a mmodification - possibly removal - of the separation seam.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

Pic one: That's just a shadow caused by the saucer.

Are you sure? The edge looks a bit too clearly defined for it to be just a shadow.

Well, in space there's no air to create the haze effect that creates less defined shadows like on earth. A shadow in space would be much more defined then in air.

[Mikey]

Well, in space there's no air to create the haze effect that creates less defined shadows like on earth. A shadow in space would be much more defined then in air.

Very true. However, the demarcation exists on the left of the picture (OUR left) where there is no shadow; in addition, the line follows exactly the seam where saucer separation would take place - a little too exactly for coincidence, I think.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

Well, in space there's no air to create the haze effect that creates less defined shadows like on earth. A shadow in space would be much more defined then in air.

Very true. However, the demarcation exists on the left of the picture (OUR left) where there is no shadow; in addition, the line follows exactly the seam where saucer separation would take place - a little too exactly for coincidence, I think.

True, or there could be a shadow from the nacelles on the ship below, assuming there's another Galaxy off screen creating an identicle shadow...okay that may be pushing it. Even for Star Trek.

Probably a way to reinforce the structure so that the hull is stronger, compensating for the weaknesses created by Saucer Seperation. That makes more sense. Wait, that might be pushing it for Trek as well.

[Teaos]

Well it looks like ablative armor to me. Which makes sense. Galaxys are as expencive as hell to build so you want to protect them. They lost the Odyessy so they want to protect what they have left.

The color is right as well.

[Mikey]

But why would they only armor those particular, hard-to-target areas?

Oh wait. I forgot. It IS Starfleet, after all.

[Teaos]

Maybe there is vital internal components there.

[Captain Seafort]

The critical things about the area in question are that 1) it's the neck - blast through that and half the ship loses the warp core's power, and 2) it's the saucer separation plane. Because of that there's an inherent weakness in the ship's design.

[Sionnach Glic]

Of course, if it was designed inteligently there would be no need for armouring such a hard to reach location.

[Captain Seafort]

Of course, if it was designed inteligently there would be no need for armouring such a hard to reach location.

It's not that hard to reach. Certainly the dark areas shown in the first picture is pretty easy to hit from above and aft. On the two lower images it's a lot less clear whether that's a difference in hull colour, or simply shadow, but it's still hittable from below and in front.

[Sionnach Glic]

True.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

If it was ablative armor why wouldn't they cover the whole ship?

[Teaos]

Not enough resorses. They can only cover parts of a each ship so they do they bits they think need it the most.