Captain's log

The captain's log is a form of log entry that has been recorded since the first captain's navigated Earth's seas in the distant past. They have been proven to be an excellent record keeping tool, and upon entering space, captain's still recorded log entries.

The main purpose of the log is to inform the captain's superiors of what is happening on a mission and to record historical facts for future generations.

Until the 23rd century, Earth calendar dates were used when recording a captain's log, however, following a suggestion by Captain Robert April in the 2240s, Starfleet began using stardates to record the logs. This system still remained in place in the 24th century. (TOS short story: "Though Hell Should Bar the Way").