esthermm/Shutterstock

Though there may be some overlap between their devotees, it's nevertheless usually unwise to make the mistake of suggesting "Star Trek" and "Star Wars" exist in the same fictional universe. That's an error with the potential to incite the wrath (no, that's not a covert "Trek" reference) of two of pop culture's most passionate fandoms. However, not all fans reject the idea of a shared universe between the two franchises. Those who believe the universes overlap may cite such evidence as the fact that a planet named Alderaan has been referenced in various contexts across the "Star Trek" franchise.

Alderaan is famously Princess Leia's adopted home planet, which gets Death Star-ed into space dust in the first "Star Wars" movie.  In the world of "Star Trek," the name of planet Alderaan appeared in "Star Trek: The Next Generation's" episode titled "Up the Long Ladder" , where it was on Captain Picard's personal monitor, labeling it as a planet visited by the HMS New Zealand. It also showed up in "A Man Alone" from "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and may have appeared in the episode "he Measure of a Man" from "Star Trek: The Next Generation." However, in the remastered version of "Up the Long Ladder", the name was altered to Aldebaran.

Alderaan's appearance on Picard's monitor in the episode "Up the Long Ladder" can be written off as an in-joke for the show's crew. Back before TVs offered high-resolution viewing, crew members would put these types of jokes and references on the screen primarily to amuse themselves, as they wouldn't be visible to those watching at home. Alderaan was only switched to Aldebaran in the episode when the series was remastered for Blu-ray, and audiences would be able to spot it.

However, some "Trek" fans believe they've spotted Alderaan's name on a board in the background of a courtroom scene in the episode "The Measure of a Man," even on the Blu-Ray edition. Because other users say they struggle to make out the name in non-HD screencaps, this is likely another in-joke for crew members that audiences were never expected to see.

Alderaan makes a similar appearance in the "Deep Space Nine" episode "A Man Alone." Here, it appears on the screen as part of the schedule of a murder victim, indicating they had chartered a space flight from Alderaan Spaceport. This example may be more of a direct Easter egg for fans, given that the screen on which it appears would have been clearly visible, even on low-resolution TVs of the time.

Brendanhunter/Getty Images

Fans know that Alderaan was destroyed "a long time ago," but that doesn't mean it's impossible for the Alderaan of "Star Trek" to be the same as that of "Star Wars." Users on Reddit point out that this could indicate "Star Trek" takes place in an alternate universe where Alderaan was never destroyed. There are also other potential explanations, such as Alderaan being so distant that the Federation never knew it was destroyed. Of course, this ignores the fact that "Star Wars" takes place in a "galaxy far far away," while "Trek" takes place in the Milky Way.

Regardless, the fact that Alderaan is referenced in both "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" adds more evidence supporting the notion that these two universes might not be as separate as fans have assumed. If a fan angrily accuses you of heresy when you present this argument, here's another ace to keep up your sleeve: none other than Patrick "Jean-Luc Picard" Stewart has admitted the idea of a crossover movie between the two franchises isn't as far-fetched as some might argue.

Now, if a certain actor from "Alien" hadn't turned down parts in both the "Star Trek" and "Star Wars" universes, and had a performer from "Predator" landed the iconic role of Data in "Star Trek: The Next Generation," fans might be able to dream up some even crazier sci-fi crossovers.