Corrected entry: In the opening sequence, Voyager is passing through a gas cloud. In this sequence Voyager is parting the gas and dust like it would if there was air around, there even are some turbulences near the warp nacelles. Voyager utilises a navigational deflector, which effectively cleans space in front of Voyager. The CGI in the opening sequence shows this only to be a few metres in front of Voyager's bow. How ever navigational deflectors form overlapping shield bubbles a few hundred meters in front of the ship, even at low impulse speed. Flying through such a cloud would even require engaging combat shields, which would form a bubble around Voyager bigger than leaving a few meters of space between the shields and the hull. Even if the shields weren't conformal to the hull there would be more space. Last but not least the navigational deflector would provide particles with a directional impulse straight away from the ship, and not letting it slide along the deflector. The displayed turbulences near the nacelles would be highly abrasive to the ship's hull.
Alex
21st Oct 2003
Correction: Knowledge about the specifics of these technologies is too limited to make such claims. Episodes "Workforce" and "Endgame" show Voyager moving through nebulas with the dust right against the hull, and with no apparent effect from the shields. Several episodes make reference to things like "warp eddies" and "subspace turbulence" which could cause the turbulence and air-like movement of the dust. In "Scorpion", for example, Voyager is thrown around by Borg ships passing nearby, which wouldn't happen if it was just simple newtonian motion in space.
ironcito