FROM SCIENCE TO FICTION

A starburst galaxy is not a candy flavor: learn 10 astronomical words

Credit: Greg Rakozy

A science as ancient as astronomy has generated an immense number of terms to define its many discoveries. From the ethereal "solar wind" to the explosive allure of "starburst galaxies", these terms not only describe scientific phenomena but also illustrate the rich history and cultural influences that have shaped their existence. Join us as we navigate a linguistic cosmos where words express the most varied types of celestial wonders.

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A "celestial sphere" is a fundamental concept in astronomy, acting as both a theoretical construct and a visual aid in understanding the apparent distribution of celestial objects from Earth.

Picture an imaginary, transparent sphere surrounding our planet, with Earth at its center. This celestial sphere provides a convenient reference frame for astronomers to map and describe the positions of stars, planets, and other celestial bodies as they appear to an observer on Earth.

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Derived from the Latin word constellatio, meaning a set of stars, constellations are groupings of stars that, when viewed from Earth, appear connected to create recognizable shapes or figures.

These celestial configurations have served as both navigational aids and mythological storytelling tools across diverse cultures throughout history. Also, beyond their aesthetic purpose, constellations are vital to astronomers, providing a celestial coordinate system for locating objects in the night sky.

Credit: NASA

"Dwarf planet" refers to a specific category of celestial bodies that share characteristics with both planets and asteroids. Dwarf planets typically occupy the outer reaches of the solar system, with Pluto serving as the most famous member.

This designation sparked debates and discussions about the nature of planetary identity, prompting a reevaluation of how we define and categorize objects in our cosmic neighborhood.

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The mysterious word "aphelion" marks a pivotal moment in a celestial body's orbit, representing the farthest point from the Sun. Derived from the Greek words apo, meaning away, and helios, meaning sun, aphelion occurs when a planet, asteroid, or comet reaches the maximum distance in its elliptical journey around our star.

Earth, for instance, experiences aphelion in early July each year. The term illustrates the dynamic nature of celestial mechanics and the intricate interplay that governs the movements of celestial bodies within our solar system.

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A somewhat more terrestrial word than the previous examples, "equinox" defines the celestial alignment where day and night achieve perfect equilibrium, marking two pivotal moments in Earth's orbit around the Sun.

Derived from the Latin words aequus, meaning equal, and nox, meaning night, this astronomical event occurs twice a year, during spring and autumn. During these periods, the plane of Earth's equator intersects the center of the Sun, resulting in nearly equal durations of daylight and darkness across the globe.

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"A-type star" designates a specific class of luminous celestial bodies. These stars have surface temperatures ranging between 7,500 and 10,000 Kelvin, rendering them hotter than our Sun.

A-type stars, often found in young stellar clusters, have a bluish-white radiance and well-defined spectral lines, revealing a composition rich in hydrogen and helium.

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Coming from the Latin word facula, meaning little torch or bright spot, faculae are intricate and ephemeral features found on the Sun's surface. Comprising bright patches, they emerge in regions of intense magnetic activity, revealing the complex interplay of magnetic fields on our star's luminous surface.

These luminous phenomena are often associated with the presence of sunspots. Studying faculae not only enhances our understanding of solar magnetism but also offers insights into the Sun's influence on space weather and Earth's climate.

Credit: Pixabay

The "heliosphere" is a vast and dynamic domain shaped by the Sun's ceaseless influence, extending far beyond its visible surface. Originating from the Greek words helios, meaning sun, and sphaira, meaning sphere, this term defines the immense region dominated by the Sun's solar wind and magnetic field.

Stretching beyond the orbit of Pluto, the heliosphere acts as a protective shield, deflecting cosmic rays and interstellar particles within the entirety of the Solar System and a significant region of space beyond it.

Credit: Pixabay

Coming from the Latin word for cloud or mist, nebulae are vast clouds of gas and dust scattered throughout the cosmos, serving as the celestial nurseries for stellar birth or the remnants of dying stars.

These luminous formations take on a variety of shapes and sizes, from the ethereal glow of emission nebulae to the dark, intricate patterns of absorption nebulae. Nebulae play a pivotal role in the cosmic cycle of creation and destruction, acting as the cosmic crucibles where stars forge their existence and, in their demise, release enriched elements back into space.

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A mysterious expression indeed, "solar wind" conjures the invisible yet powerful exhalation from our Sun that shapes the dynamic environment of the solar system. Coming from the English word windan, meaning to twist or turn, this stream of charged particles radiates outward in all directions from the Sun.

Fueled by the Sun's intense heat and magnetic activity, the solar wind influences the behavior of celestial bodies, sculpting the tails of comets, interacting with planetary atmospheres, and even defining the boundaries of the heliosphere.

Credit: NASA

Not to be confused with the popular candy, a starburst galaxy unveils a cosmic phenomenon where celestial fireworks ignite in a burst of stellar creativity. Coined from the vivid imagery it evokes, a starburst galaxy is a galactic system undergoing an exceptionally high rate of star formation.

This surge in stellar birth is often triggered by galactic collisions or intense interactions, unleashing an amazing array of new stars across the galactic landscape. Most starbursts occur as a result of galactic interactions.

Credit: John Paul Summers

A self-explanatory term that almost sounds like science fiction, "supermassive black hole (SMBH)" describes a gravitational giant lurking at the hearts of galaxies. Coined from its colossal mass, often millions or even billions of times that of our Sun, an SMBH's immense gravitational pull is so powerful that not even light can escape, rendering it invisible to traditional observation methods.

These cosmic behemoths play a crucial role in shaping galactic structures and influencing stellar orbits within their domains. The origin of SMBHs remains a puzzle, with theories suggesting their growth through mergers, accretion of surrounding matter, or a combination of both.

FROM BABY BOOMERS TO GEN-Z

10 Slang Words Old And New

Credit: Johnny Cohen

When a person born in the 1960s talks to someone born after the millennium, two distinct linguistic universes collide. That doesn’t mean they can’t understand each other, though - and despite (sometimes) vastly different perceptions about the world, both may have more in common than they happen to realize.

Slang are words or expressions used informally by people of a certain group that tend to be associated with a particular identity or experiences, and that often reinforce cultural ties inside a generation or identity group. For anyone out of the loop, most slang is indecipherable, as all parents of teenagers or foreign English learners soon discover.

But many slang words and expressions go back to the same ideas, filling the necessity to show approval or dislike of certain things that make up the life experiences of its users. Language is amazingly flexible, but how we talk - and what we talk about - always comes down to our main experiences and things that we can relate to on an everyday basis.

If you don’t believe us, join us to learn the meanings behind the sometimes cryptic language of Gen-Z and the equally baffling expressions from the Baby Boomer generation.

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Something that is very good, exciting, or enjoyable. Do you like what you see? Just say ‘Lit’. If you haven’t heard this expression you must have been living under a rock. ‘Lit’ is used everywhere, even by savvy millennials who don’t want to be left out yet.

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Someone is salty when they are angry or upset about something minor. A favorite of gamer teenagers. When you lose a game you are probably gonna be salty about it. For older folks, think ‘ticked off’.

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‘Ghosting’ is the practice of cutting communication, usually over social media, with someone you are no longer interested in. While the act of vanishing is as old as the hills, the act of ghosting has an implicit connotation of happening through social media chats. Gen-Z is - for some reason - terrified of using phones as… well, phones, and would never directly call each other.

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Something extremely cool. So, when a Gen-Z says: ‘Her fit at the party was fire’, you can translate it as ‘Her threads at the party were groovy’. Get it now?

Disclaimer: Intermediate generations between Baby Boomers and Gen-Z might be a bit confused now.

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To ‘flex’ is just another way of saying that someone is showing off. Ok, this one probably resonates more with younger Millennials but has its place in the Gen-Z vocabulary. The word originated with the slang phrase ‘weird flex but OK’, meant as a mocking answer to someone bragging about something unusual or questionable.

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Cool. Come on, anyone who has ever seen Austin Powers or any movie about the sixties and seventies knows this one. You can still say ‘groovy, baby!’ and everyone will get it, but people may laugh. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

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Having fun, or in reference to something that it’s fun or good. Nothing to do with gasoline, but some people speculate there might be some relation to the effects of nitrous oxide intoxication - also known as laughing gas.

In any case, the first record of usage of the word ‘gas’ with a similar meaning is in 1839 under the pen of Charles Dickens. He wrote ‘Everything is gas and goiters’.

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Someone uncool or unfashionable. As is often the case with a lot of slang words used by the Baby Boomer generation, the word ‘square’ originated in the American jazz scene of the 1940s, meaning people who were musically outdated.

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Boring. When something or someone it’s a drag, they are boring. Not to be confused with the Drag culture, where performers - typically men - dress as women in an exaggerated style.

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Making a phone call. Although it has various interpretations that vary with context, ‘to drop a dime’ usually means simply to call someone on the phone. The phrase comes from the time when the cost of using a pay phone was 10 cents or a dime. You drop a dime and make a phone call, just so the other person doesn’t think you are ‘ghosting’ them!

Credit: Glenn Carstens-Peters

We hope by now you are way more fluent in the slang used by young people both today and yesterday. The fun thing about language is that - more often than not - words that appear as slang end up becoming part of ‘normal’ speech or even formal communication. So nothing is really forgotten, and we think that’s groovy.

If you enjoyed our little list and want to keep learning about weird words, the origin of popular sayings, or just about anything relating to language, don’t miss out on our other articles! We’ll keep uploading and exploring interesting topics just for you.