Sci fi terminology in Paradise 21, by Aubrie Dionne

Sci fi terminology in Paradise 21

One of the most enjoyable parts of writing science fiction is researching all of the neat science words/terms pertaining to space and space travel. While keeping the science part of it pretty simple, because I’m by no means a rocket scientist or an astronaut, I tried to incorporate a few of these terms throughout the book. For authors, this is part of word building, and a way to create your own unique world. Here’s some of the terms I came up with for Paradise 21:

Event Horizon: Besides being a really cool movie (check out Event Horizon on Wikipedia), an event horizon is “the point of no return” i.e. the point at which the gravitational pull becomes so great as to make escape impossible. I use this really neat word in my first sentence to show how badly Aries wants to get away: “Aries sped through space in her escape pod as if she fled the event horizon of a dying star.”

Parsec: Although this word reminds me of parsnip, it really is a unit for measurement. A parsec is 3.26 light-years, or just under 31trillion kilometres. Pretty far, huh? I use this to show just how far The New Dawn will be when they find out Aries has escaped. “By then, Aries would be a parsec away…”

Quasar: A quasar is a very energetic and distant active galactic nucleus. Although I had trouble incorporating this really cool word into the plotline, I used it anyways as a term for expression. “freakin’ quasars!”