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|[[Image:Juno symbol.svg|25px|Juno]]<ref name=penny-cyclopaedia /><ref name=schmadel /><ref name=chambers>{{cite book
|[[Image:Juno symbol.svg|25px|Juno]]<ref name=penny-cyclopaedia /><ref name=schmadel /><ref name=chambers>{{cite book
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| <font size="6">⚵</font>
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|rowspan="2"| a scepter topped with a star<ref name=penny-cyclopaedia /><ref name=schmadel />
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|[[Image:3 Juno symbol alternate.svg|18x25px|Juno]]<ref name=high-school-astronomy /><ref name=olmstead />
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|[[4 Vesta|4&nbsp;Vesta]]
|[[4 Vesta|4&nbsp;Vesta]]
|[[Image:4 Vesta (2).png|25px|Vesta]]<ref name=hilton /><ref name=schmadel /><ref name=olmstead>{{cite book
|[[Image:4 Vesta (2).svg|18x25px|Vesta]]<ref name=hilton /><ref name=schmadel /><ref name=olmstead>{{cite book
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| Moon, or last-quarter [[Moon]]
| Moon, or last-quarter moon
| [[Image:Moon symbol decrescent.svg|25px|Last quarter Moon]]<ref name=encyclopedia-americana /><ref name=putnam />
| [[Image:Moon symbol decrescent.svg|25px|Last quarter Moon]]<ref name=encyclopedia-americana /><ref name=putnam />
| #9790;
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| <font size="6">☾</font>
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| A decrescent moon
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| [[Solar symbol|The Sun]]
| [[Solar symbol|the Sun]]
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! colspan="5" align=center | <h3>Other Symbols</h3>
! colspan="5" align=center | <h3>Other Symbols</h3>

Revision as of 23:31, 16 March 2010

File:BronzeMirror.JPG
Chinese Celestial symbols on an antique bronze mirror

Astronomical symbols are symbols used to represent various celestial objects, theoretical constructs and observational events in astronomy. The symbols listed here are commonly used by professional and amateur astronomers.[citation needed] Many of the symbols are shared with western astrology, which uses multiple variant forms.

Symbols

Planets

Name Symbol Unicode Unicode Display Symbol Represents
Mercury Mercury[1][2][3] #9791; ☿ Mercury's winged helmet and caduceus[1], or the caduceus alone[2][4]
Venus Venus[1][2][3] #9792; ♀ Venus' hand mirror[1][2][4]
Earth Earth[1][2][3] #8853; ⊕ globe with equator and a meridian[1][2]
Earth[3][5][4] #9793; ♁ globus cruciger[6], or an inverted symbol for Venus[4]
Mars Mars[1][2][3] #9794; ♂ Mars' shield and spear[1][2][4]
Jupiter Jupiter[1][2][3] #9795; ♃ Jupiter's thunderbolt[4], an eagle[1], or the letter zeta or Z for Zeus, Jupiter's Greek name[1][2]
Saturn Saturn[1][2][3] #9796; ♄ Saturn's sickle or scythe[1][2][4]
Uranus Uranus[1][3][7] a combination of the symbols for Mars and the Sun[1]
Uranus[2][5][7] #9797; ♅ "H" from the discoverer's last name (Herschel)[2]
Neptune Neptune[1][3][7] #9798; ♆ Neptune's trident[1]

Dwarf Planets

Name Symbol Unicode Unicode Display Symbol Represents
Ceres Ceres[2][5][8] #9907; ⚳ Handle-down sickle[2]; cf. the handle-up sickle symbol of Saturn
Pluto Pluto[1][3] #9799; ♇ PL monogram for Pluto and Percival Lowell[1]
Haumea No symbol No symbol, no unicode No unicode, no display No symbol, no description
Makemake No symbol No symbol, no unicode No unicode, no display No symbol, no description
Eris No symbol No symbol, no unicode No unicode, no display No symbol, no description

Asteroids

Name Symbol Unicode Unicode Display Symbol Represents
2 Pallas Pallas[2][5][8] #9908; ⚴ head of a spear[2][4][9]
3 Juno Juno[4][9][10] #9909; ⚵ a scepter topped with a star[4][9]
Juno[2][11]
4 Vesta Vesta[8][9][11] an altar with fire on it[2][4][9][11]
5 Astraea [8][9] a pair of balances[2][9]
6 Hebe [2][8][9] a cup[2][9]
7 Iris [2][8] a rainbow with a star inside it[2][9]
8 Flora [8][9] #9880; ⚘ a flower[2][9]
9 Metis [2][8][9] an eye with a star above it[2][9]
10 Hygeia [8][9] #9877; ⚕ Rod of Asclepius
11 Parthenope [8][9] a fish with a star[9]
[9] a harp[9]
12 Victoria [8][9] a star with a branch of laurel[9]
13 Egeria [9] a star and a plate[9]
14 Irene [2][9] a dove carrying an olive-branch in its mouth and a star on its head[2][9]
15 Eunomia [8][9] a heart with a star on top[9]
16 Psyche [9] a butterfly's wing[9]
17 Thetis [9] a dolphin and a star[9]
26 Proserpina [9] a pomegranate with a star inside it[9]
28 Bellona [8][9] Bellona's whip and spear[9]
29 Amphitrite [9] a shell and a star[9]
35 Leukothea [8][9] a lighthouse[9]
37 Fides [8][9] a cross[9]

Moons

Name Symbol Unicode Unicode Display Symbol Represents
Moon, or first-quarter moon First quarter moon[4][5][7] #9789; ☽ an increscent moon
full moon Full Moon[5][7]
Moon, or last-quarter moon Last quarter Moon[5][7] #9790; ☾ a decrescent moon
new moon New Moon[5][7]

Other Celestial Bodies

Name Symbol Unicode Unicode Display Symbol Represents
Sun Sol[1][3][8] #9737; ☉ the Sun

Other Symbols

Name Symbol Unicode Unicode Display Symbol Represents
comet [5] #9732; ☄
ascending node [3][5] #9738; ☊
descending node [3][5] #9739; ☋
conjunction [5][7] #9740; ☌
opposition [5][7] #9741; ☍
quadrature [5][7] #9633; □

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Planet Symbols". NASA. Retrieved 2010-03-04.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad High-School Astronomy. Sheldon & Co., 1872. pp. 32-36.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Allen's astrophysical quantities. Springer. 2001. p. 2. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |firstname= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |lastname= ignored (help)
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l The Penny cyclopædia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, Volume 22. C. Knight. 1842. p. 197.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n The Encyclopedia Americana: a library of universal knowledge, Volume 26. Encyclopedia Americana Corp. 1920. pp. 162–163.
  6. ^ "Signs of the Planets". Universe Today. 2009-08-06. Retrieved 2010-03-08.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j The essence of astronomy: things every one should know about the sun, moon, and stars. G.P. Putnam's sons. 1914. p. 197. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |firstname= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |lastname= ignored (help)
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Hilton, James L. "When Did the asteroids Become Minor Planets?". Retrieved 2010-03-05.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao Dictionary of minor planet names. Springer. 2003. pp. 15–18. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |firstname= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |lastname= ignored (help)
  10. ^ A handbook of descriptive astronomy. Clarendon Press. 1877. pp. 920–921. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |firstname= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |lastname= ignored (help)
  11. ^ a b c Letters on astronomy. Harper. 1855. p. 288. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |firstname= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |lastname= ignored (help)
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