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Astronomical symbols

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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 for Sun, Moon, and planets

The commonly accepted symbols for the classical planets, including the sun and the moon, are of ancient origin. Bianchini's planesphere, produced in the 2nd century,[1] shows Greek personifications of planetary gods charged with early versions of the planetary symbols: Mercury has a caduceus; Venus has, attached to her necklace, a cord connected to another necklace; Mars, a spear; Jupiter, a staff; Saturn, a scythe; the Sun, a circlet with rays radiating from it; and the Moon, a headdress with a crescent attached.[2] A diagram in Johannes Kamateros' 12th century Compendium of Astrology shows the Sun represented by a circle with a single ray and Jupiter by the letter zeta (the initial of Zeus, Jupiter's counterpart in Greek mythology).[2] By the 16th century, the symbols had become standardized.[2]

Symbols were created for Uranus and Neptune shortly after their discovery. For Uranus, astronomers adopted the symbol for platinum, although another symbol, based on the letter H (for Herschel, the discoverer of Uranus), continued to be used. After Neptune was discovered, the Bureau des Longitudes proposed the name Neptune and the familiar trident for the planet's symbol.[3]

Sun

Name Symbol Unicode Unicode Display Symbol Represents
Sun Sol[4][5][6] #9737; ☉ the Sun

Moon

Name Symbol Unicode Unicode Display Symbol Represents
Moon, or first-quarter moon First quarter moon[7][8][9] #9789; ☽ an increscent moon
full moon Full Moon[8][9]
Moon, or last-quarter moon Last quarter Moon[8][9] #9790; ☾ a decrescent moon
new moon New Moon[8][9]

Planets

Name Symbol Unicode Unicode Display Symbol Represents
Mercury Mercury[4][10][5] #9791; ☿ Mercury's winged helmet and caduceus[4], or the caduceus alone[10][7]
Venus Venus[4][10][5] #9792; ♀ Venus' hand mirror[4][10][7]
Earth Earth[4][10][5] #8853; ⊕ globe with equator and a meridian[4][10]
Earth[5][8][7] #9793; ♁ globus cruciger[11], or an inverted symbol for Venus[7]
Mars Mars[4][10][5] #9794; ♂ Mars' shield and spear[4][10][7]
Jupiter Jupiter[4][10][5] #9795; ♃ Jupiter's thunderbolt[7], an eagle[4], or the letter zeta or Z for Zeus, Jupiter's Greek name[4][10]
Saturn Saturn[4][10][5] #9796; ♄ Saturn's sickle or scythe[4][10][7]
Uranus Uranus[4][5][9] a combination of the symbols for Mars and the Sun[4]
Uranus[10][8][9] #9797; ♅ "H" from the discoverer's last name (Herschel)[10]
Neptune Neptune[4][5][9] #9798; ♆ Neptune's trident[4]

Symbols for dwarf planets and asteroids

Dwarf Planets

Name Symbol Unicode Unicode Display Symbol Represents
Ceres Ceres[10][8][6] #9907; ⚳ Handle-down sickle[10]; cf. the handle-up sickle symbol of Saturn
Pluto Pluto[4][5] #9799; ♇ PL monogram for Pluto and Percival Lowell[4]
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[10][8][6] #9908; ⚴ head of a spear[10][7][12]
3 Juno Juno[7][12][13] #9909; ⚵ a scepter topped with a star[7][12]
Juno[10][14]
4 Vesta Vesta[6][12][14] an altar with fire on it[10][7][12][14]
5 Astraea [6][12] a pair of balances[10][12]
6 Hebe [10][6][12] a cup[10][12]
7 Iris [10][6] a rainbow with a star inside it[10][12]
8 Flora [6][12] #9880; ⚘ a flower[10][12]
9 Metis [10][6][12] an eye with a star above it[10][12]
10 Hygeia [6][12] #9877; ⚕ Rod of Asclepius
11 Parthenope [6][12] a fish with a star[12]
[12] a harp[12]
12 Victoria [6][12] a star with a branch of laurel[12]
13 Egeria [12] a star and a plate[12]
14 Irene [10][12] a dove carrying an olive-branch in its mouth and a star on its head[10][12]
15 Eunomia [6][12] a heart with a star on top[12]
16 Psyche [12] a butterfly's wing[12]
17 Thetis [12] a dolphin and a star[12]
26 Proserpina [12] a pomegranate with a star inside it[12]
28 Bellona [6][12] Bellona's whip and spear[12]
29 Amphitrite [12] a shell and a star[12]
35 Leukothea [6][12] a lighthouse[12]
37 Fides [6][12] a cross[12]

Other Symbols

Other Symbols

Name Symbol Unicode Unicode Display Symbol Represents
comet [8] #9732; ☄
ascending node [5][8] #9738; ☊
descending node [5][8] #9739; ☋
conjunction [8][9] #9740; ☌
opposition [8][9] #9741; ☍
quadrature [8][9] #9633; □

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bianchini's planisphere". Florence, Italy: Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza (Institute and Museum of the History of Science). Retrieved 2010-03-17.
  2. ^ a b c Maunder, A. S. D. (1934). "The origin of the symbols of the planets". The Observatory. 57: 238–247.
  3. ^ Report on the history of the discovery of Neptune. Smithsonian institute. 1850. pp. 5, 22. {{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 m n o p q r s t "Planet Symbols". NASA. Retrieved 2010-03-04.
  5. ^ 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)
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ 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)
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ "Signs of the Planets". Universe Today. 2009-08-06. Retrieved 2010-03-08.
  12. ^ 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)
  13. ^ A handbook of descriptive astronomy. Clarendon Press. 1877. pp. 920–921. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |firstname= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |lastname= ignored (help)
  14. ^ 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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