Ad astra (phrase)
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Ad astra is a Latin phrase meaning "to the stars". The phrase has origins with Virgil, who wrote in his Aeneid: "sic itur ad astra" ('thus one journeys to the stars')[1] and "opta ardua pennis astra sequi" ('desire to pursue the high[/hard to reach] stars on wings').[2] Another origin is Seneca the Younger, who wrote in Hercules: "non est ad astra mollis e terris via" ('there is no easy way from the earth to the stars').[3]
Etymology[edit]
Ad is a Latin preposition expressing direction toward in space or time (e.g. ad nauseam, ad infinitum, ad hoc, ad libidem, ad valorem, ad hominem). It is also used as a prefix in Latin word formation.[4]
Astra is the accusative plural form of the Latin word astrum 'star' (from Ancient Greek ἄστρον astron 'star', from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ster-).[5]
Mottos[edit]
Ad astra is used as, or as part of, the motto of many organizations, most prominently, air forces. It has also been adopted as a proper name for various unrelated things (publications, bands, video games, etc.). It likewise sees general use as a popular Latin tag.
Ad astra[edit]
- Ad Astra Rocket Company, Webster, Texas, United States
- Motto of Astor family[6]
- Innova Junior College, Singapore
- Presbyterian Ladies' College, Armidale, Australia
- United States Air Force Academy Class of 2007[7]
- United States Coast Guard Academy Class of 1992
- USS Taurus (PHM-3)
- University College Dublin, member institution of the National University of Ireland
- Downe House School, AGN house motto
Ad astra per alas porci[edit]
"To the stars on the wings of a pig"
- Motto on John Steinbeck's personal stamp, featuring a figure of the Pigasus.[8] Steinbeck's motto had an error in the Latin and used 'alia' instead of 'alas'.[9]
- Title of Chris Thile's Mandolin Concerto.
Ad astra per aspera[edit]
"To the stars through difficulties;" "a rough road leads to the stars;" or "Through hardships, to the stars."
- Albury High School in Albury, New South Wales, Australia
- Apollo 1 memorial placed at Launch Complex 34
- Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina
- Immaculate Conception High School in Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica, West Indies
- Kansas (U.S. state motto)
- Morristown-Beard School in Morristown, New Jersey
- Mount Saint Michael Academy in The Bronx, New York City
- Starfleet, the fictional organization in the Star Trek universe
- Woodville High School, South Australia
De profundis ad astra[edit]
"From the depths to the stars."
- Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society. The official motto of the world's oldest continually operating science fiction fan social club, founded in 1934.[10]
Per ardua ad astra[edit]
"Through adversity to the stars" or "Through struggle to the stars."
- Royal Air Force
- Royal Australian Air Force
- Royal Canadian Air Force (prior to 1968)
- Royal Flying Corps
- Royal New Zealand Air Force
- Air Operations Branch of the Canadian Armed Forces
- University of Birmingham
Per aspera ad astra[edit]
"Through hardships to the stars" or "To the stars through difficulties."
- Coat of arms of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
- South African Air Force
- Stevens Institute of Technology
- Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin[11]
- State of Kansas (Ad astra per aspera)[12]
- Municipality of Cheribon, Netherlands East Indies[13]
- City of Gouda, The Netherlands[14]
Per audacia ad astra[edit]
"Through boldness to the stars."
Quam celerrime ad astra[edit]
"speedily to the stars."
Sic itur ad astra[edit]
"Thus one goes to the stars."
- The Philomathean Society, Philadelphia, PA, USA[15]
- The Canongate, Edinburgh
- Admiral Collingwood Lodge, Australia
- Richmond, Virginia (city)
- Argentine Air Force, Materiel Command, Argentina
- The Geelong College, Australia
- Canadian Air Force (1920–24)
- Colombian Air Force
- 48 Air School in Woodbridge East London, one of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan facilities in South Africa. Other units had "Ad Unum Ad Astra" and "Per Artem Ad Astra".
- Llandysul Grammar School, Llandysul, Ceredigion, Wales
"Such is the pathway to the stars."
- Canadian Forces Air Command
- Royal Canadian Air Force
- Brazilian Air Force Academy, in Pirassununga - São Paulo, Brazil. The Brazilian Air Force Academy uses the variation "Macte animo! Generose puer, ic itur ad astra!" which means: "Be brave! Young ones, this is the pathway to the stars."
"Reach for the stars."
- The Hertfordshire and Essex High School, Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England
- Falcon College, Zimbabwe
": Macte animo generose puer! Sic itur ad astra
Other uses[edit]
- A related phrase, ex astris ('from the stars'), is used frequently in NASA publications and in science fiction—see Ex astris, scientia.
- Ad Astra is a 1976 public artwork by American artist Richard Lippold. Lippold's sculpture is located outside the Jefferson Drive entrance, and in the collection, of the National Air and Space Museum.
- A 1984 computer game, Ad Astra is an outer space shoot-em-up with a 3-D perspective.[16]
- "Ad Astra" is the title of a William Faulkner short story, found in Collected Stories of William Faulkner (New York: Vintage International).
- Ad Astra is the title of a 2019 science fiction film starring Brad Pitt.
- The phrase Sic itur ad astra was also used in the Netflix television series Trese.
- The phrase Ad astra abyssosque was used as the motto for the Adventurer's Guild in the game Genshin Impact.
References[edit]
- ^ Virgil, Aeneid IX 641. Spoken by Apollo to Aeneas's young son Iulus.
- ^ Virgil, Aenied XII 892–93. Spoken by Aeneas to his foe, Turnus, in their combat.
- ^ Seneca the Younger, Hercules Furens 437. Spoken by Megara, Hercules' wife.
- ^ Harper, Douglas. "ad". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
- ^ Harper, Douglas. "astra". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
- ^ Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (1929). Armorial Families: a Directory of Gentleman of Coat-Armour. Hurst & Blackett. p. 58. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
- ^ "Class Facts | US Air Force Academy AOG & Endowment". www2.usafa.org.
- ^ "Pigasus". Steinbeck Center.
- ^ "sluggo on the street". sluggo on the street.
- ^ "lasfsinc.info - The LASFS Coat of Arms". www.lasfsinc.info.
- ^ "Decorations of the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin". Archived from the original on 29 August 2008.
- ^ "Seal of Kansas". Kansapedia. Kansas Historical Society. March 2014. Archived from the original on 6 July 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- ^ "Nederlandsch-Indische Gemeentewapens" (PDF). NV Mij Vorkink. September 1933. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- ^ "Gouda in the official Dutch heraldic records". High Council of the Nobility (Hoge Raad van Adel), The Hague. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
- ^ "Philomathean Society homepage". Philomathean Society.
- ^ "Ad Astra". World of Spectrum. Archived from the original on 17 September 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
External links[edit]
- History of the RAF motto (but note that this page misspells sic itur)