Ad astra (phrase)

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For other uses, see Ad astra (disambiguation).

Ad astra is a Latin phrase meaning "to the stars". It is used as, or as part of, the motto of many organizations. It has also been adopted as a proper name for various unrelated things (publications, bands, games, etc.). It also sees general use as a popular Latin tag.

1 Mottos
2 Origins
3 Related phrases
4 External links

[edit] Mottos

Exact motto
- University College Dublin
- Slough Grammar School in Berkshire, England
- Ad Astra Aero was the precursor of the now-defunct Swissair airline
- United States Air Force Academy Class of 2007
per ardua ad astra — "through struggles to the stars"
ad astra per aspera — "to the stars through difficulties"
- Kansas (US state)
- Mount Saint Michael Academy
- An experimental indie rock band from Lawrence, Kansas on Sonic Unyon Records.
- Grupo 5 de Caza, a fighter/bomber squadron of the Fuerza Aerea Argentina (Argentine Air Force)
- Dr Challoner's Grammar School in Buckinghamshire, England
per aspera ad astra — "through adversity to the stars"
Sic itur ad astra — "thus one goes to the stars"
- Richmond, Virginia (city)
- Detroit, Michigan public schools

[edit] Origins

The phrase may have its origin with Seneca the Younger, who wrote non est ad astra mollis e terris via ("there is no easy way from the earth to the stars"), or possibly from Virgil, who wrote sic itur ad astra ("thus you shall go to the stars"; Aeneid book IX, line 641) and opta ardua pennis astra sequi, ("they choose hardship that follow the stars on wings"; book XII, lines 892–893).

[edit] Related phrases

A related phrase is "ex astris", (Latin, "from the stars"), used frequently in NASA publications and in science fiction as a part of larger phrases. See Ex astris, scientia.