Astronomical symbols
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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. Many of the symbols are shared with western astrology, which uses multiple variant forms.
| Planets | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| name | symbol | Unicode | image | Represented by image |
| Mercury | ☿ | U+263F | Image:Mercury symbol.svg | Mercury's winged helmet and caduceus |
| Venus | ♀ | U+2640 | Image:Venus symbol.svg | Venus' hand mirror |
| Earth | ⊕ | U+2295 | Image:Earth symbol.svg | globe with equator and a meridian |
| Mars | ♂ | U+2642 | Image:Mars symbol.svg | Mars' shield and spear |
| Jupiter | ♃ | U+2643 | Image:Jupiter symbol.svg | Jupiter's thunderbolt or eagle |
| Saturn | ♄ | U+2644 | Image:Saturn symbol.svg | Saturn's sickle or scythe |
| Uranus | Image:Uranus symbol.svg | From a symbol for platinum, a combination of the symbols for Mars and the Sun | ||
| Neptune | ♆ | U+2646 | Image:Neptune symbol.svg | Neptune's trident |
| Dwarf planets | ||||
| name | symbol | Unicode | image | Represented by image |
| Ceres | Image:Ceres symbol.svg | Handle-down sickle; cf. the handle-up sickle symbol of Saturn | ||
| Pluto | ♇ | U+2647 | Image:Pluto symbol.svg | PL monogram for Pluto and Percival Lowell |
| Eris | No symbol | Unlikely to gain an official symbol | ||
| Asteroids | ||||
| name | symbol | Unicode | image | Represented by image |
| 2 Pallas | Image:Pallas symbol.svg | Modified symbol for female? | ||
| 3 Juno | Image:Juno symbol.svg | Peacock (totem of Juno). | ||
| 4 Vesta | Image:Vesta symbol.svg | Hearth or fire-altar. | ||
| 5 Astraea | Image:5 Astraea Symbol.png | Anchor (inverted), or possibly scales of justice. | ||
| 6 Hebe | Image:6 Hebe Astronomical Symbol.png | Cup | ||
| 7 Iris | Image:7 Iris Astronomical Symbol.png | Rainbow with star under it (asteroid means star-like) | ||
| 8 Flora | Image:8 Flora Astronomical Symbol.png | Stylised flower | ||
| 9 Metis | Image:9 Metis Astronomical Symbol.png | Eye, with star above it (Asteroid means star-like) | ||
| 10 Hygeia | Image:10 Hygiea Astronomical Symbol.png | Rod of Asclepius | ||
| Other Celestial Bodies | ||||
| name | symbol | Unicode | image | Represented by image |
| Sun | ☉ | U+2609 | Image:Sun symbol.svg | Solar symbol |
| Moon | ☽ | U+263D | Image:Moon symbol crescent.svgImage:Moon symbol decrescent.svg | A crescent moon |
| Other Symbols | ||||
| name | symbol | Unicode | image | Represented by image |
| comet | ☄ | U+2604 | ||
| ascending node | ☊ | U+260A | ||
| descending node | ☋ | U+260B | ||
| conjunction | ☌ | U+260C | ||
| opposition | ☍ | U+260D | ||
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- When Did the asteroids Become Minor Planets? (contains astronomical symbols for the asteroids)br:Arouezioù steredoniezh
fr:Symbole astronomique ko:천문 기호 it:Simbolo astronomico ru:Астрономические символы sv:Astronomiska symboler zh:天文符號

