Ad astra

For other uses, see Ad astra.

Ad astra is a Latin phrase meaning "to the stars". The phrase has its origin^{[citation needed]} with 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).

Seneca the Younger later wrote non est ad astra mollis e terris via ("there is no easy way from the earth to the stars"). The most renowned phrase by Seneca the Younger is "per aspera ad astra" (through difficulties to the stars), which is also the official motto of the State of Kansas, though Kansas uses the variant "Ad astra per aspera".

Mottos

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.

• ad astra

Ardrossan Academy, North Ayrshire, Scotland

• • Sutherland High School, South Africa
  • Elgin Academy, Scotland
  • Phi Gamma Delta, United States and Canada
  • Salesian Institute San Miguel, Honduras
  • Colegio Salesiano San José, El Salvador
  • Colegio Salesiano Don Bosco, El Salvador
  • Instituto Tecnico Ricaldone, El Salvador
  • Innova Junior College, Singapore
  • Ardrossan Academy, Scotland
  • Miami Central High School, United States
  • Birrong Girls High School, Australia
  • Presbyterian Ladies' College, Armidale, Australia
  • Ruamrudee International School, Thailand
  • Slough Grammar School in Berkshire, England
  • United States Air Force Academy Class of 2007
  • University College Dublin, Ireland
  • Colegio Stella Maris Hermanos Cristianos, Uruguay
  • Asia Digital Holdings Plc, Singapore
• per ardua ad astra — "Through struggle to the stars"
  • Royal Air Force —
  • Royal Australian Air Force
  • Royal Canadian Air Force
  • AFA - Academia da Força Aérea - Brazilian Air Force Academy
  • Trondheim katedralskole, cathedral school in Trondheim, Norway
  • Theta Phi sorority
  • Avondawe Ltd
  • Jamie Ashton Ltd
  • Dialectic IT Ltd
  • Colegio Rio Branco,São Paulo/SP - BRAZIL - Rotary Club
  • Motto of the Irish family of Mulvany

• ad astra per aspera — "to the stars through difficulties"
  • Kansas (U.S. state) and Seal of Kansas
  • Albury High School in Albury, New South Wales, Australia
  • Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina
  • Coventry High School, Coventry, Rhode Island
  • Dr Challoner's Grammar School in Buckinghamshire, England
  • Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Aeronáuticos, in Madrid, Spain
  • Grupo 5 de Caza, a fighter/bomber squadron of the Fuerza Aerea Argentina (Argentine Air Force)
  • Immaculate Conception High School in Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies
  • Milwaukee High School of the Arts in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Mirman School in Los Angeles, California
  • Morristown-Beard School in Morristown, New Jersey
  • Mount Saint Michael Academy in The Bronx, New York
  • Starfleet, the fictional organization in the Star Trek universe.
  • Trenton air cadet training centre, Canada
  • Woodville High School, South Australia
  • Song by rock band Acceptance

• per aspera ad astra — "through adversity to the stars" or sometimes even "a rough road leads to the stars"
  • Arethusa Sorority-Sigma Gamma Phi.Clarkson University&SUNY Potsdam
  • California State University, East Bay, California State University
  • Cornelia Strong College, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  • Gouda, a city in The Netherlands
  • Nuriootpa High School, Barossa Valley, South Australia
  • Pall Mall (cigarette)
  • Queenwood School for Girls, Sydney, Australia
  • Saint Patrick's High School, Karachi
  • Hardwald High School, Olten Switzerland
  • The 6th Company/II Batallion of The Danish Royal Guard
  • South African Air Force
  • Stevens Institute of Technology
  • Girton Grammer School, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia

• Sic itur ad astra — "thus one goes to the stars"
  • Detroit, Michigan public schools
  • Richmond, Virginia (city)
  • St. Andrew's Scots School, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires province, Argentina (daughter institution of St. Andrew's Scots School)
  • The Philomathean Society of the University of Pennsylvania
  • Canadian Forces Air Command
  • Colombian Air Force
  • Alice Smith School, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Jean-Pierre Blanchard the first human to cross the English channel, by air.
  • The former Llandysul Grammar School, Llandysul, Cymru
  • Sicituradastra.[1] A Seti@home International team.

• Ad astra per alia porci — "to the stars on the wings of a pig"
  • Motto on John Steinbeck's personal stamp, featuring a figure of the Pigasus

• Per herbam ad astra — "from grass to the stars"
  • Motto of Wisborough Green Lawnmower Races, United Kingdom

Related phrase

A related phrase, ex astris ("from the stars"), is used frequently in NASA publications and in science fiction. See Ex astris, scientia. Also used in the film Armageddon in the finale. Also a title of a William Faulkner short story. See Collected Stories of William Faulkner: New York: Vintage International. Motto of Ntsonkotha SSS in Lady Frere South Africa

External links

• History of the RAF motto (but note that this page misspells sic itur)
• Royal Canadian Air Force Website
• [2] Sicituradastra. Public forum.