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 phrase. Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ...

Mottos

• Exact motto
  • University College Dublin
  • Slough Grammar School in Berkshire, England
• per ardua ad astra — "Through struggles to the stars"
  • Royal Air Force
  • Royal Canadian Air Force
• ad astra per aspera — "to the stars through difficulties"
  • Kansas (US state)
  • 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"
  • NASA
  • Stevens Institute of Technology
  • Cornelia Strong College, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• Sic itur ad astra
  • Richmond, Virginia (city)
  • Detroit, Michigan public schools

University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin - more commonly University College Dublin (UCD) - is Irelands largest university, with over 20,000 students. ... Slough Grammar School (Language College) is a fully selective Foundation school in Lascelles Road, Slough (originally Buckinghamshire but now Berkshire), and since September 2002 formally named Slough Grammar School (Language College). ... Berkshire (IPA: or  ; sometimes abbreviated to Berks) is a county in England and forms part of the South East England region. ... Motto: Dieu et mon droit (Royal motto; French for God and my right) 3 Anthem: God Save the Queen 4 Capital London Most populous conurbation Greater London Urban Area Official language(s) None5 Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen HM Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister The Rt Hon Tony Blair MP Formation... The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) was the air force of Canada from 1924 until 1968 when the three branches of the Canadian military were merged into the Canadian Armed Forces. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Dr Challoners Grammar School is a Voluntary Controlled Grammar School of approximately 1280 boys located in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England. ... Map of Bucks (1904) This article is about the English county. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification    - by Athelstan AD927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi   - Water (%) Population... NASA logo Listen to this article · (info) This audio file was created from an article revision dated 2005-09-01, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ... Stevens Institute of Technology is a technological university located on a 55 acre (223,000 m²) campus in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA, founded in 1870 on the basis of an 1868 bequest from Edwin A. Stevens. ... The University of North Carolina at Greensboro is a public university in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA and is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina system. ... Flag Seal Nickname: River City Motto: Sic Itur Ad Astra Location Location in the Commonwealth of Virginia Coordinates , Government Country State County United States Virginia Independent City Mayor L. Douglas Wilder (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 62. ... Nickname: Motor City; Motown, D-Town, The D, The Renaissance City, Detroit Rock City, The Rock City, The 313 Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (Latin for, We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes) Location in Wayne County, Michigan Coordinates: Country State County United States Michigan Wayne...

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). Bust, traditionally thought to be Seneca, now identified by some as Hesiod. ... A sculpture of Virgil, probably from the 1st century AD. For other uses, see Virgil (disambiguation). ... For the group of nine Ancient Egyptian deities, see Ennead. ...

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. Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ...

External links

• History of the RAF motto (but note that this page misspells sic itur)
• Royal Canadian Air Force Website