Ad astra


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" and "opta ardua pennis astra sequi". Another origin is Seneca the Younger, who wrote in Hercules: "non est ad astra mollis e terris via".

Etymology

Ad is a Latin preposition expressing direction toward in space or time. It is also used as a prefix in Latin word formation.
Astra is the accusative plural form of the Latin word astrum 'star'.

Mottos

Ad astra is used as, or as part of, the motto of many organizations, most prominently, military air forces. It has also been adopted as a proper name for various such things as publications, bands, video games, etc. It likewise sees general use as a popular Latin tag.

''Ad astra''

  • Ad Astra Rocket Company, Webster, Texas, United States
  • Motto of Astor family
  • Innova Junior College, Singapore
  • Presbyterian Ladies' College, Armidale, Australia
  • United States Air Force Academy Class of 2007
  • United States Coast Guard Academy Class of 1992
  • USS Taurus
  • University College Dublin, member institution of the National University of Ireland
  • Downe House School, AGN house motto

    ''Ad astra per alas porci''

"To the stars on the wings of a pig"
  • Motto on John Steinbeck's personal stamp, featuring a figure of the Pigasus. Steinbeck's motto had an error in the Latin and used 'alia' instead of 'alas'.
  • Title of Chris Thile's mandolin concerto

    ''Ad astra per aspera''

"To the stars through difficulties"; "a rough road leads to the stars"; or "Through hardships, to the stars".
"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.

    ''Per ardua ad astra''

"Through adversity to the stars" or "Through struggle to the stars"
"Through hardships to the stars" or "To the stars through difficulties"
"Through boldness to the stars"
"With full speed to the stars"
  • Chilean Air Force

    ''Sic itur ad astra''

"Thus one goes to the stars"
  • The Philomathean Society, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
  • The Canongate, Edinburgh, Scotland
  • , Australia
  • City of Richmond, Virginia, United States
  • Argentine Air Force, Materiel Command, Argentina
  • The Geelong College, Australia
  • Canadian Air Force
  • Colombian Aerospace 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"
"Reach for the stars"
"From here the way leads to the stars"
  • Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania

    Other uses

Per "Abi ad Astra" was the
slogan of the year 1999 students of the grammar school Ubbo-Emmius-Gymnasium in Leer

Literature

  • "Ad Astra" is the title of a William Faulkner short story, found in Collected Stories of William Faulkner.
  • A derived phrase, ex astris, is used frequently in NASA publications and in science fiction—see Ex astris, scientia.
  • The phrase "Per Aspera, Ad Astra" is used as a motto by Golds, recalling the Earth eras pre-conquering, in the popular Red Rising science fiction saga.

    Music

  • "Per aspera ad Astra" is the name of a track from the album Eppur si muove by German symphonic metal band Haggard.
  • The phrase "Ad Astra" is a key phrase in Nightwish's song Shoemaker and the name of track 8 on disc two from their album Human. :II: Nature.
  • "Ad Astra" is the title of a song by Finnish composer Antti Martikainen from the album "Novum" released November 30, 2022.
  • “Sic itur ad astra” is the title of a track on Megaliths, the second album written and performed by Edinburgh-based experimental electronic musician Daniel McGurty, and released in 2022.
  • "AD ASTRA" is the 15th track on the album SILOS, the fifth studio album of cinematic rock band Starset, released September 12, 2025.
  • "AD ASTRA" is title of the ninth studio album of Northern Irish rock band Ash, released October 03, 2025.

    Art

  • 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.

    Film and television

  • 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's Singaporean anime-influenced television series Trese.

    Computer games

  • A 1984 computer game, Ad Astra is an outer space shoot-em-up with a 3-D perspective.
  • The phrase Ad astra abyssosque is used as the motto for the Adventurer's Guild in the video game Genshin Impact.
  • In the video game World of Tanks, Per Aspera Ad Astra is inscribed in the galaxy-themed Ad Astra style camouflage.
  • In the video game Mafia 2, Per Aspera Ad Astra is the name of the last chapter.