Asterism: meaning, definitions and examples
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asterism
[ ˈæs.tə.rɪ.zəm ]
astronomy
An asterism is a pattern of stars recognized in the sky. It is usually smaller than a constellation and may be part of a larger constellation.
Synonyms
star pattern, stellar configuration
Examples of usage
- The Big Dipper is a well-known asterism in the constellation Ursa Major.
- The Summer Triangle is another popular asterism visible in the night sky.
typography
In typography, an asterism is a symbol consisting of three asterisks placed in a triangle (∴). It is used to indicate a break in text or to highlight a particular section.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The asterism is often used in dictionaries to mark the beginning of a new section.
- You can use an asterism to separate different thoughts within a paragraph.
Translations
Translations of the word "asterism" in other languages:
🇵🇹 asterismo
🇮🇳 तारापुंज
🇩🇪 Asterismus
🇮🇩 asterisme
🇺🇦 астеризм
🇵🇱 asteryzm
🇯🇵 星群 (せいぐん)
🇫🇷 astérisme
🇪🇸 asterismo
🇹🇷 asterizm
🇰🇷 별자리
🇸🇦 تشكل النجوم
🇨🇿 asterismus
🇸🇰 asterizmus
🇨🇳 星群 (xīng qún)
🇸🇮 asterizem
🇮🇸 stjörnusamstæða
🇰🇿 жұлдыздар тобы
🇬🇪 ასტერიზმი
🇦🇿 asterizm
🇲🇽 asterismo
Word origin
The word 'asterism' originated from the Greek word 'asterismos', which means 'a marking with stars'. It has been used in astronomy for centuries to describe recognizable star patterns in the sky. In typography, the term 'asterism' was adopted to refer to the symbol of three asterisks, highlighting its use in separating text. Overall, 'asterism' has evolved to represent patterns and groupings in various fields.