Astronomical symbol

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Symbols in the Berlin Astronomical Yearbook for 1853

Astronomical symbols are used to represent a variety of celestial bodies and observed astronomical events.

use

The symbols listed here are mainly used in astronomy . Many of them can also be found in western astrology , which sometimes uses different forms.

In alchemy , the known seven metals were associated with the seven planets ( planetary metals ) and days of the week . Even in Renaissance diaries (e.g. Vitus Bering's ship's diary) and 18th century diaries (e.g. a construction diary of the Wilsnack estate from 1724) these symbols are often used in the dates for the days of the week.

Heavenly bodies

Planets
Surname symbol Unicode -
characters *
meaning
Mercury Mercury U + 263F mercury : Mercury's winged helmet and cadre ; Mercury , Wednesday
Venus Venus U + 2640 female sign : Hand mirror of Venus (see: Venus symbol ); Copper , Friday
earth earth U + 1F728 alchemical symbol for verdigris : ? Globe with equator and the prime meridian
Earth U + 2641 earth : ** Globe with attached cross ( orb ), mirrored Venus symbol; Antimony (see: )
Mars Mars U + 2642 male sign : Shield and spear of Mars (see: Mars symbol ), iron , Tuesday
Jupiter Jupiter U + 2643 jupiter : Jupiter's lightning bolt or eagle ; Tin , Thursday
Saturn Saturn U + 2644 saturn : Saturn's sickle or scythe ; Lead , Saturday
Uranus Uranus U + 26E2 astronomical symbol for uranus : ⛢ One of the two alchemical symbols for platinum, or a combination of the symbols for Mars and Sun
Uranus U + 2645 uranus : "H" by the last name of the discoverer ( Wilhelm Herschel ), is almost exclusively in the astrology used
Neptune Neptune U + 2646 neptune : Neptune's trident
Neptune symbol alternate.svg U + 2BC9 neptune form two : "LV" from the discoverer's surname ( Le Verrier ) was used almost exclusively in French literature
Dwarf planets
Surname symbol Unicode -
characters *
meaning
(1) Ceres Ceres U + 26B3 ceres : Sickle; see. Crescent symbol of Saturn
(134340) Pluto Pluto U + 2647 pluto : "PL" for Pluto or Percival Lowell
Pluto U + 2BD3 pluto form two : Another Pluto symbol of some astrologers
Asteroids
Surname symbol Unicode -
characters *
meaning
(2) Pallas Pallas U + 26B4 pallas : Modified Venus symbol or shield of Athena ?
(3) Juno Juno U + 26B5 juno : Peacock (symbol of Juno )
(4) Vesta Vesta U + 26B6 vesta : Hearth fire
4 Vesta (2) .svg similar to U + 2656 white chess rook : ♖ Fire altar
Simbolo di Vesta.svg similar to U + 25AD white rectangle : ▭
(5) Astraea 5 Astraea Symbol.svg similar to U + 2693 anchor : ⚓ Anchor of Justice
5 Astraea symbol alternate.svg similar to U + 2696 scales : ⚖ Scales of justice
(6) Lift 6 Hebe Astronomical Symbol.svg similar to U + 1F377 wine glass : ?︎ Chalice , wine glass
6 Hebe.svg
(7) Iris 7 Iris Astronomical Symbol.svg similar to U + 2313 segment : ⌓ Rainbow with a star inside
7 Iris symbol.svg
(8) flora 8 Flora Astronomical Symbol.svg similar to U + 2698 flower : ⚘ Stylized flower
(9) Metis 9 Metis symbol.svg similar to U + 1F441 eye : ? Eye under a star
(10) Hygiea 10 Hygiea Astronomical Symbol.svg similar to U + 2695 staff of aesculapius : Staff of Aesculapius
10 Hygeia symbol alternate.svg Snake with star ( hexagram )
(11) Parthenope 11 Parthenope symbol.svg similar to U + 1F397 reminder ribbon : ? Set up fish with a star
11 Parthenope symbol alternate.svg similar to U + 2656 white chess rook : ♖ harp
(12) Victoria 12 Victoria symbol.svg similar to U + 26E7 inverted pentagram : ⛧ Laurel branch over a star (inverted pentagram ) "a star with a laurel branch"
Victoria asteroid symbol.svg
(13) Egeria 13 Egeria symbol.svg similar to U + 1F6E1 shield : ? Shield (actually a buckler ) with star (inverted hexagram )
(14) Irene Symbol 14 Irene vectorization.svg similar to U + 1F54A dove of peace : ? or U + 1315B egyptian hieroglyph g024 : ? Is described as " dove with olive branch and star"
(15) Eunomia 15 Eunomia symbol.svg similar to U + 2661 white heart suit : ♡ Elongated white heart under a star (inverted hexagram )
(16) psyche 16 psyche symbol.svg similar to U + 2313 segment : ⌓ Butterfly wings under a star (upside down hexagram )
(17) Thetis 17 Thetis symbol.svg similar to U + 223F sine wave : ∿ Dolphin and star "which suggests the dolphin, sacred to the silver-footed goddess"
(18) Melpomene 18 Melpomene symbol.svg similar to U + 2667 white club suit : ♧ or U + 2670 west syriac cross : ♰ Shamrock- shaped dagger or cross over a star (inverted hexagram )
(19) Fortuna 19 Fortuna symbol.svg similar to U + 2638 wheel of dharma : ☸ Wheel under a star (upside down hexagram )
(26) Proserpine 26 Proserpina symbol.svg similar to U + 235F apl functional symbol circle star : ⍟ Pomegranate with a star ( hexagram ) inside
(28) Bellona 28 Bellona symbol.svg similar to U + 2224 does not divide : ∤ Scourge and spear of the goddess Bellona (martial sister of Mars )
(29) Amphitrite 29 Amphitrite symbol.svg similar to U + 262A star and crescent : ☪ Crescent moon with star (inverted hexagram ) in horizontal form
(35) Leukothea 35 Leukothea symbol.png similar to U + FF62 halfwidth left corner bracket : 「 " Lighthouse in ancient form"
(37) Fides 37 Fides symbol.svg similar to U + 2722 four teardrop-spoked asterisk : ✢ and U + 271D latin cross : "Sign of a cross ", in the original print with round and teardrop-shaped widened ends
(2060) Chiron Chiron symbol.svg U + 26B7 chiron : turned key; is used by some astrologers and was standardized as a Unicode symbol on this basis
, without any official status attributed to it by an astronomical organization

* The Unicode characters may not be displayed correctly depending on the character set used. In this case a Unicode-compatible character set should be used. The characters for Ceres, Pallas, Juno, Vesta and Chiron were only integrated in Unicode 5.1 (April 2008) in the Miscellaneous Symbols block under Astrological symbols; A current Unicode 5.1-compatible character set is required for the display.

moon
Surname symbol Unicode -
characters *
meaning
Waxing crescent moon Waxing crescent moon U + 263D first quarter moon : Waxing moon (as seen from north of earth); Silver , Monday ;
New light in the days shortly after the new moon; Lunar or solar eclipse
Increasing crescent First quarter U + 1F313 first quarter moon symbol : ? First quarter
Increasing Moon Projecting, waxing moon U + 1F314 waxing gibbous moon symbol : ? increasing Moon
Full moon Full moon U + 1F315 full moon symbol : ? or
U + 26AA medium white circle :
Second quarter
Waning moon Projecting, waning moon U + 1F316 waning gibbous moon symbol : ? waning moon
Waning crescent Last quarter U + 1F317 last quarter moon symbol : ? Last quarter
Waning crescent moon Last quarter U + 263E last quarter moon : Moon (the celestial body); Waning moon ;
Old light in the days shortly before the new moon; Lunar or solar eclipse
new moon new moon U + 1F311 new moon symbol : ? or

U + 26AB medium black circle : ⚫

Solar eclipse
Rising moon Moonship Moonship; Harvest moon; Day arc of the moon increases (obsessively)
is used almost exclusively by astrologers
Falling moon Standing crescent moon Standing crescent moon ; Plant moon; Day arc of the moon is getting lower (nozing);
(compare solstice and equinox )
"Black Moon" Lilith Lilith symbol.svg U + 26B8 black moon lilith : in astrology for Lilith as the "black moon"
(today equated with the apogee or the second focal point of the elliptical lunar orbit)
Other celestial bodies
Surname symbol Unicode -
characters *
TeX meaning
Sun Sun U + 2609 sun : \odot Sun symbol ; Gold , sunday
star star U + 2731 heavy asterisk : Fixed star
comet comet U + 2604 comet : Comet; Tail star

Constellations

Zodiac signs
Surname symbol Unicode -
characters *
meaning
Aries Aries U + 2648 aries : ♈ or ♈︎ In astronomy, specifically denotes the middle spring equinox ( Aries point , First point of Aries )
bull bull U + 2649 taurus : ♉ or ♉︎
Twins Twins U + 264A gemini : ♊ or ♊︎
cancer cancer U + 264B cancer : ♋ or ♋︎ In astronomy, specifically denotes the mid-summer solstitium (point of the solstice)
lion lion U + 264C leo : ♌ or ♌︎
Virgin Virgin U + 264D virgo : ♍ or ♍︎
Libra Libra U + 264E libra : ♎ or ♎︎ In astronomy, specifically denotes the mean autumn equinox ( balance point )
Scorpio Scorpio U + 264F scorpius : ♏ or ♏︎
Snake bearer Snake bearer U + 26CE ophiuchus :
Sagittarius Sagittarius U + 2650 sagittarius : ♐ or ♐︎
Capricorn Capricorn U + 2651 capricorn : ♑ or ♑︎ In astronomy, it specifically refers to the middle winter solstitium (point of the solstice)
Aquarius Aquarius U + 2652 aquarius : ♒ or ♒︎
fishes fishes U + 2653 pisces : ♓ or ♓︎

Aspects

Aspects
Surname symbol Unicode -
characters *
meaning
Ascending node a.Node U + 260A ascending node :
Descending node d.Node U + 260B descending node :
conjunction conjunction U + 260C conjunction :
opposition opposition U + 260D opposition :
quadrature quadrature U + 25A1 white square :
Trine (astrology) Trine (astronomy) U + 25B3 white up-pointing triangle :
Sextile Sextile U + 26B9 sextile :
Quinkunx (astrology) Quincunx U + 26BB quincunx :
Semisextile (astrology) Semi-textile U + 26BA semisextile :
Half square (astrology) Half square U + 2220 angle :
Square and a half (astrology) Square and a half U + 26BC sesquiquadrate :
Quintile (astrology) Quintile U + 0051 latin capital letter q : Q
Biquintil (astrology) Biquintile similar to U + 266D music flat sign : ♭ and

U + 0051 latin capital letter q : Q

** Depending on the character set used, the character U + 2641 is displayed as Earth symbol.svgor Earth symbol alternate.svg.

New designs

Most dwarf planets and all moons except Earth have no official or commonly used astronomical symbols. The same applies to the constellations , with the exception of the signs of the zodiac .

Various proposals are being discussed for the dwarf planet (136199) Eris , which was celebrated as the “tenth planet” when it was discovered in 2005, in particular:

There are suggestions from individuals for new symbols for other objects, but there is no general interest among users.

Web links

Commons : Astronomical symbols  - collection of images, videos, and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Johann Franz Encke : Berlin Astronomical Yearbook for 1853 . Berlin 1850, p. VIII
  2. ^ A b John Russell Hind : An astronomical vocabulary . London 1852, p. 6
  3. Conversations-Lexikon , 10th edition, FA Brockhaus 1854, Volume 12, entry “Planets”, p. 175, view in the Google book search
  4. ^ Karl Theodor Robert Luther : Observations of Thetis at the Bilker observatory, by Director Luther (dated May 4, 1852). In: Astronomische Nachrichten , Volume 34, Altona 1852, Column 243/244
  5. ^ Karl Theodor Robert Luther: Observations of the newest planet at the Bilker observatory . In: Astronomische Nachrichten , Volume 36, Altona 1853, Column 349/350
  6. ^ Karl Theodor Robert Luther: Observation of the Bellona, ​​along with news about the Bilker observatory (dated March 9, 1854). In: Astronomische Nachrichten , Volume 38, Altona 1854, Column 143/144
  7. ^ Name and symbols of the planet discovered by Mr. R. Luther zu Bilk on April 19th . In: Astronomische Nachrichten , Volume 40, Altona 1855, Column 373/374
  8. Letter from Dr. R. Luther, Directors of the Bilk Observatory, to the editor (dated October 11, 1855). In: Astronomische Nachrichten , Volume 42, Altona 1856, Column 107/108
  9. a b c David Faulks: Proposal to add some Western Astrology Symbols to the UCS. (PDF) In: Unicode Technical Committee Document No. L2 / 06-171. ISO / IEC JTC1 / SC2 / WG2, May 9, 2006, accessed March 8, 2015 .
  10. Gardening with the moon. Hauenstein AG, Nurseries & Garden Center, accessed on June 15, 2015 .
  11. Zane B. Stein: Chiron and Friends - Eris. Retrieved May 30, 2015 . (Website of an American astrologer)
  12. Example of a private website with a collection of symbol designs: Denis Moskowitz: New Astro Symbols. April 13, 2014, accessed May 19, 2015 .