Per aspera ad astra Facts for Kids

"Per aspera ad astra", from Finland in the Nineteenth Century, 1894

Per aspera ad astra is a famous Latin phrase. It means "through hardships to the stars." This phrase teaches us that even when things are tough, we can reach great goals. It's like saying, "You can achieve amazing things, even if the journey is hard."

Many groups and people use this inspiring saying. It often appears as a motto or a special message.

Where You Might See or Hear It
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Where You Might See or Hear It

The phrase "Per aspera ad astra" and its variations are used by many different groups. They use it to show their spirit and goals.

In Government and Military

Some countries and military groups use this phrase. It shows their dedication to tough missions.

The state of Kansas in the United States uses "Ad astra per aspera" as its motto.
The South African Air Force and Spanish Air Force use it.
The Royal Life Guards (Denmark) also have this motto.

In Books and Movies

This phrase often appears in stories and films. It adds a deep meaning to the plot.

In Kenta Shinohara's Astra Lost in Space, it's on a plaque on a spaceship. The crew names their ship Astra because of it.
Kurt Vonnegut's The Sirens of Titan uses it as a motto for Martian soldiers.
In Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird", it's the motto of the fictional town Maycomb.
The 2019 science fiction film Ad Astra uses a part of the phrase for its title.
In the 2015 film The Martian, the phrase is seen on the floor of a lecture hall.

In Music

Many musicians have used this phrase for their songs or albums.

It is the subtitle of a piano piece by Moritz Moszkowski (1903).
The band Stars of the Lid titled their fourth album Per Aspera Ad Astra (1998).
Acceptance has a song called "Ad Astra Per Aspera" (2005).
The band Abandon Kansas named their second album Ad Astra per Aspera (2011).
The band ASP released a best-of album called Per Aspera Ad Aspera (2014).
The symphonic metal band Nightwish used it as a song subtitle (2020).

In Schools and Universities

Many schools and universities around the world use this phrase as their motto. It inspires students to work hard.

In Australia: Queenwood School for Girls and Woodville High School.
In India: Maulana Azad Medical College and The Frank Anthony Public School, Delhi.
In Japan: St. Francis Church, Tokyo.
In New Zealand: Rotorua Boys' High School.
In Nigeria: Ilupeju College and Lagos Secondary Commercial Academy.
In Pakistan: St Patrick's High School, Karachi.
In the Philippines: Far Eastern University and St. John Paul II College of Davao.
In Romania: Mihai Eminescu National College (Suceava) and Military Technical Academy.
In the United Kingdom: Colfe's School and Mayfield Grammar School.
In the United States: California State University East Bay and Stevens Institute of Technology.

In Popular Culture and Other Uses

The phrase also appears in video games, tattoos, and other places.

It's on the ship 'Searcher' in the TV show Buck Rogers.
Garrison Keillor often mentioned it on A Prairie Home Companion.
Per Aspera Ad Astra is a Soviet Russian science fiction film.
Tomo Milicevic of the band 30 Seconds to Mars has a tattoo of the phrase.
It is a hidden message in the 2009 video game The Conduit.
It is the motto of Starfleet in Star Trek The Next Generation.
The phrase appears in Morse code on the "Sounds of Earth" track. This track is on the Voyager Golden Record aboard the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft. These spacecraft are now in interstellar space.
It is the title of a background music in the Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire video games.
In Bioware's Mass Effect 3, it's on a wall honoring fallen crew members.
It is the motto of the Golds in Pierce Brown's Red Rising Series.
It is part of the team crest of Arendal Football.
A plaque honoring the astronauts of Apollo 1 has this phrase. It is at the launch site where they died.

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"Ad astra per aspera", plaque in memory of the crew of Apollo 1

Per aspera ad astra facts for kids

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