Dusty Phrases

Hi! Welcome to “Dusty Phrases.” You will find below an ancient phrase in one language or another, along with its English translation. You may also find the power to inspire your friends or provoke dread among your enemies.

For other examples, visit HERE:

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Latin:

Per aspera ad astra.

English:

Through adversity to the stars.


You may have heard of this one before. It’s widely used, globally, both in government organizations and in culture. The following is undoubtedly overkill, but I wanted to share a bit of just how widely used this phrase really is, so here is a list compiled by Wiki:

Governmental entities

Military and government

Educational and research institutions

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan[edit]

Botswana

Ecuador

Estonia

Honduras

  • Escuela Nacional de Música, Tegucigalpa
  • Instituto Salesiano San Miguel, Tegucigalpa

India

  • Clarence High School, Bangalore, Karnataka, India – Motto of Redwood House (Ad Astra)
  • St. Augustine’s High School, kalimpong, District:Darjeeling, India
  • The Frank Anthony Public School,Kolkata,India
  • The Frank Anthony Public School, Delhi, India – Motto of Ranger House
  • St Joseph’s High School, Dharwad, Karnataka, India
  • Antonio D’souza High School, Mumbai, India
  • Technology Research and Incubation Centre, Dimapur, Nagaland

Jamaica

  • Immaculate Conception High School, St. Andrew
  • Mount Alvernia High School, Montego Bay

Japan

  • St. Francis Church, Tokyo, West-Hachioji, Gnosis Essene (HP)

Macau

Maldives

New Zealand

Nigeria

Norway

Pakistan

Paraguay

Philippines

  • Far Eastern University – Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation, Quezon City
  • St. John Paul II College of Davao, Davao City
  • Rosevale School, Cagayan de Oro City
  • Juan R. Liwag Memorial High School, Gapan City
  • Cagayan State University, Tuguegarao City

Portugal

  • Astronomy, Astrophysics and Astronautics student’s association (SAC) – Coimbra (Academic association of Coimbra)

Romania

Russia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Slovakia

Slovenia

South Africa

  • Pietersburg Hoërskool
  • Tembisa Secondary School
  • South African Air Force
  • Ribane-Laka Secondary School
  • Chistlehurst Academics and Arts School

Sri Lanka

Sweden

Tajikistan

  • Gymnasium #1 after V. Chkalov, Buston, Khujand, Sugd region

Ukraine

United Kingdom

United States

Popular culture

Others

  • SpaceX has begun to use it in their Starship program.
  • Satellogic uses it in its pirate culture flag.
  • As part of the official team crest of Arendal Football
  • As part of the team crest of the former Collingwood Cricket Club.
  • A plaque honoring the astronauts of Apollo 1 at the launch site where they perished.
  • A tribute exhibit to the Apollo 1 Astronauts “Ad Astra Per Aspera – A Rough Road Leads to the Stars” opened on January 27, 2017, the 50th anniversary of the loss of the crew, at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
  • Inscribed on the crest of Pall Mall cigarettes packages
  • The theme of “POR CC XXI” by Kolese Kanisius Jakarta
  • Part of a custom paint job in World Of Tanks
  • Tradewinds Swiss
  • Space Development Network
  • Part three of the book Jepp who Defied the Stars by Katherine Marsh has the phrase as its title.
  • Appears in Morse code on the track titled “Sounds of Earth” on the Voyager Golden Record that has copies aboard the Voyager 1 & 2 spacecraft that are currently in interstellar space.
  • Is also the motto of the famous Italian historical videomaker Nova Lectio.