Ad astra
“To the stars.”
Latin motto (after Virgil, Aeneid 9.641)
What does “Ad astra” mean?
Ad astra translates as “To the stars.”
Aim high – reach for the stars. A short motto for ambition and dreams.
“Ad astra” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Ad | to, towards | a preposition that takes the accusative case |
| astra | the stars | accusative plural (neuter) of astrum, “star”; the accusative is required after ad |
How to pronounce “Ad astra”
Both pronunciations sound the same here. Stress the first syllable of astra: AH-strah, with a short final a.
The story behind it
Word for word the phrase says “to the stars”. Latin astra is the plural of astrum, a word borrowed from Greek, and it is the root of English “astronaut”, “astronomy” and “disaster”.
The two-word form is a shortened modern motto. It echoes older lines such as sic itur ad astra, “thus one goes to the stars”, which the given source places in Virgil’s Aeneid 9.641. The longer motto per aspera ad astra, “through hardships to the stars”, belongs to the same family, and the exact wording of that one is later than Virgil.
Today ad astra is used by schools, military units and space programmes, and it is a familiar title in science fiction. It works as a short motto for anyone who wants to aim high.
How to use “Ad astra”
A compact tattoo, ring engraving or desk motto for ambition and big dreams. It also suits a graduation card, a school or club motto, or a caption for a photo of the night sky.
- Latin
- Ad astra
- English
- To the stars.
- Source
- Latin motto (after Virgil, Aeneid 9.641)
- Era
- Modern
- Theme
- Ambition
Common mistakes
- Some people write “ad astrum” or “ad astra’s”. Astra is already the plural form after ad, so nothing needs to be added.
- It is not the same as per aspera ad astra, which means “through hardships to the stars” and stresses struggle on the way.
- Do not read it as “at the stars” (as in staring at them). Ad here expresses movement towards a goal.
- It is not a complete quotation from Virgil. The two-word form is a later shortening of lines like sic itur ad astra.
Questions about “Ad astra”
What does “Ad astra” mean literally?
“To the stars”. Ad means “to” or “towards”, and astra is the accusative plural of astrum, “star”.
Who said “Ad astra”?
No single author coined this short form. It is a modern motto drawn from older lines such as Virgil’s sic itur ad astra (Aeneid 9.641).
How do you pronounce “Ad astra”?
Say “ad AH-strah”, with the stress on the first syllable of astra. Classical and Church Latin sound the same here.
Is “Ad astra” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. Ad takes the accusative and astra is the accusative plural, so it is grammatically correct as it stands. Do not add endings to it.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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