What are asterisms?

Asterisms range from simple shapes of just a few stars to more complex collections of many stars covering large portions of the sky. The stars themselves may be bright naked-eye objects or fainter, even telescopic, but they are generally all of a similar brightness to each other.

Why is the asterisk a symbol?

The asterisk ( / ˈæstərɪsk / * ), from Late Latin asteriscus, from Ancient Greek ἀστερίσκος, asteriskos, "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star .

What does an asterisk mean?

An asterisk is usually five- or six-pointed in print and six- or eight-pointed when handwritten, though more complex forms exist. Its most common use is to call out a footnote. It is also often used to censor offensive words.

Why are asterisms important?

Smaller and less overwhelming than the constellations, asterisms are especially important for young and beginner astronomers, thus ensuring that further generations continue to project their creativity and imagination of the heavens just as our ancestors did.