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Star polygons and polygonal compounds are the basis for numerous figures of significance in arts and culture. The figure may be the border or interior of the polygon, or one or more closed polygonal paths that include all of the border and also have some legs crossing the interior. The name is derived from the polygon's similarity to the diffraction spikes of astronomical stars, but specific uses may exploit the connection or not. Stars often represent the unity of states within a country when they are used as a part of the flag.
The three-pointed star is used much less often than other types of stars. but it appears in one of the versions of the flag of the International Brigades in the Spanish civil war. [4] It also appears in the symbol of the Mercedes-Benz car manufacturer.
Several varieties of four-pointed stars were used in cultures around the world:
The 1914-15 star campaign medal of the British army was based on a four-pointed star. [5] A compass rose in the form of a four pointed-star also appears in the flag of NATO and the flag of the country of Aruba. The seal of the (now cancelled) United States Civil Service Commission included a four-pointed star between the years 1963-1979. [6] Four-pointed stars also appears in the symbols of the Subaru car company and Philips corporation.
The five-pointed star, if drawn with points of equal length and angles of 36° at each point, is sometimes termed a golden five pointed star. [7] If the colinear edges are joined, a pentagram is produced, which is the simplest of the unicursal star polygons, and a symbol of mystical and magical significance. The golden five-pointed star is a very common ideogram in the western world, and has particularly strong associations with military power and war. Many communist countries (such as China and Vietnam) and symbols also incorporate five-pointed stars.
The five-pointed star appears in the flags of 35 countries, and also appears commonly in the heraldry of the United States, and stands in contrast to the vexillologically rarer seven-pointed star.
The five-pointed star occurs in conjunction with a crescent in the flags of several countries to symbolize Islam, appearing for example as part of the symbol of the Ottoman Empire.
In philately, the five-pointed star signifies stamps that have not been postmarked.
The five-pointed star is used as the symbol of the People Nation alliance of gangs from Chicago.[ citation needed ] Blood gangs who originated from New York, known as the United Blood Nation, also use this as a symbol as they have emulated the People Nation alliance.[ citation needed ]
In the Armenian Pantheon, there is a goddess called Astlik/Astghik. In the Armenian language Astgh means star, Astghik - Little Star. Compared with Ishtar, Astara, this goddess' sign should have been the (probably)eight-pointed star.
Several varieties of six-pointed stars are used in cultures around the world:
Apart from these, six-pointed star formations are rare as an ideograph in Western cultures except in the case of law enforcement badges. [9] In astrology, some formations of a six-pointed star can signify fixed stars. In some rare instances, it can signify the date of birth on a gravestone, synonymous with the five-point star.[ citation needed ]
A seven-pointed star appears in the flag and heraldic symbolism of Australia. In the Australian context, the seven points (also known as the Commonwealth Star, the Federation Star, the Seven Point Star, or the Star of Federation) is a seven-pointed star symbolising the Federation of Australia which came into force on 1 January 1901. Six points of the Star represent the six original states of the Commonwealth of Australia, while the seventh point represents the territories.
The seven-pointed stars stand in contrast to the vexillologically more conventional five-pointed stars.
The Seal of the Cherokee Nation has an acute gold seven-pointed star in its seal.
The seven-pointed star is also used as a symbol of the Trinitarios gang from New York City.
A heptagram or septagram is a seven-pointed star drawn with seven straight strokes. There are two kinds of heptagrams:
The eight-pointed star is widely used in the Arabic states in decorative art,[ vague ]. It is sometimes similar to the Star of Lakshmi formed from overlapping squares but may also appear in the form of the Rub el Hizb which adds a central circle to the design.
A two-color, 8-pointed star associated with the American Friends Service Committee and other Quaker service groups since the 1870s is sometimes called "the Quaker star".
A nine-pointed star is the most common symbol of the Baháʼí Faith, the number nine being significant in the religion.
The flag of the Federation of Malaya used the eleven-pointed star from 1950 until 1963, with the star representing the 11 member states of the federation.
The flag of Nauru uses a twelve-pointed star representing the 12 tribes on the island.
In the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem the traditionally location of the birth of Jesus is marked by a silver star with 14 points that represents the three sets of 14 generations in the genealogy of Jesus. The flag of Malaysia uses the Federal Star, a fourteen-pointed star representing the unity between the 13 member states and the federal government.
A crescent shape is a symbol or emblem used to represent the lunar phase in the first quarter, or by extension a symbol representing the Moon itself.
A heptagram, septagram, septegram or septogram is a seven-point star drawn with seven straight strokes.
A pentagram is a regular five-pointed star polygon, formed from the diagonal line segments of a convex regular pentagon. Drawing a circle around the five points creates a similar symbol referred to as the pentacle, which is used widely by Wiccans and in paganism, or as a sign of life and connections.
An n-pointed magic star is a star polygon with Schläfli symbol {n/2} in which numbers are placed at each of the n vertices and n intersections, such that the four numbers on each line sum to the same magic constant. A normal magic star contains the integers from 1 to 2n with no numbers repeated. The magic constant of an n-pointed normal magic star is M = 4n + 2.
A hexagram (Greek) or sexagram (Latin) is a six-pointed geometric star figure with the Schläfli symbol {6/2}, 2{3}, or {{3}}. The term is used to refer to a compound figure of two equilateral triangles. The intersection is a regular hexagon.
In heraldry, the term star may refer to any star-shaped charge with any number of rays, which may appear straight or wavy, and may or may not be pierced. While there has been much confusion between the two due to their similar shape, a star with straight-sided rays is usually called a mullet in English heraldry while one with wavy rays is usually called an estoile.
The coat of arms of Australia, officially the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, is a formal symbol of the Commonwealth of Australia. It depicts a shield, containing symbols of Australia's six states, and is held up by native Australian animals, the kangaroo and the emu. The seven-pointed Commonwealth Star surmounting the crest also represents the states and territories, while golden wattle, the national floral emblem, appears below the shield.
A red star, five-pointed and filled, is a symbol that has often historically been associated with communist ideology, particularly in combination with the hammer and sickle, but is also used as a purely socialist symbol in the 21st century. It has been widely used in flags, state emblems, monuments, ornaments, and logos.
The conjoined representation of a crescent and a star is used in various historical contexts, including as a prominent symbol of the Ottoman Empire, and in contemporary times, as a national symbol by some countries, and as a symbol of Islam. It was developed in the Greek colony of Byzantium ca. 300 BC, though it became more widely used as the royal emblem of Pontic king Mithridates VI Eupator after he incorporated Byzantium into his kingdom for a short period. During the 5th century, it was present in coins minted by the Persian Sassanian Empire; the symbol was represented in the coins minted across the empire throughout the Middle East for more than 400 years from the 3rd century until the fall of the Sassanians after the Muslim conquest of Persia in the 7th century. The conquering Muslim rulers kept the symbol in their coinage during the early years of the caliphate, as the coins were exact replicas of the Sassanian coins.
The Commonwealth Star is a seven-pointed star symbolising the Federation of Australia which came into force on 1 January 1901.
The state flag of Victoria is a British Blue Ensign defaced by the state badge of Victoria in the fly. The badge is the Southern Cross surmounted by an imperial crown, which is currently the St Edward's Crown. The stars of the Southern Cross are white and range from five to eight points with each star having one point pointing to the top of the flag. The flag dates from 1870, with minor variations, the last of which was in 1901. It is the only Australian state flag not to feature the state badge on a round disc.
In typography, a star is any of several glyphs with a number of points arrayed within an imaginary circle. A commonly used star symbol is the asterisk.
Caput mortuum is a Latin term used in alchemy to signify a useless substance left over from a chemical operation such as sublimation and the epitome of decline and decay. Alchemists represented this residue with a stylized human skull, a literal death's head.
The national flag of Australia is based on the British Blue Ensign—a blue field with the Union Jack in the upper hoist quarter—augmented with a large white seven-pointed star and a representation of the Southern Cross constellation, made up of five white stars. Australia also has a number of other official flags representing its people and government bodies.
A five-pointed star (☆), geometrically an equilateral concave decagon, is a common ideogram in modern culture. Comparatively rare in classical heraldry, it was notably introduced for the flag of the United States in the Flag Act of 1777 and since has become widely used in flags.
In geometry, a tetradecagon or tetrakaidecagon or 14-gon is a fourteen-sided polygon.
Frederick Gordon Brownell was a South African herald, vexillologist, and genealogist.
The Star of Ishtar or Star of Inanna is a Mesopotamian symbol of the ancient Sumerian goddess Inanna and her East Semitic counterpart Ishtar. The owl was also one of Ishtar's primary symbols. Ishtar is mostly associated with the planet Venus, which is also known as the morning star.
The 1901 Federal Flag Design Competition was an Australian government initiative announced by Prime Minister Edmund Barton to find a flag for the newly federated Commonwealth of Australia. In terms of its essential elements the winning entries are the official flag of Australia.