Asterism
WordNet
noun
(1) (astronomy) a cluster of stars (or a small constellation)
(2) (mineralogy) a star-shaped figure with six rays that is seen in some crystal structures under reflected or transmitted light
WiktionaryText
Etymology
From , from .
Noun
- A small group of stars that forms a visible pattern but is not an official constellation.
- A rarely used typographical symbol (⁂, three asterisks arranged in a triangle), used to call attention to a passage or to separate sub-chapters in a book.
- A star-shaped figure exhibited by some crystals by reflected light (as in a star sapphire) or by transmitted light (as in some mica).