Asterism

[RacingHippo]

No, it's not a medical condition contracted by cartoon Gauls upon drinking too much druidic potion, but one of these:


Look! They're proper Frost*risks an' all!
And there's.... three of them.

(As found here, together with a load of other unusual punctuation marks.)

[D S]

I think you've just found the cover to the new album!  I'm sure Vit P will buy you a beer for saving him the effort!  :lol:

[Trapezium Artist]

As an astronomer, I feel duty bound to point out than an asterism is any grouping of stars that forms a nicely recognisable shape; not necessarily looking like something real, but something that draws the eye. Indeed, my forum name is based very directly on a rather famous astronomical asterism  8-)

So, the triple-Frost*erisk fits the bill here, but is a bit more than just that ...

Way back in the day, my first postdoctoral adviser when I moved to work at NASA, proudly told me that he'd catalogued a new constellation in the southern hemisphere. He said he was inspired to do so by the tradition of some  southern constellations having been named for parts of the ships that European explorers were using to sail those seas (e.g. Carina = ship's keel; Antila = pump;  Vela = sails; Pyxis = ship's compass; Puppis = the poop deck), as well as some of the scientific tools they were using (e.g. Microscopium, Telescopium, Horologium, Sextans, etc.)

His new constellation consisted of an asterism of precisely two completely nondescript stars, and he named it Nutus, the test-tube holder.

Yes, he was most definitely taking the piss, but I still find it funny more than 20 years later.

Even more interesting than that asterism punctuation sign though, surely the best find on that unusual punctuation link is how to signal irony and sarcasm: //http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irony_punctuation. I shall be persuading my document preparation programme to allow me to use the percontation point forthwith!

[gr8gonzo]

This, of course, should not be confused with an Astorism, which is any memorable quip by John Jacob Astor.

(i.e. "A man who has a million dollars is as well off as if he were rich." and "What do you mean 'Women & Children First'? The Titanic's going down and you're shouting future Van Halen album titles??!!")

[Pedro]

...the tradition of  constellations having been named for...some of the scientific tools they were using (e.g. Microscopium,  Telescopium)...

A fair bit of "opium" used back then...possibly helping them to see huge elaborate animal drawings in a pattern of just a few dots?
So they stuck "ium" on the end of the real names for things that they really liked...we still do something similar today...Biscuit-yum, Chocolate-yum, Cake-yum...and the even more popular Cookium-yum...

...my forum name is based very directly on a rather famous astronomical asterism...

So that means a Trapeze was really a scientific instrument used by (probably stoned) astronomers?
I guess they had to do something when the Sun was up to stave off the munchies.

[Mikey]

when I moved to work at NASA

Ooooooooohhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!  

[Mikey]

The Asterism has an awesome name, a cool look, and a really lame usage. It's for indicating minor breaks in text. It can also mean "untitled," apparently.

So an album titled Asterism would be untitled

[Trapezium Artist]

when I moved to work at NASA

Ooooooooohhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!  

Not entirely sure whether the wink is intended to indicate irony in this context, Mikey, but what the hell, I'll bite  

I was only with NASA for a couple of years before moving on (and on and on), but now work for ESA instead. And I'm senior enough that I get to make the daft geek jokes and expect the students and postdocs to laugh  8-)

Still, it's nice having one of these on my desk and have it actually mean something:

[attachment=0:1ldwgtp5]retropolis_mug.png[/attachment:1ldwgtp5]

Available from Bradley Schenck's amazing Retropolis Travel Bureau at //http://shop.webomator.com/retropolis/. Venture there at your peril, because you will surely leave substantially poorer in terms of time and money, even if highly enriched in terms of enjoyment and goodies; his pictures and online web stories are great stuff, and all available to purchase in a tempting array of great quality formats ... Christmas just around the corner, anyone?  

(Declaration: I'm just a happy customer; no link to Schenck at all)

[Mikey]

but what the hell, I'll bite  

I was impressed

[rogerg]

The Asterism has an awesome name, a cool look, and a really lame usage. It's for indicating minor breaks in text. It can also mean "untitled," apparently.

So an album titled Asterism would be untitled

now that's good.

[Trapezium Artist]

but what the hell, I'll bite  

I was impressed

Sorry for doubting; you know what we're like around here  

[Mouse]

Interrobang!  :mrgreen:

[Mouse]

Available from Bradley Schenck's amazing Retropolis Travel Bureau at //http://shop.webomator.com/retropolis/. Venture there at your peril, because you will surely leave substantially poorer in terms of time and money, even if highly enriched in terms of enjoyment and goodies; his pictures and online web stories are great stuff, and all available to purchase in a tempting array of great quality formats ... Christmas just around the corner, anyone?  

Oh my God, YES PLEASE!  

[Trapezium Artist]

Available from Bradley Schenck's amazing Retropolis Travel Bureau at //http://shop.webomator.com/retropolis/. Venture there at your peril, because you will surely leave substantially poorer in terms of time and money, even if highly enriched in terms of enjoyment and goodies; his pictures and online web stories are great stuff, and all available to purchase in a tempting array of great quality formats ... Christmas just around the corner, anyone?  

Oh my God, YES PLEASE!  

While waiting for December 16 to arrive, I suggest you treat yourself to a morsel from the website immediately, Mouse; you're worth it  

[Mouse]

Available from Bradley Schenck's amazing Retropolis Travel Bureau at //http://shop.webomator.com/retropolis/. Venture there at your peril, because you will surely leave substantially poorer in terms of time and money, even if highly enriched in terms of enjoyment and goodies; his pictures and online web stories are great stuff, and all available to purchase in a tempting array of great quality formats ... Christmas just around the corner, anyone?  

Oh my God, YES PLEASE!  

While waiting for December 16 to arrive, I suggest you treat yourself to a morsel from the website immediately, Mouse; you're worth it  

Aw, bless ya, TA.    Alas, I have no cash to spend on, well, anything really, so I will hold firm for now. But I WILL have one of their shirts at some point soon!  8-)