Asterism ⁂
Three asterisks in a triangle. It's a traditional mark for a break between sections of text.
Asterism codes
| Unicode | U+2042 |
| Official name | ASTERISM |
| Unicode block | General Punctuation |
| HTML (hex) | ⁂ |
| HTML (decimal) | ⁂ |
| CSS | content: "\2042"; |
| JavaScript | "\u2042" |
| Python | "\N{ASTERISM}" |
| URL-encoded | %E2%81%82 |
| UTF-8 bytes | E2 81 82 |
How to type ⁂
- Mac: press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer and search for “asterism”. Or switch to the Unicode Hex Input keyboard, hold Option and type
2042. - Windows: in Word, type
2042and press Alt + X. Windows has no Alt code for this character, so copying it from this page is the fastest route in other apps. - Chromebook and Linux: press Ctrl + Shift + U, type
2042, then press Space or Enter. - iPhone and Android: copy it from this page, then save it as a text replacement so a short code like
;asttypes it for you. Here's how on iPhone.
What the asterism is used for
- A section break in a book or long article.
- Marking a change of scene in fiction.
- A decorative ornament in headings or signatures.
Good to know
The word "asterism" also means a small pattern of stars in the sky, like the Big Dipper. Most modern books use a row of three spaced asterisks (* * *), called a dinkus, instead. The asterism is the older, more formal option. Rarely used, deeply dignified.
Will it show up? Supported by most current system fonts.