How to Use asterism in a Sentence

asterism

noun
  • Also during evening hours this month, three bright stars form an asterism known as the summer triangle.
    — Geoff Chester, Washington Post, 1 Sep. 2023
  • The seven stars that form the lightning pattern from Bowie’s album is in fact called an asterism.
    — National Geographic, 18 Jan. 2016
  • But this asterism—literally, a pattern of stars—is not just a pretty sight.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 14 July 2023
  • An asterism is simply a set of stars that form a pattern familiar to the human eye as part of a larger group of stars.
    — National Geographic, 18 Jan. 2016
  • Having dominated the winter sky for months, the reign of this bright asterism is now coming to an end.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
  • Look carefully below the cosmic pair for the bright asterism known as the Cosmic Teapot.
    — Andrew Fazekas, National Geographic, 1 Sep. 2019
  • First, look out for the dazzling trio of stars that form the famous Summer Triangle asterism.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 2 July 2026
  • For example, Rankin said the moon right next to the Big Dipper asterism is a sure sign of fakery.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Both the asterism and the seven daughters of Atlas shine against a backdrop of exquisite enamel.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 28 June 2023
  • Look to the eastern sky after sundown to find the three stars of the Orion's Belt asterism shining in the winter sky.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 19 Jan. 2026
  • These three stars form a famous asterism known as the Summer Triangle, a staple of the summer night sky.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 1 May 2026
  • Of course, the Diamond is not an official constellation but is an asterism.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 15 May 2026
  • An asterism is often defined as a noteworthy or striking pattern of stars within a constellation, but that is not always the case.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 15 May 2026
  • This asterism’s arrival signals seasonal change and the approach of the September equinox.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
  • Together, these stars form a famous asterism known as the Summer Triangle.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 11 May 2026
  • That celestial teapot in the low southern sky is what astronomers call an asterism, an easy-to-see pattern of stars that isn’t officially a constellation.
    — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 17 Aug. 2025
  • Instead, the Big Dipper is dubbed an asterism, a distinct pattern of stars, one tiny step below a constellation.
    — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 14 June 2026
  • Although Ursa Major is well known, few stargazers can go beyond the core asterism — the Big Dipper.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
  • The Winter Football is not an official constellation but is instead called an asterism.
    — Dean Regas, The Enquirer, 10 Mar. 2021
  • Next, look above the trapezium of stars that form the handle of the asterism and locate the star Pi Sagittarii using your smartphone astronomy app.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Then locate Vega, the brightest star in the Summer Triangle asterism, rising in the eastern sky.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • Summer constellations and asterisms rely more on large geometric patterns.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 19 June 2026
  • This asterism, located within the Taurus constellation, is a fan favorite among stargazers.
    — Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2024
  • Our final target isn't a star cluster at all, but rather a chance alignment of stellar bodies — or asterism — that, when seen from Earth, happen to form the familiar shape of a coathanger in the night sky.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 21 Aug. 2025
  • While neither a constellation nor an asterism, the stretch of our home galaxy has been interpreted similarly to other shapes in the sky for millennia by many different cultures.
    — Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 4 Aug. 2022
  • Also within the constellation Sagittarius is the teapot asterism, a small pattern of stars that gives the Milky Way a distinct semblance of rising steam.
    — Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 19 May 2025
  • Specifically, the shooting stars will seem to come from just to the left of the bowl of the Big Dipper, the popular asterism that makes up part of Ursa Minor.
    — Andrew Fazekas, National Geographic, 20 Dec. 2019
  • Three stars — Deneb, Vega and Altair — will form a triangle, known as the Summer Triangle asterism.
    — Alexiah Syrai Olsen, Sacbee.com, 31 May 2026
  • Three stars — Deneb, Vega and Altair — will form a triangle, known as the Summer Triangle asterism.
    — Hali Smith june 4, Idaho Statesman, 4 June 2026
  • Our teapot asterism is actually the brightest part of the official constellation Sagittarius the Archer.
    — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 17 Aug. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'asterism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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