Jacob Hein

The phrase has origins with Virgil, who wrote in his epic poem Aeneid: "sic itur ad astra" ('thus one journeys to the stars') and "opta ardua pennis astra sequi" ('desire to pursue the high stars on wings'). Another origin is Seneca the Younger, who wrote in Hercules: "non est ad astra mollis e terris via" ('there is no easy way from the earth to the stars').