Shooting stars tattoos are a very cute and simple way to show your love for the universe. However, they can represent many different ideas depending on your culture, beliefs, and superstitions.
Most commonly, shooting star tattoos represent luck and good fortune. However, they can also represent Gods, children coming to Earth, or even omens.
For Aboriginal groups, shooting stars can represent death and destruction. Cree groups believe that we come from the stars, Turkish people see shooting stars as representations of the dead, and the Irish believe that a shooting star is a soul which has gone straight to Heaven.
What is the History of Shooting Star Tattoos?
There is something romantic and magical about a shooting star. When you look up and see one at night, you should feel honored to have witnessed its final short sparkle across the sky as it ends its incredible journey through the universe.
When you see a shooting star at night, let it remind you of the brevity of time and space, the adventures of the great universe, and your connection to any others who may be looking at the same stars as you in that moment.
Scientifically, shooting stars are the dust trails of comets, which burn and crash into the Earth’s atmosphere, creating bright and beautiful streaks of light. However, for a lot of cultures around the world, they can symbolize a lot more.
What Do Shooting Star Tattoos Symbolize?
The most popular belief is that shooting stars can grant your wishes.
This idea dates back to 200 years ago, where it was said that a shooting star comes from God and as such, represents good luck. Some people have argued that the star which led the three wise men to Jesus in Bethlehem was actually a comet.
The Japanese also believe that wishes made on shooting stars come true within ten years. In many places if you are worried about money, you need to stand outside, say the word ‘money’ three times before a shooting star disappears, and let the cash flow in!
The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that shooting stars were signs that either something good or something bad was going to happen or had already happened. One of the most famous outcomes of shooting stars comes from the spring of 44BC, following the murder of Julius Caesar.
The comet burned in the sky during Caesar’s funerary games, and in the epic poem of the Aeneid, Virgil stated that “a star had appeared in the day, and Augustus had persuaded the people that it was Caesar”.
Even today, you can find the surviving coins from this era from where Augustus had immortalised the deification of Caesar, and the comet that had flown through the sky.
What Do Shooting Star Tattoos Mean?
Shooting stars can mean a lot of things to many different people all around the world! We have spoken about some of the most historical above, but they can also represent:
- Souls which are on their way to heaven where they can finally be at peace
- The soul of a new baby coming to Earth
- To bring luck to travellers on their journeys
- Connection to other human beings, or to the Gods
However, shooting stars aren’t always considered to be a positive thing! Instead, in cultures such as in the Middle East and Hawaii, they can be omens or represent negative deeds.
In Islam, the Prophet Muhammad revealed that when decisions were being discussed in the heavens about the destiny of a person below, jinn would go down to Earth to collect gossip. Then, when the jinn tried to escape, information in hand, angels would bring them down with bolts of fire or meteors – or shooting stars!
Pointing at shooting stars can also bring you bad luck, due to the fact that some consider the stars to be Gods.
Characteristics and Styles of Shooting Star Tattoos
The majority of shooting star tattoos are on women in the form of fine-line tattoos. They are done in a minimalist style and are usually quite small.
The most popular type of shooting star tattoo shows a small star with several trails of dust behind it. They are almost always in black-and-white, although sometimes either red or yellow is added to the star.
Shooting star tattoos can be great either by themselves, as part of a larger tattoo piece, or as a matching tattoo with a friend or family member.
Where Do Shooting Star Tattoos Usually Go?
Due to the small nature of the tattoo, it often looks best when in a smaller location. Some examples of small areas where shooting star tattoos look great are:
- Below the collarbone
- On the back or side of the ankle
- On the inner wrist
- Above the inner crook of the elbow
- On the back of the shoulder
- On top of the foot
Final Thoughts
Shooting star tattoos are a great way to show your appreciation for science, faith, history, or luck. They are usually very small and cute, and can be great either as a solo tattoo or as a matching tattoo with a friend or family member.
In some cultures, it is rude to point at the stars as they are considered Gods, and in others, you’d be safer not looking at the stars at all as a shooting star can represent death.
However, in most western countries, a shooting star can symbolize luck and good fortune, and seeing one during the night means that something great is about to happen to you or a loved one.
