The star is an ideograph often representing the astronomical star for which it is named, though it also carries other meanings in various contexts.
The five-pointed star, if drawn with points of equal length and angles of 36° at each point, is sometimes termed a golden five pointed star. If the colinear edges are joined together a pentagram is produced, which is the simplest of the unicursal star polygons, and a symbol of mystical and magical significance.
Originally, the five-pointed star (pentangle), forming a pentagram within it, represented the ten tribes of Israel that broke away from the ruling class of Judah, Benjamin, and the Priests. There are ten 'Vav' or 'man' that form the five points.
Later, satanists turned the star upside down to form the face of a dragon (or goat) which gave the symbol an evil demented meaning (the representation of Satan). A circle was also added around the Israelite Star because it was the letter 'Samek' meaning, 'death'. Today's modern Pagans tend to use all three symbols, rather than making any distinction.
The golden five-pointed star is a very common ideogram in the western world, and has particularly strong associations with military power and war. Many communist countries (such as China and Vietnam) and symbols (the hammer and sickle) also incorporate five-pointed stars.
