Aster was designed in 1958 by Italienne designer Francesco Simoncini, the founder of the Simoncini type foundry in Bologna, Italy. It is a text typeface designed for use in newspapers and books. Aster has short ascenders and descenders, and although its design has traits of traditional newspaper typefaces, it is a truly new and unique, economic and sturdy typeface of classic quality, still popular and in use today.