Aries (constellation)
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| Constellation | |
 List of stars in Aries |
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| Abbreviation | Ari |
|---|---|
| Genitive | Arietis |
| Pronunciation | pronounced /ˈɛəriːz/, or formally /ˈɛərɪ.iːz/; genitive /əˈraɪ.ɨtɨs/ |
| Symbolism | the Ram |
| Right ascension | 3 |
| Declination | +20 |
| Area | 441 sq. deg. (39th) |
| Main stars | 3, 10 |
| Bayer/Flamsteed stars |
67 |
| Stars with known planets |
4 |
| Bright stars | 2 |
| Nearby stars | 2 |
| Brightest star | α Ari (Hamal) (2.0m) |
| Nearest star | Teegarden's Star (12.6? ly) |
| Messier objects | 0 |
| Meteor showers | May Arietids Autumn Arietids |
| Bordering constellations |
Perseus Taurus |
| Visible at latitudes between +90° and −60°. Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of December. |
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Aries is one of constellations of the zodiac, located between Pisces to the west and Taurus to the east. Its name is Latin for ram, and its symbol is 
(Unicode ♈), representing a ram's horns.
Contents |
[edit] Notable features
[edit] Stars
- See also: List of stars in Aries
[edit] Deep sky objects
The few deep sky objects in Aries are very dim. They include the galaxies NGC 697 (northwest of β Ari), NGC 772 (southeast of β Ari), NGC 972 (in the constellation's northern corner), and NGC 1156 (northwest of δ Ari).
[edit] Visualizations
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This article is incomplete and may require expansion or cleanup. Please help to improve the article, or discuss the issue on the talk page. |
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This section may contain original research or unverified claims. Please improve the article by adding references. See the talk page for details. (November 2008) |
Ancient Greek astronomers visualized Aries as a ram lying down with its head turned to the right. The stars α, β and γ Arietis mark the ram’s head and horns, according to Ptolemy's Almagest.
The stars of the constellation can be connected in an alternative way, which graphically shows the ram running (or jumping). In this alternative view, the ram's head consists of the stars α Ari, λ Ari, and β Ari: α Ari being of the second magnitude and β Ari of the third magnitude.
The ram's body consists of the stars α Ari, η Ari, ε Ari, 41 Ari, and 35 Ari: ε Ari and 41 Ari being of the fourth magnitude.
The ram's tail consists of the stars 35 Ari, 41 Ari, and 39 Ari.
The star γ Ari, of fourth magnitude, represents the ram's front foot, and the star δ Ari, also of fourth magnitude, represents the ram's hind foot.
[edit] Mythology
Aries was the final station along the ecliptic in the list of constellations given in the MUL.APIN. It was known as MULLU.ḪUN.GA "The Agrarian Worker". It is unclear how the "Agrarian Worker" became "The Ram" of Greek tradition, possibly via association with Dumuzi the Shepherd. Aries only rose to its prominent position in the Neo-Babylonian revision of the Babylonian zodiac as the first point of Aries came to represent vernal equinox, replacing the Pleiades which had had this function during the Bronze Age.[1]
In Greek mythology, the constellation of Aries represents the golden ram that rescued Phrixos, taking him to the land of Colchis. Phrixos sacrificed the ram to the gods and hung its skin in a temple, where it was known as the Golden Fleece.[2]
[edit] Astrology
As of 2009[update], the Sun appears in the constellation Aries from April 19 to May 13. In tropical astrology, the Sun is considered to be in the sign Aries from March 21 to April 20, and in sidereal astrology, from April 15 to May 15.
[edit] References
- ^ John H. Rogers, "Origins of the ancient contellations: I. The Mesopotamian traditions", Journal of the British Astronomical Association 108 (1998) 9–28
- ^ "Astronomica", chapter 20, Hyginus, translation by Mary Grant
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This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (February 2008) |
- H. A. Rey, The Stars—A New Way To See Them. Enlarged World-Wide Edition. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1997. ISBN 0-395-24830-2.
- Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion (2007). Stars and Planets Guide, Collins, London. ISBN 978-0007251209. Princeton University Press, Princeton. ISBN 978-0691135564.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Aries |
- The Deep Photographic Guide to the Constellations: Aries
- NightSkyInfo.com: Constellation Aries
- Star Tales – Aries
| Astronomy | Constellations of the Zodiac | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpius | Ophiuchus | Sagittarius | Capricornus | Aquarius | Pisces |
| Astrology | Signs of the Zodiac | ||||||||||||
| Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces | |
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