Aries (constellation)

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Aries
Aries
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List of stars in Aries
Abbreviation: Ari
Genitive: Arietis
Symbolism: the Ram
Right ascension: 3 h
Declination: +20°
Area: 441 sq. deg. (39th)
Main stars: 3, 10
Bayer/Flamsteed
stars:
67
Stars with
known planets:
3
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
Delta Arietids
Epsilon Arietids
Daytime-Arietids
Aries-Triangulids

Bordering
constellations:
Perseus

Triangulum
Pisces
Cetus
Taurus

Visible at latitudes between +90° and −60°
Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of December

Aries (pronounced /ˈɛəriːz/, Latin: ram, symbol , Unicode ♈) is one of the constellations of the zodiac. It lies between Pisces to the west and Taurus to the east.

Contents

Notable features

Aries' stars are rather faint except for α Ari (Hamal) and β Ari (Sharatan). Other important stars are γ Ari (Mesarthim) and δ Ari (Botein).

Teegarden's star, a recent discovery in the constellation, is one of Sun's closest neighbors around 12 light years away. It exhibits one of the largest proper motions known at about 5.06 arc seconds/yr.

Notable 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).

Graphic visualization

The stars of the constellation Aries can be connected in an alternative way, which graphically shows the ram running (or jumping).

The ram's head consists of the stars α Ari, λ Ari, and β Ari: α Ari being of the second magnitude and beta Arietis 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.

Mythology

According to Greek mythology, Aries was a ram, possibly a golden one, that got the gods' mission to save Helle and Phrixos from a king Cretheus for false accusations. The ram managed to save Phrixos into the land of Colchis, while Helle instead ended up in the arms of Poseidon. In gratitude for this, Phrixos sacrificed the ram to the gods and hanged its skin in a temple.[1]

Astrology

Main article: Aries (astrology)

As of 2002, 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.

References

  1. ^ "Astronomica", chapter 20, Hyginus, translation by Mary Grant
  • 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.

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