What is the Aries Constellation | Location in the sky | Mythology | Deep sky objects

What is the Aries constellation?

The Aries constellation is one of the 88 modern constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Aries constellation is one of the 12 constellations of the zodiac. The name "Aries" comes from the Latin word for "ram," and the constellation is often depicted as a ram or a sheep in various cultural traditions.

What are the stars in the Aries constellation?

The Aries constellation contains several stars, but the five brightest stars that form the distinctive "V" shape of the ram's head are:

Hamal (Alpha Arietis): Hamal is the brightest star in Aries and has an apparent magnitude of +2.0. It is an orange giant star located approximately 66 light-years from Earth.

Sheratan (Beta Arietis): Sheratan is the second brightest star in Aries with an apparent magnitude of +2.6. It is a binary star system located approximately 60 light-years from Earth.

Mesarthim (Gamma Arietis): Mesarthim is a binary star system located approximately 162 light-years from Earth. The two stars have similar masses and are separated by a distance of about 168 astronomical units.

Bharani (41 Arietis): Bharani is the fourth brightest star in Aries with an apparent magnitude of +3.6. It is a binary star system located approximately 160 light-years from Earth.

Botein (Delta Arietis): It is the fifth brightest star in the constellation with an apparent magnitude of +4.35. Botein is a yellow-white main-sequence star located approximately 172 light-years away from Earth. Its spectral type is A3V, which means it is a white or bluish-white star that is hotter and more luminous than the Sun.

Other notable stars in the Aries constellation include 20 Arietis, HD 200956, and HD 20367.

Where is the Aries constellation located in the sky?

The Aries constellation is located in the northern celestial hemisphere, between Pisces to the west and Taurus to the east. It is best seen in the evening sky during the autumn months in the Northern Hemisphere and the spring months in the Southern Hemisphere.

To locate Aries in the sky, you can look for the distinctive "V" shape formed by the four brightest stars in the constellation, which resemble the head of a ram or sheep. The constellation is located at right ascension 2 hours and declination +20 degrees.

One way to find Aries is to look for the bright star Aldebaran in Taurus, which is located to the east of Aries. Draw an imaginary line through Aldebaran and continue straight to the west to find the "V" shape of Aries. Alternatively, you can use a star chart or a stargazing app to help you locate the constellation.

What is the mythology behind the Aries constellation?

In ancient Greek mythology, Aries is associated with the story of the Golden Fleece. According to the myth, a winged ram with golden fleece named Chrysomallos was sent by the goddess Nephele to rescue two children, Phrixus and Helle, from their wicked stepmother. As they flew over the sea, Helle fell off the ram's back and drowned in the water that became known as the Hellespont. Phrixus, however, safely arrived in Colchis, where he sacrificed the ram to Zeus and gave the fleece to King Aeetes. Later, the Greek hero Jason and his Argonauts went on a quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece.

The Babylonians also associated Aries with the ram and considered it the first sign of the zodiac. They believed that the sun entered Aries during the vernal equinox, which marked the beginning of their new year. The ancient Egyptians also recognized Aries and depicted it in their star charts as a ram or sheep.

The Aries constellation was first cataloged by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD. It is located between Pisces to the west and Taurus to the east. It is easily recognizable by its three brightest stars: Hamal, Sheratan, and Mesarthim, which form a triangle shape that represents the ram's head.

In modern astrology, Aries is associated with the element of fire and is said to be a sign of leadership, initiative, and courage. People born under this sign are believed to be independent, energetic, and impulsive.

What are some interesting facts about the Aries constellation?

Aries is a relatively small constellation and is the 39th largest constellation in the night sky.

The brightest star in Aries is Hamal, which is a giant star located approximately 65 light-years away from Earth.

Aries is one of the 12 zodiac constellations, and it is associated with the element of fire.

Aries is home to several interesting deep sky objects, including NGC 772, a spiral galaxy located approximately 130 million light-years away from Earth.

Aries is located between Pisces and Taurus, and it is part of a larger group of constellations known as the Zodiac constellations.

Are there any famous deep-sky objects located within the Aries constellation?

NGC 772: This is a beautiful spiral galaxy located about 130 million light-years away from Earth. It is also known as Arp 78 and has a distinctive asymmetrical shape due to its interaction with a smaller galaxy.

NGC 697: This is a planetary nebula located about 3,000 light-years away from Earth. It has a round, bright central region surrounded by a fainter outer region that is shaped like a ring.

NGC 772A: This is a dwarf galaxy located about 140 million light-years away from Earth. It is a member of the NGC 772 group of galaxies.

NGC 691: This is a barred spiral galaxy located about 120 million light-years away from Earth. It has a distinctive bar-shaped central region and spiral arms that extend outward from the bar.

NGC 678: This is a planetary nebula located about 1,200 light-years away from Earth. It has a bright central star surrounded by a fainter outer region that is shaped like a ring.

How big is the Aries constellation compared to other constellations?

The Aries constellation is a relatively small constellation compared to many other constellations in the night sky. It is the 39th largest constellation out of the 88 modern constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Aries occupies an area of approximately 441 square degrees of the celestial sphere, which is only about 1.1% of the total sky. To put this in perspective, the largest constellation in the sky, Hydra, occupies an area of approximately 1303 square degrees, which is nearly three times the size of Aries. The smallest constellation, Crux, occupies an area of only 68 square degrees, which is less than one-sixth the size of Aries.

While Aries may be a small constellation, it is still an important one, as it is the first sign of the zodiac and marks the beginning of the astrological year. It also contains several notable stars and deep-sky objects, including the bright star Hamal and the galaxy cluster Abell 426, also known as the Perseus Cluster.