The Constellation Aries
Aries is a medium-sized zodiacal constellation which represents a ram in classical mythology.
It is visible in the northern sky in the months around October, and is dominated by the two second-magnitude stars Hamal and β-Ari. These mark the two horns of the ram.
Aries lies well away from the plane of the Milky Way and does not contain any open or globular clusters. It is home to many faint galaxies, though.
In Greek mythology, Aries is identified as the winged ram whose golden fleece was the object of the voyage of Jason and the Argonauts.
This constellation gives its name to the point in the sky where the Sun crosses the equator at the March equinox, known as the First Point of Aries. Historically, the Sun once lay in the constellation of Aries at the time of the equinox, but the phenomenon of the precession of the equinoxes means that it now lies nearly 30° away, in Pisces.
Ancient
1.1% of the sky
441.4 square degrees
Aries contains no Messier objects
Aries contains no Caldwell objects
Hover the pointer over the name of an object to highlight its position on the starchart to the right, or click to see more information.
| Stars | Open Clusters | Globular Clusters | Galaxies |
| Hamal (mag 2.0) | NGC 772 (mag 10.3) | ||
| Sheratan (mag 2.7) | NGC 821 (mag 10.8) | ||
| c-Ari (mag 3.6) | NGC 972 (mag 11.3) | ||
| Botein (mag 4.3) | NGC 1156 (mag 11.6) | ||
| HIP 15549 (mag 4.5) | NGC 691 (mag 11.7) | ||
| 39-Ari (mag 4.5) | NGC 877 (mag 11.9) | ||
| HIP 8832 (mag 4.6) | NGC 680 (mag 11.9) | ||
| ε-Ari (mag 4.6) | NGC 674 (mag 12.0) | ||
| 35-Ari (mag 4.6) | NGC 1024 (mag 12.1) | ||
| Mesarthim (mag 4.6) | NGC 1134 (mag 12.1) | ||
| λ-Ari (mag 4.8) | NGC 678 (mag 12.2) | ||
| γ²-Ari (mag 4.8) | NGC 677 (mag 12.3) | ||
| ζ-Ari (mag 4.9) | NGC 803 (mag 12.4) | ||
| 14-Ari (mag 5.0) | NGC 976 (mag 12.4) | ||
| κ-Ari (mag 5.0) | NGC 990 (mag 12.5) | ||
| τ²-Ari (mag 5.1) | NGC 765 (mag 12.5) | ||
| ι-Ari (mag 5.1) | NGC 673 (mag 12.6) | ||
| ε-Ari (mag 5.2) | NGC 794 (mag 12.7) | ||
| UV Ari (mag 5.2) | NGC 935 (mag 12.8) | ||
| η-Ari (mag 5.2) | NGC 1012 (mag 13.0) | ||
| 33-Ari (mag 5.3) | IC 267 (mag 13.1) | ||
| π-Ari (mag 5.3) | NGC 1029 (mag 13.1) | ||
| τ-Ari (mag 5.3) | IC 195 (mag 13.2) | ||
| ν-Ari (mag 5.5) | NGC 1036 (mag 13.2) | ||
| 52-Ari (mag 5.5) | IC 213 (mag 13.2) | ||
| ξ-Ari (mag 5.5) | NGC 918 (mag 13.2) | ||
| σ-Ari (mag 5.5) | IC 163 (mag 13.3) | ||
| 64-Ari (mag 5.5) | IC 1802 (mag 13.4) | ||
| 62-Ari (mag 5.5) | NGC 776 (mag 13.4) | ||
| TYC1230-1424-2 (mag 5.6) | NGC 770 (mag 13.5) |
