Aries the Ram

zodiac · constellation · northern sky

Named after a ram. Aries is the Latin word for ram, and this constellation is supposed to look like a ram in the night sky. Ancient people saw the pattern of stars and imagined it was the mythical golden ram.

One of the oldest constellations. Aries was one of the 48 constellations described by the ancient astronomer Ptolemy almost 2,000 years ago. It's still one of the 88 constellations that astronomers recognize today.

Found in the northern sky. You can find Aries in the Northern celestial hemisphere, tucked between Pisces on one side and Taurus on the other. This makes it a handy landmark for people learning to navigate the night sky.

A medium-sized constellation. Aries ranks 39th in size among all 88 constellations, covering an area of about 441 square degrees. That's a good size for spotting with a telescope or even with your eyes on a dark night.