Aries is a mid-sized constellation also known as the "Ram," to many cultures. The Latin meaning of the term Aries means "The ram." The symbol of the constellation is a sign representing a Ram's horns. There are 88 modern-day constellations, and Aries ranks number 39.
The Aries constellation measures in at 441 square degrees. The constellation is not very luminous, and there are only three stars within the constellation which are considered "bright."
Although the Aries constellation represents a Ram to many cultures, that is not the case for every culture. The Marshall Islands see the constellation as a porpoise, and it is viewed as twin inspectors to the Chinese.
Aries became officially recognized as a constellation by the International Astronomical Union in 1922. Its boundaries were defined in 1930 by astronomer Eugene Delporte.
The Aries constellation is located in the northern hemisphere. It is positioned between the Pisces constellation, sitting to the east of Aries, and the Taurus constellation, sitting to the west of Aries.
The Aries constellation is best viewed during the month of December at around 9 p.m. The Aries constellation contains five specific stars which all have known planets. Hamal is the brightest star in the constellation.
