Aries.
Aries
The ram with the golden fleece, sent into the sky after rescuing a prince.
Mar 21 – Apr 19
Aries · 441 sq° of sky, brightest star Hamal
Aries (Aries) is one of the 88 constellations recognised by the International Astronomical Union, covering 441 square degrees of the northern sky in quadrant NQ2. Its brightest star is Hamal. The Latin genitive of the name is Arietis, used to form star names within the constellation. The IAU standardised all constellation boundaries in 1930.
Aries represents the ram Chrysomallus, whose golden fleece became the object of the famous expedition of Jason and the Argonauts.
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In Greek myth Chrysomallus could fly and speak. The ram rescued the children Phrixus and Helle from a wicked stepmother, carrying them across the sea — Helle fell, but Phrixus survived to reach Colchis.
"Phrixus rode the ram across the sea to Colchis, where the fleece was hung in a sacred grove."
Phrixus sacrificed the ram to Zeus and hung its golden fleece in a sacred grove guarded by a dragon. The pelt is the prize Jason later claims; Zeus placed the ram itself among the stars as Aries.
Where this comes from.
Mythology
- Apollodorus Bibliotheca 1.9.1
- Aratus Phaenomena 225-232
- Hyginus Astronomica 2.20
Paintings & illustrations
- Phrixus and Helle — Josef Karl Püttner (c. 1865) · Wikimedia · PD
- Aries and Musca Borealis — Sidney Hall (engraver), Jehoshaphat Aspin (text) (1825) · Wikimedia · PD
For fun · sources cited. We don’t publish horoscopes, personality readings, or compatibility takes — just astronomy + classical mythology, with public-domain art where available. See all 88 constellations.