What Are the Names of the Stars that Make Up Aries?

Of all the 88 constellations in the sky, my favorite one is Aries, the ram. Constellations are star formations that illustrate a figure. Aries, a northern constellation might refer to the mythology of the flying ram that saved Phrixus and Helle from being sacrificed and/ or to the Golden Fleece that was sought by Jason and the Argonauts.

Visible in the winter sky, it can be best observed between latitudes +90° and -60°. Historically significant as it used to contain the vertical equinox (the point where the sun crosses the celestial equator, now located at Pisces), it is still referred to as the “First Point of Aries”.
In this constellation, there are 7 notable stars, the Alpha Arietis, Beta Arietis, Gamma Arietis, Lambda Arietis, Pi Arietis, 30 Arietis and 52 Arietes. Alpha Arietes, the second magnitude is also called Hamal which means “the Head of the Sheep”.

The brightest star of the constellation, it shines a reddish hue 55 times brighter than the sun. Beta Arietis is 6 light years away from Earth. Discovered in the early 1900’s, it shines at a magnitude of 2.7. Gamma Arietis or Mesarthim, discovered by Robert Hooke as he was searching for a comet, is a bluish double star shining at a magnitude of 4.6. Using binoculars will not split this wide star but a small telescope would. Lambda Arietis is a binary star that’s approximately 133 light years away from Earth.Its component of magnitude is 5 and 7. Pi Arietis, the bluish white double star is difficult to spot for small telescopes. Its magnitude is 8.8, and to observe this, try using the highest magnification available on your telescope. 30 Arietis is the brightest star that shines at a magnitude of 6.6. With a distinct yellowish color, you will sure spot this easily. The last notable star of the ram constellation is the 53 Arietis. Referred to as the “Runaway Star”, it appears to be inching towards the Great Orion Nebula. Theories say that all these stars might have been expelled during the explosion of the supernova but whatever reason there is, it’s amazing just looking at them.