Aries
The modest ram with real character
Best on September–November evenings · northern sky.
Aries is a small constellation sitting between the Pleiades and the Great Square of Pegasus, best known as one of the original zodiac figures. It doesn't dominate the sky, but its handful of bright stars form a recognizable gentle arc, and it rewards a closer look once you know where to point your eyes.
How to find it
On autumn evenings, Aries rides high in the northern sky between two very obvious landmarks: the Great Square of Pegasus to the west and the brilliant Pleiades star cluster to the east. Find the Square, then sweep eastward roughly halfway toward the Pleiades — a small curved line of two fairly bright stars (Hamal and Sheratan) marks the ram's head. Once you've landed the pair, the rest of the constellation falls into a modest arc below.
Brightest stars
Orange-tinted Hamal, the ram's head star, leads at magnitude 2.0 and is the obvious anchor of the constellation. Sheratan follows at magnitude 2.64, sitting close beside Hamal and completing the easy-to-spot head-pair.
Worth seeing
Mesarthim, the faint star at magnitude 4.75 just beyond Sheratan, is a celebrated double star — two closely matched components that rewarded early telescopic observers and still make a satisfying split in a small scope.
Frequently asked
When is Aries visible?
Aries is best seen on autumn evenings, from roughly September through November, when it climbs well up into the northern sky for northern hemisphere observers.
What are the brightest stars in Aries?
Orange Hamal (magnitude 2.0) is the brightest, with Sheratan (2.64) close beside it forming the ram's head. Botein (4.35) and Mesarthim (4.75 and 4.83) are fainter stars completing the pattern.
Which hemisphere is Aries best seen from?
Aries is best placed for northern hemisphere observers, where it rides a comfortable height above the horizon on autumn evenings, though it's also visible from southern temperate latitudes.
Nearby constellations
Perseus · Taurus · Pisces · Cetus · Andromeda · Eridanus · Cassiopeia · Auriga