Ara

Also known as Arae, Ara (constellation), the Altar

constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere

AI overview

Ara is a constellation located in the southern sky that can be seen from the Southern Hemisphere. It is one of the recognized star patterns that astronomers and stargazers use to map and navigate the night sky.

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Wikidata facts

Official name: Ara
Area: 237
Image: Constellation Ara.jpg

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Commons category: Ara (constellation)
Commons gallery: Ara (constellation)
short name: Ara

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Article

Ara (Latin for "the Altar") is a southern constellation between Scorpius, Telescopium, Triangulum Australe, and Norma. Under its Greek name Βωμός, Bōmǒs, it was one of the 48 classical constellations described by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations designated by the International Astronomical Union.

The orange supergiant Beta Arae is the brightest star in Ara, with a near-constant apparent magnitude of 2.85, and is marginally brighter than the blue-white Alpha Arae. Seven star systems are known to host planets. Sunlike Mu Arae hosts four known planets. Gliese 676 is a (gravity-paired) binary red dwarf system with four known planets.