AraAra

What it looks like

Ara is a mid-sized southern constellation, drawn as an altar with smoke rising from it. It lies just south of Scorpius's tail and is rich in Milky Way star fields, open clusters and nebulae. Its brightest star, Beta Arae, is an orange giant of magnitude 2.85.

Brightest stars

Ara is anchored by Beta Arae, an orange giant, with several other stars brighter than magnitude 3.5.

Mythology and history

In Greek myth, Ara is the altar on which the Olympian gods swore their oath of allegiance before their war against the Titans.

The altar of the gods

When Zeus prepared to wage war against Cronus and the Titans, he gathered the gods and had them swear an oath of loyalty on a great altar. After the victory, the altar was placed in the sky as a memorial of the Titanomachy — the ten-year war between the Olympians and the older gods. Eratosthenes and Hyginus both record the story, and Aratus describes the altar's fires as being surrounded by the Milky Way, which is why it lies beside the rich band of stars in Scorpius and Sagittarius.

How to find it

Look just below the curved tail of Scorpius on winter and spring evenings from the southern hemisphere.

• Find the tail of Scorpius, then look south for Ara.
• The Milky Way runs through the constellation — a rich field for binoculars.
• Best from the southern hemisphere on winter and spring evenings.

Key facts

Abbreviation

Ara

Genitive

Arae

Meaning

The Altar

Brightest star

Beta Arae

Main stars

7

Area rank

63rd

Best visible

July

Declination

-55°

Meteor showers

—

Neighbours

Corona Australis, Scorpius, Norma, Triangulum Australe, Apus, Pavo, Telescopium

Deep-sky objects

NGC 6397 is one of the two nearest globular clusters to Earth, about 7,800 light-years away and visible to the naked eye under dark skies. The constellation also contains the open clusters NGC 6193 and NGC 6200, plus the Ara Cluster and the faint planetary nebula NGC 6326.

Frequently asked questions

What does the constellation Ara look like?

Ara is a southern constellation known as the Altar, one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy, sitting between Scorpius and Centaurus in a rich region of the Milky Way.

What is the brightest star in Ara?

The brightest star in Ara is Beta Arae, shining at around magnitude 2.85.

When is Ara best visible?

Ara is best seen from southern hemisphere during July.

What is the story behind Ara?

In Greek myth, Ara is the altar on which the Olympian gods swore their oath of allegiance before their war against the Titans.

Which constellations are near Ara?

Ara borders Corona Australis, Scorpius, Norma, Triangulum Australe, Apus, Pavo and Telescopium.