Ara Constellation | Constellations In The Southern Hemisphere
ARA CONSTELLATION – In this topic, we are going to know and learn about the southern constellation Ara , the Altar.
It is a small constellation in the southern sky. Its name means ‘the altar’ in Latin and represents the altar used by Zeus and other Greek gods to swear allegiance before they went to war against Cronus and the Titans. Cronus was one of the 12 Titans who had deposed his father Uranus.
It also represents the altar of King Lycaon of Arcadia. Lycaon tested Zeus by serving him a meal of a dismembered child, and later tried to kill the god while he slept. Enraged, Zeus transformed the king into a wolf and killed his 50 sons with lightning bolts.
Ara contains the Stingray Nebula, the open clusters Westerlund 1, NGC 6193, the globular clusters NGC 6397, NGC 6352 and NGC 6362, the barred spiral galaxy NGC 6300, the planetary nebula NGC 6326 and the pre-planetary Water Lily Nebula.
It is the 63rd of the largest constellations and occupies an area of about 237 square degrees. It lies in SQ3, the third quadrant of the southern hemisphere.
Ara belongs to the Hercules family, together with Aquila, Centaurus, Corona Australis, Corvus, Crater, Crux, Cygnus, Hercules, Hydra, Lupus, Lyra, Ophiuchus, Sagitta, Scutum, Serpens, Sextans, Triangulum Australe, and Vulpecula.
Stars
Among the stars include:
- Alpha Arae
- Beta Arae
- Cervantes
- Epsilon Arae
- Gamma Arae
- Inquill
- Mu Arae
- Zeta Arae
READ ALSO: Apus Constellation | Constellations In The Southern Hemisphere