HAMAL (Alpha Ari) Sharatan (Beta Ari) Mesarthim (Gamma 2 Ari) Botein (Delta Ari) This is one of the 13 constellations of the Zodiac.
They were divided on the same principle; each opened at the spring equinox; the first Arab sign Sharatan was strictly equivalent to the Hindu Acvini; and eighteen constellations in each were virtually coincident.
During August Jupiter will be just over 10° from the two brightest stars of Aries, Hamal, αAri magnitude 2.00 and Sharatan, βAri magnitude 2.64.
It lies between Pisces to the west and Taurus to the east. Notable features Aries' stars are rather faint except for α Ari (Hamal) and β Ari (Sharatan). Other important stars are γ Ari (Mesarthim) and δ Ari (Botein).
The brightest star in Aries (Alpha Ari) is Hamal, the second-brightest star (Beta Ari) is Sharatan, the third-brightest star (Gamma 2 Ari) is Mesarthim, and the fourth-brightest is Botein (Delta Ari) ...
from the Arabic meaning ‘two' of something (possibly two signs or two horns, for it was originally applied to both this star and to its neighbour, Gamma Arietis); and Gamma Arietis is Mesartim, a curiously corrupted form of al-sharatan, ...
See also: Aries, Constellation, Star, Sky, Zodiac
 
|