The constellation known as the Ram is called Aries. The name is Latin for “ram,” and Aries is one of the 12 constellations of the zodiac. It lies in the Northern Celestial Hemisphere between Pisces and Taurus.
Aries has been associated with a ram since at least late Babylonian astronomy. In Greek mythology, it became linked with the golden ram that rescued Phrixus and Helle. Phrixus eventually sacrificed the ram, and its fleece became the famous Golden Fleece sought by Jason and the Argonauts.
Aries is a relatively modest and faint constellation, with Hamal as its brightest star. It is also historically important because the “First Point of Aries” once marked the vernal equinox. Earth’s axial precession has since shifted that point into Pisces, even though the traditional name remains.
A common mix-up is confusing the constellation Aries with the astrological sign Aries. They share a name, but the constellation is an actual region of the sky, while the sign is a 30-degree division used in astrology.