Star profile

Iota Arietis

3D likeness based on its real data · class K · ~4,200 K

What is Iota Arietis

Iota Arietis is an orange star at 520 light-years, inside the modest yet ancient zodiacal Ram. Its warm light reveals an atmosphere noticeably cooler than the Sun's, typical of giants that have already left simple hydrogen burning behind. A calm orange flame anchored in the constellation that for centuries marked the start of the astronomical year, when the spring equinox crossed the threshold of the celestial Ram.

Where it is and when to see it

Iota Arietis lies in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is October, when it culminates around midnight.

From London it culminates about 56° above the horizon.
From New York it culminates about 67° above the horizon.
From Sydney it culminates about 38° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere north of 72° S.

It ranks no. 14 in brightness among the 57 stars of Aries in our catalogue. To find it, start from Hamal, the brightest: it lies about 6° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 520 years ago.

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Astronomical data for Iota Arietis

Constellation: Aries
Apparent magnitude: 5.09
Distance: 520.3 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 29.338° · Dec 17.818°
Catalogue: HIP 9110 · HD 11909

A symbolic commemorative gift: neither the signature nor the chosen name implies ownership of the star or recognition by the IAU.

Other stars in Aries

Aries has 57 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 57 stars in Aries