Star lore
Hamal
Direct answer
Hamal is Alpha Arietis, an orange giant and the brightest star in Aries.
Hamal is the leading star of Aries and an ancient seasonal reference.
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At a glance
- Found in
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Related
- Mirach, Almach, Menkar, Diphda
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The story behind Hamal
The name means the ram, and the star was close to the equinox point in antiquity.
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The Road of the Sun
Where the twelve signs came from, and why they carry the names they do.
Why Hamal matters
Hamal’s historical association with the March equinox records how axial precession changes the celestial framework over centuries.
How to read Hamal
Find Hamal west of the Pleiades and use it to begin Aries's short bent line.
Hamal in practice: an example
Modern coordinates place the March equinox far from Hamal, revealing the accumulated shift of precession.
Where readings of Hamal go wrong
Calling Hamal an equinox star is historical, not a description of the present equinox location.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- IAU Division C Working Group on Star Names - Official IAU working group responsible for standardizing star names used in international astronomy.
- CDS SIMBAD Astronomical Database - Professional astronomical database for stellar identifiers, positions, classifications, and bibliography.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Last updated
- 2026-09-26
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Common questions
What is Hamal?
Hamal is Alpha Arietis, an orange giant and the brightest star in Aries.
What does the name Hamal mean?
The name means the ram, and the star was close to the equinox point in antiquity.
What do people get wrong about Hamal?
Calling Hamal an equinox star is historical, not a description of the present equinox location.
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