Ara is a southern constellation situated between Scorpius and Triangulum Australe. Its name is Latin for "altar". Ara was one of the 48 Greek constellations described by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations defined by the International Astronomical Union.
| Constellation | |
 List of stars in Ara | |
| Abbreviation | Ara |
|---|---|
| Genitive | Arae |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛərə/, genitive /ˈɛəriː/ |
| Symbolism | the Altar |
| Right ascension | 17.39 h |
| Declination | −53.58° |
| Quadrant | SQ3 |
| Area | 237 sq. deg. (63rd) |
| Main stars | 7 |
| Bayer/Flamsteed stars | 17 |
| Stars with planets | 7 |
| Stars brighter than 3.00m | 2 |
| Stars within 10.00 pc (32.62 ly) | 3 |
| Brightest star | β Ara (2.84m) |
| Nearest star | Gliese 674 (14.80 ly, 4.54 pc) |
| Messier objects | 0 |
| Meteor showers | None |
| Bordering constellations | Corona Australis Scorpius Norma Triangulum Australe Apus Pavo Telescopium |
| Visible at latitudes between +25° and −90°. Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of July. | |
