Aries is one of the constellations of the zodiac, located between Pisces
to the west and Taurus to the east. Its name is Latin for ram, and its
symbol is (Unicode ♈), representing a ram's horns. One of the 48
constellations described by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, Aries
remains one of the 88 modern constellations today. A mid-sized
constellation, it is ranked 39th overall with an area of 441 square
degrees (1.1% of the celestial sphere). Though it specifically came to
represent the ram whose fleece became the Golden Fleece in Ancient
Greece, it had represented a ram since late Babylonian times. Before
that, the stars of Aries formed a farmhand. Because Aries is zodiacal,
its stars were incorporated into different constellations in different
cultures, including twin inspectors in China and a porpoise in the
Marshall Islands. Aries is a relatively dim constellation, possessing
only three bright stars: Hamal (Alpha Arietis, second magnitude),
Sheratan (Beta Arietis, third magnitude), and Mesartim (Gamma Arietis,
fourth magnitude). The few deep-sky objects are quite faint and include
several pairs of interacting galaxies. Several meteor showers radiate
from Aries, including the Daytime Arietids and the Epsilon Arietids.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aries_(constellation)>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
762:
Al-Mansur, the Caliph of Islam, founded the city of Baghdad to
be the capital of the Islamic empire under the Abbasids.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Baghdad>
1619:
The first representative assembly in the Americas, Virginia's
House of Burgesses, convened for the first time.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Burgesses>
1811:
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, an early leader of the Mexican War
of Independence, was executed by Spanish authorities.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_Hidalgo_y_Costilla>
1912:
Japan's Emperor Meiji died and was succeeded by his son
Yoshihito, who is now known as the Emperor Taishō (pictured).
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Taish%C5%8D>
1975:
American labor union leader Jimmy Hoffa mysteriously
disappeared after last being seen outside a restaurant near Detroit.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Hoffa>
2006:
Lebanon War: The Israeli Air Force attacked a three-story
building near the South Lebanese village of Qana, killing at least 28
civilians, including 16 children.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qana_airstrike>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
chiropterologist:
Someone who studies bats (the flying mammal).
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/chiropterologist>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Nobody knows about my man. They think he's lost on some horizon. And
suddenly I find myself Listening to a man I've never known before,
Telling me about the sea, All his love, 'til Eternity. Ooh, he's here
again, The man with the child in his eyes.
--Kate Bush
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Kate_Bush>