Ara (constellation)

Ara (Latin: "the Altar"), the southern constellation between Scorpius, Telescopium, Triangulum Australe and Norma, was (as Βωμός (Bōmǒs)) one of the Greek bulk (namely 48) described by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations defined by the International Astronomical Union. The Milky Way crosses the northwestern part of Ara. Within the constellation is Westerlund 1, a super star cluster that contains the red supergiant Westerlund 1-26, one of the largest stars known.

Ara (constellation)

Ara (Latin: "the Altar"), the southern constellation between Scorpius, Telescopium, Triangulum Australe and Norma, was (as Βωμός (Bōmǒs)) one of the Greek bulk (namely 48) described by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations defined by the International Astronomical Union. The Milky Way crosses the northwestern part of Ara. Within the constellation is Westerlund 1, a super star cluster that contains the red supergiant Westerlund 1-26, one of the largest stars known.