Abbreviation: Ara
Genitive: Arae
Translation: The Altar
Position in the Sky
Right Ascension: 17 hours
Declination: -55 degrees
Visible between latitudes 25 and -90 degrees
Best seen in July (at 9:00 PM)
South of Scorpius, Ara is named after the altar of the centaur of Centaurus fame, named Chiron. Chiron, half horse, half man was thought to be the wisest creature on earth. Ara was also known as the altar that Noah built after the great flood.