Talk:First point of Aries

query

Would the 'vernal' and 'autumnal' be reversed in the southern hemisphere?

Depends from your viewpoint:

• YES, because the seasons are reversed
• NO, because they are just convential names. Compare with this: In Europe they draw maps with north up. In New Zealand they do the same. --Tauʻolunga 08:10, 1 July 2006 (UTC)

merge

I would like to suggest MARCH EQUINOX the main article (hemispherically unbiased), redirected to by FIRST POINT OF ARIES and VERNAL EQUINOX; likewise SEPTEMBER EQUINOX redirect to by FIRST POINT OF LIBRA and AUTUMNAL EQUINOX. Or even better: one EQUINOX article (calendrically unbiased) for all of them. --Tauʻolunga 08:10, 1 July 2006 (UTC)

This proposal seems to have lapsed 12 years ago. This is specifically about why the zodiac nominally started at this point in late antiquity and the right ascension always starts with the "point of aries" which ought to be called if we started afresh the rather prosaic and long-winded "March Equinox point of the sun in the zodiac and variable start of the longitudinal orientation of astronomical objects".- Adam37 Talk 18:51, 8 February 2018 (UTC)

This year 2014

The first point of Aries ♈ is March 20 2014 16:57 GMT, or 240°57'?" = -119.05°, a Meridian just E of Santa Barbara, CA USA. SHA there an hour before ♈ is 15°, and just after ♈ they might log (RA 1°, Dec 0°) by noting zenith angle 34° (then clearing). — Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.219.202.186 (talk) 20:17, 12 April 2014 (UTC)

I am not sure what this was about, however the hours of right ascension of a star/galaxy should not be conflated with a point on the earth; they are referring to the position relative to the sun on that equinox considered clockwise in the northern hemisphere.- Adam37 Talk 18:51, 8 February 2018 (UTC)

It's true the first post in this thread conflates celestial and geographic positions. But right ascensions are measured relative to the first point of Aries, not the sun. Jc3s5h (talk) 20:11, 8 February 2018 (UTC)

Closest Major Star to the First Point of Aries

The text reads, "Currently, the closest major star to the First Point of Aries is λ Piscium, located at (22h 52m 37s, −07° 34′ 47″)." It seems to me the coordinates should be (23h 42m 02.8062s, +1° 46' 48.147") as given in https://en.wiki.x.io/wiki/Lambda_Piscium. Ken Drummond (talk) 17:56, 13 October 2014 (UTC)

possible merger?

I am wondering if this article can be merged with equinox (celestial coordinates). Is there some distinction between the two that needs to be maintained? --Lasunncty (talk) 09:13, 15 May 2020 (UTC)

Maybe there should be a merger, but we should also consider how both articles fit with Equinox and March equinox. Please discuss at Talk:March equinox/Archives/2022#First Point of Aries vs. March equinox Jc3s5h (talk) 12:44, 9 July 2022 (UTC)

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Sun enters Aries?

Is this referring at sunrise, or sunset? If so, in 1000 BC Aries would sit due East at dawn and be due West at sunset Elcaracanel (talk) 21:55, 13 July 2023 (UTC)

Time of day is irrelevant. It is referring to the time of year (the northward equinox). Your second sentence is correct at this time. --Lasunncty (talk) 09:05, 14 July 2023 (UTC)