Aries (astrology)
First astrological sign of the zodiac
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According to the tropical system of astrology, the Sun enters the sign of Aries when it reaches the March equinox, typically on March 21. Because the Earth takes approximately 365.24 days to go around the Sun, the precise time of the equinox is not the same each year, and generally will occur about six hours later from one year to the next until reset by a leap year. The leap day February 29 causes that year's March equinox to fall about eighteen hours earlier compared with the previous year.
Background
Aries is one of the twelve of the zodiac signs and it is one of the four modality cardinals of the zodiac. Aries is one of the three fire signs in the zodiac, along with Leo and Sagittarius. The ruling planet is Mars. Individuals born while the Sun is in this sign may be called Ariens. The color for Aries is red. The opposite zodiac sign to Aries is Libra.
The equivalent in the Hindu calendar is Meṣa.
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Mythology
In Greek mythology, the symbol of the ram is based on the Chrysomallus, the flying ram that rescued Phrixus and Helle, the children of the Boeotian king Athamas and provided the Golden Fleece. Beyond the association to the planet Mars, there is no link between Aries and Ares, the god of war, often pictured with a vulture and whose origin possibly stems from ἀρή (arē), the Ionic form of the Doric ἀρά (ara), "bane, ruin, curse, imprecation", though this is thought improbable by Beekes.