The first point of Aries, also known as the cusp of Aries or the vernal point, is the location of the March equinox (the vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere, and the autumnal equinox in the southern), used as a reference point in celestial coordinate systems. In diagrams using such coordinate systems, it is often indicated with the symbol ♈︎. Named for the constellation of Aries, it is one of the two points on the celestial sphere at which the celestial equator crosses the ecliptic, the other being the first point of Libra, located exactly 180° from it. Due to precession of the equinoxes since the positions were originally named in antiquity, the position of the Sun when at the March equinox is now in Pisces; when it is at the September equinox, it is in Virgo (as of J2000).
Along its yearly path through the zodiac, the Sun meets the celestial equator as it travels from south to north at the first point of Aries, and from north to south at the first point of Libra. The first point of Aries is considered to be the celestial "prime meridian" from which right ascension is calculated.
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