Scor

Scorpius is one of the constellations of the zodiac. It lies between Libra to the west and Sagittarius to the east. The name is Latin for scorpion, and its symbol is (♏). Scorpius is one of the 48 constellations identified by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the second century. It is an ancient constellation that pre-dates the Greeks. It is a large constellation located in the southern hemisphere near the center of the Milky Way.

Characteristics

Scorpius is a prominent constellation visible in the southern sky. Its brightest star, Antares, is often referred to as "the heart of the scorpion". Antares is a red supergiant star that is approximately 550 light-years from Earth. The constellation also contains many other bright stars, such as Shaula (Lambda Scorpii) and Sargas (Theta Scorpii), which represent the scorpion's tail and stinger, respectively.

Mythology

In Greek mythology, Scorpius is linked to the story of Orion. According to one of the myths, Orion boasted to Artemis and her mother, Leto, that he could kill every animal on Earth. The Earth goddess Gaia sent a scorpion to kill Orion. The scorpion succeeded, and both Orion and the scorpion were placed in the sky as constellations by Zeus. However, they were placed on opposite sides of the sky so that they would never meet again.

Observation

Scorpius is best viewed in the northern hemisphere during July at around 9:00 PM. It can be found in the southern sky, with the constellation of Sagittarius to its east and Libra to its west. The constellation's shape is reminiscent of a scorpion, with a long tail that curves back over its body.

Notable Features

- Antares: The heart of the scorpion, a red supergiant star, is the 15th brightest star in the night sky. - Shaula and Sargas: Represent the scorpion's tail and stinger, respectively, and are among the constellation's brightest stars. - Messier 4: A globular cluster located near Antares, it is one of the closest globular clusters to Earth and can be seen with a small telescope.

See Also

• Zodiac
• Constellation
• Ptolemy
• Orion