Scorpius constellation lies in the southern sky. It represents the scorpion and is associated with the story of Orion in Greek mythology.
Scorpius is one of the zodiac constellations, first catalogued by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century. Its symbol is . Scorpius pre-dates the Greeks, and is one of the oldest constellations known. The Sumerians called it GIR-TAB, or “the scorpion,” about 5,000 years ago.
The constellation is easy to find in the sky because it is located near the centre of the Milky Way. It contains a number of notable stars and deep sky objects, including the bright stars Antares and Shaula, the Butterfly Cluster (Messier 6), the Ptolemy Cluster (Messier 7), Cat’s Paw Nebula (NGC 6334), the Butterfly Nebula (NGC 6302), and the War and Peace Nebula (NGC 6357)
FACTS, LOCATION & MAP
Scorpius is the 33rd constellation in size, occupying an area of 497 square degrees. It lies in the third quadrant of the southern hemisphere (SQ3) and can be seen at latitudes between +40° and -90°. The neighboring constellations are Ara, Corona Australis, Libra, Lupus, Norma, Ophiuchus and Sagittarius.
Scorpius belongs to the Zodiac family of constellations, along with Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius and Pisces.
Scorpius contains four Messier objects – Messier 4 (M4, NGC 6121), Messier 6 (M6, NGC 6405, Butterfly Cluster), Messier 7 (M7, NGC 6475, Ptolemy Cluster) and Messier 80 (NGC 6093). It also has 13 stars with known planets. The brightest star in the constellation is Antares, Alpha Scorpii, with an apparent magnitude of 0.96. Antares is also one of the brightest stars in the sky. There are two meteor showers associated with the constellation: the Alpha Scorpiids and the Omega Scorpiids.
MYTH
In Greek mythology, the constellation Scorpius was identified with the scorpion that killed Orion, the mythical hunter. The two constellations lie opposite each other in the sky, and Orion is said to be fleeing from the scorpion as it sets just as Scorpius rises.
In one version of the myth, Orion tried to ravish the goddess Artemis and she sent the scorpion to kill him. In another version, it was the Earth that sent the scorpion after Orion had boasted that he could kill any wild beast.
In ancient Greek times, the constellation Scorpius was significantly larger and comprised of two halves, one with the scorpion’s body and the sting, and one containing the claws. The latter was called Chelae, or “claws.” In the first century BC, the Romans turned the claws into a separate constellation, Libra, the Scales.
0 Comments