Scorpius

Scorpius is a zodiac constellation representing the scorpion that killed Orion in Greek mythology. Its brightest star, Antares, is a red supergiant whose name means 'rival of Mars' due to its reddish color. The constellation lies along a rich part of the Milky Way and contains numerous star clusters and nebulae.

The Zodiac family comprises the 12 constellations that lie along the ecliptic — the apparent path of the Sun across the sky over the course of a year. These are among the oldest recognized constellations, with origins in Babylonian astronomy dating back over 3,000 years. The ecliptic crosses each zodiac constellation at different widths, meaning the Sun spends varying amounts of time in each — from about 7 days in Scorpius to 45 days in Virgo.

Mythology & History

The zodiac constellations carry some of the richest mythological traditions in astronomy. Aries recalls the golden ram whose fleece was sought by Jason and the Argonauts. Gemini represents the twins Castor and Pollux, one mortal and one divine. Leo honors the Nemean Lion slain by Heracles as his first labor. The Babylonians originally used these constellations for agricultural timing, and their astrological associations developed later through Greek and Roman traditions. The modern astronomical boundaries were standardized by the IAU in 1930.

Observation Tips

Zodiac constellations are visible from both hemispheres since they straddle the celestial equator. Each is best observed when it reaches opposition (opposite the Sun in the sky), which occurs roughly six months from the dates when the Sun is in that constellation. The zodiac contains many spectacular deep sky objects: the Orion-adjacent Taurus hosts the Pleiades (M45) and Crab Nebula (M1), Virgo is home to the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, and Sagittarius points toward our galaxy's center with its dense Milky Way star clouds.

HIP 80491HIP 80493HIP 80497HIP 80504HIP 80511HIP 80518HIP 80535HIP 80544HIP 80574HIP 77802HIP 78099HIP 78330HIP 78467HIP 78530HIP 78702HIP 78733HIP 80586HYG 119053HYG 119060HYG 119067HYG 119072HYG 119077HYG 119093HYG 119095HYG 119104HYG 119114HYG 119118HYG 119143HYG 119144HYG 119163HYG 119173HIP 82685HYG 119187HYG 119190HIP 82731HIP 83042HIP 82792HIP 82943HIP 83001HIP 83011HIP 83012HIP 83014HIP 83022HIP 83026HIP 83059HIP 83060HIP 83062HIP 83065

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Scorpius constellation?
Scorpius (Sco) is one of the 88 IAU-recognized constellations in the Southern hemisphere. Scorpius is a zodiac constellation representing the scorpion that killed Orion in Greek mythology. Its brightest star, Antares, is a red supergiant whose name means 'rival of Mars' due to its reddish
How many stars are cataloged in Scorpius?
StarFYI currently catalogs 1,722 stars in the constellation Scorpius.
What is the brightest star in Scorpius?
The brightest star in Scorpius is Antares.
How large is the Scorpius constellation?
Scorpius covers 496.78 square degrees of the sky.
What family does Scorpius belong to?
Scorpius belongs to the Zodiac Family of constellations.