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 85043HIP 85046HIP 82193HIP 85048HIP 85056HIP 85058HIP 85075HIP 85077HIP 87078HIP 85114HIP 85117HIP 85126HIP 85156HIP 85158HIP 85159HIP 85162HIP 85167HIP 85168HIP 87191HIP 85188HIP 85192HIP 85197HIP 87195HIP 87196HIP 87198HIP 87218HIP 85206HIP 85210HIP 85211HIP 87220HIP 87221HIP 87223HIP 85222HIP 87230HIP 87232HIP 87240HIP 85237HIP 87255HIP 87257HIP 85250HIP 85265HIP 87279HIP 85281HIP 85284HIP 87298HIP 85291HIP 8529315Psi Sco

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.