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 87733HIP 85738HIP 85745HIP 85752HIP 85774HIP 78082HIP 78083HIP 80276HIP 80277HIP 80278HIP 87767HIP 87794HIP 87798HIP 87855HIP 78103HIP 86021HIP 78123HIP 78129HIP 78130HIP 78168HIP 87945HIP 87947HIP 78183HIP 78191HIP 86031HIP 86115HIP 86146HIP 86244HIP 86309HIP 86311HIP 86322HIP 86406HIP 86408HIP 78227HIP 78233HIP 78245HIP 78246HIP 78251HIP 78253HIP 86417HIP 86418HIP 86419HIP 86425HIP 86427HIP 86429HIP 86432HIP 86434HIP 78316

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.