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 80391HIP 80397HIP 80399HIP 80400HIP 80405HIP 80407HIP 82543HIP 82546HIP 82549HIP 82551HIP 82554HIP 82560HIP 82561HIP 80416HIP 80418HIP 80422HIP 80425HIP 80428HIP 80431HIP 82565HIP 82569HIP 87181HIP 80446HIP 87253HIP 87277HIP 87301HIP 87372HIP 87390HIP 87498HIP 87505HIP 87508HIP 87509HIP 87529HIP 87532HIP 87543HIP 87554HIP 87555HIP 87722HIP 87978HIP 87996HIP 82596HIP 82598HIP 88004HIP 88023HIP 80475HIP 80478HIP 80486HIP 80490

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.