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 83609HIP 83611HIP 83612HIP 83625HIP 85635HIP 85641HIP 83646HIP 83650HIP 83653HIP 85652HIP 83666HIP 83668HIP 85684HIP 85685HIP 83687HIP 83693HIP 83701HIP 83703HIP 83704HIP 83706HIP 83709HIP 79944HIP 85739HIP 85747HIP 85748HIP 85763HIP 83721HIP 83723HIP 83733HIP 83742HIP 83745HIP 83755HIP 83760HIP 85773HIP 85775HIP 85780HIP 85782HIP 85786HIP 85793HIP 85797HIP 85801HIP 85803HIP 83766HIP 83779HIP 83783HIP 83789HIP 85811HIP 85816

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.