Scorpius constellation
Scorpius (the Scorpion) is a constellation in the southern sky, best seen in the evening in July. Its brightest star is Antares (magnitude 0.96). It contains the curved tail. Scorpius covers 497 square degrees and is the 33rd-largest of the 88 constellations.
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How to find Scorpius, step by step
The red heart and the curved tail low in the south.
- On summer evenings (June to August) look low in the south for a bright red star: Antares, the scorpion's heart.
- To its right (west) a short, almost vertical line of three stars, Dschubba in the middle, marks the claws.
- Below and left of Antares the body curves down into a hook that ends in two close stars, Shaula and Lesath: the stinger. From southern latitudes the whole scorpion passes high overhead.
Detailed star map of Scorpius
Facts
| Latin name | Scorpius (genitive: Scorpii) |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | Sco |
| Meaning | the Scorpion |
| Area | 497 square degrees (33rd of 88) |
| Location | right ascension 16.6 h, declination −29° |
| Visible from | latitudes 44° N to 90° S (whole constellation) |
| Best month | July (at about 9 pm) |
| Brightest star | Antares |
| Stars brighter than magnitude 6 | 102 |
| Named stars (IAU) | 15 |
| Messier objects | M4, M6, M7, M80 |
| Neighbors | Ara, Corona Australis, Libra, Lupus, Norma, Ophiuchus, Sagittarius |
How to find Scorpius
From 40° N (the USA, southern Europe, Japan) look south in July evenings: at about 9 pm Scorpius stands highest, around 21° above the southern horizon. From 35° S (Australia, South Africa, Argentina) it is highest in the north, about 84° above the horizon. The months before and after (June and August) are also good: then it is up a couple of hours earlier or later.
Scorpius borders Ara, Corona Australis, Libra, Lupus, Norma, Ophiuchus and Sagittarius.
Stars of Scorpius
Scorpius has 102 stars brighter than magnitude 6, the limit of the naked eye under a dark sky. These are the brightest:
| Star | Designation | Magnitude | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antares | α Scorpii | 0.96 | M1.5Iab-Ib+B4Ve | 550 ly |
| Shaula | λ Scorpii | 1.63 | B2IV+B | — |
| Sargas | θ Scorpii | 1.87 | F1II | 270 ly |
| Larawag | ε Scorpii | 2.29 | K2.5III | 80 ly |
| Dschubba | δ Scorpii | 2.32 | B0.3IV | 731 ly |
| — | κ Scorpii | 2.41 | B1.5III | — |
| Acrab | β1 Scorpii | 2.62 | B1V | — |
| Lesath | υ Scorpii | 2.69 | B2IV | — |
| Paikauhale | τ Scorpii | 2.82 | B0V | — |
| Fang | π Scorpii | 2.89 | B1V+B2V | — |
| Alniyat | σ Scorpii | 2.89 | B1III | 691 ly |
| — | ι1 Scorpii | 3.03 | F2Iae | — |
Deep-sky objects in Scorpius
Scorpius contains 4 objects from Charles Messier's catalog:
- Messier 4 (M4): globular cluster, 5.6 mag
- Butterfly Cluster (M6): open cluster, 4.5 mag
- Ptolemy Cluster (M7): open cluster, 3.5 mag
- Messier 80 (M80): globular cluster, 7.3 mag
Printable Scorpius map and outline
A black and white version for printing and a plain outline of the Scorpius figure, useful for school projects, worksheets and learning to recognize the shape.
History
Scorpius is one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy in the Almagest (2nd century AD). Its official boundary was drawn by Eugène Delporte for the International Astronomical Union in 1930.
Questions about Scorpius
What is the brightest star in Scorpius?
Antares, at magnitude 0.96, about 550 light-years away.
When can you see Scorpius?
Scorpius is best seen in the evening in July. The whole constellation is visible from latitudes between 44° N and 90° S.
How many stars are in Scorpius?
102 stars in Scorpius are brighter than magnitude 6 and can be seen with the naked eye under a dark sky; 15 of them have official IAU names.
What does Scorpius mean?
Scorpius means “the Scorpion” in Latin. Its abbreviation is Sco and the genitive, used in star names such as α Scorpii, is Scorpii.
