Scorpius

Scorpius, in astronomy, zodiacal constellation lying in the southern sky between Libra and Sagittarius. It is located between 16 and 18 hours right ascension and between 10 and 45° south declination. It can be seen low in the southern sky during summer in the Northern Hemisphere and high in the northern sky during winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

The constellation’s brightest star, Antares (Alpha Scorpii), is the 15th brightest star in the sky and has a magnitude of 1.1. Its name comes from the Greek for “rival of Ares” (i.e., rival of the planet Mars) and was probably given because of the star’s red color and brightness. Eleven stars in the constellation are brighter than magnitude 3, making its curved, scorpion-like shape obvious. The brightest X-ray source in the sky, Scorpius X-1, is found in this constellation.

The representation of the constellation as a scorpion probably arose in Sumer in the late fourth millennium bce. The constellations of ancient Mesopotamia were adopted by the Greeks, and Scorpius was related to the legend of the scorpion that stung Orion to death (said to be why Orion sets in the sky as Scorpius rises). Another Greek myth relates that a scorpion caused the horses of the Sun to bolt when they were being driven for a day by the inexperienced youth Phaethon.

In astrology Scorpius (or Scorpio) is the eighth sign of the zodiac, considered as governing the period from about October 24 to about November 21. (The Sun is actually in Scorpius only from November 23 to November 30, the shortest time the Sun spends in any zodiac constellation.) It is one of the water signs, along with Cancer and Pisces. Of the three water signs, Scorpius has a fixed modality, meaning that it relates to having a steady character. Traits associated with those born under the sign of Scorpius include being passionate, resourceful, and jealous.