The Constellation Scorpius, the Scorpion
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Scorpius
More than any other constellation, Scorpius resembles its given name.
It is located low in the south for northern latitudes, but passes high
in the sky for viewers in the southern hemisphere. The bright star
Antares marks the heart of the arachnid, and its long curving tail
trails to the south. The scorpion once had claws, but they were
severed by Julius Ceasar to form the constellation Libra.
Where stars are concerned, whatever you are looking for, you can
probably find it in Scorpius. Antares is an unmistakable, brilliant
red supergiant star at the heart of the scorpion. There are many open
clusters, including the spectacular M7 roughly 5 degrees off the tip
of the scorpion's tail. As it is nearby, M4 is one of the largest,
brightest globular clusters
in the sky, visible even with binoculars. As a bonus, it is
especially easy to find since it is located only 1.5 degrees west of
Antares.
The scorpion holds an infamous place in Greek mythology as the slayer
of Orion. One story tells that Orion fled the scorpion by swimming
the sea to the island of Delos to see his lover, Artemis. Apollo,
seeking to punish Artemis, joined her and challenged her hunting
skills, daring her to shoot the black dot that approached in the
water. Artemis won the challenge, unknowingly killing her lover by
doing so.
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