Scorpius (The Scorpion) Constellation
Scorpius (pronounced ˈskɔːrpiəs) is the Latin name of a large constellation (in fact it extends itself for about 52 degrees across the sky) situated south of the celestial equator. As such, it is more easily visible from the southern hemisphere.
In English language this constellation is also known as "The Scorpion" while in astronomical texts and literature this constellation is often abbreviated as "Sco" (according to the standard of the International Astronomical Union - IAU) or as "Scor" (according to a naming convention used by NASA).
The Latin genitive of the constellation name is "Scorpii" (pronounced ˈskɔːrpiaɪ) and it is used to identify some of the brightest stars in this constellation based on the Bayer or Flamsteed star naming convention. For instance: α Scorpii (the brightest star of Scorpius based on the Bayer catalog); or 23 Scorpii (the 23th star in the constellation of Scorpius based on the Flamsteed catalog).
Sky Chart of Scorpius Constellation
Here we provide a simplified sky chart of the Scorpius constellation. Alternatively it is possible to locate Scorpius in the night sky using our Online Interactive Planetarium.
Visibility of Scorpius Constellation
Location: Greenwich, United Kingdom
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London
Today's Scorpius rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, United Kingdom are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
The rise and set times provided here are just directional indications and they refer to a point approximately placed at the center of the constellation. In case of very large constellations (like Scorpius actually is) these times can have little relevance.
Bright Stars in Scorpius Constellation
The table below lists the top 20 brightest stars in the Scorpius constellation. See also the complete list of 171 stars brighter than magnitude 6.5 (approximate) in the constellation of Scorpius. Click on each star to see more details about it.
| HR Number(*) | Star designation | Proper name | Visual magnitude | Color | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
HR6134 | α Scorpii | Antares | 0.96 | ⬤ | Variable; Double; |
|
HR6527 | λ Scorpii | Shaula | 1.63 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; |
|
HR6553 | θ Scorpii | Sargas | 1.87 | ⬤ | Variable; |
|
HR6241 | ε Scorpii | Larawag | 2.29 | ⬤ | Variable; |
|
HR5953 | δ Scorpii | Dschubba | 2.32 | ⬤ | Multiple; |
|
HR6580 | κ Scorpii | 2.41 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR5984 | β1 Scorpii | Acrab | 2.62 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; |
|
HR6508 | υ Scorpii | Lesath | 2.69 | ⬤ | |
|
HR6165 | τ Scorpii | Paikauhale | 2.82 | ⬤ | |
|
HR5944 | π Scorpii | Fang | 2.89 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; |
|
HR6084 | σ Scorpii | Alniyat | 2.89 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; |
|
HR6615 | ι1 Scorpii | 3.03 | ⬤ | Double; | |
|
HR6247 | μ1 Scorpii | Xamidimura | 3.08 | ⬤ | Variable; Double; |
|
HR6630 | Fuyue | 3.21 | ⬤ | Multiple; | |
|
HR6380 | η Scorpii | 3.33 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR6252 | μ2 Scorpii | Pipirima | 3.57 | ⬤ | Double; |
|
HR6271 | ζ2 Scorpii | 3.62 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR5928 | ρ Scorpii | Iklil | 3.88 | ⬤ | Double; |
|
HR5993 | ω1 Scorpii | 3.96 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR6027 | ν Scorpii | Jabbah | 4.01 | ⬤ | Multiple; |
| ...go to the complete list of 171 bright stars in the constellation of Scorpius | ||||||
(*) HR stands for Harvard Revised Bright Star Catalogue, which is also known as the Yale Catalogue of Bright Stars.
Deep Sky Objects in Scorpius Constellation
The table below lists the 20 brightest deep sky objects in the Scorpius constellation. See also the complete list of 64 deep sky objects in the constellation of Scorpius. The list includes objects from the Messier, New General Catalogue (NGC) and Index Catalogue (IC).
