We know that in the sky there are different types of constellations. It is a set of luminous stars that have united forms and that behind them there is a mythology and history. In this case, we are going to talk about the scorpio constellation. It is a constellation quite visible in the sky and is near the center of the Milky Way. It is also close to the ecliptic plane as is the case with other signs of the zodiac.
Therefore, we are going to dedicate this article to tell you all the characteristics, origin, mythology and curiosities of the constellation of Scorpio.
Key features
It is one of the easiest constellations to locate, even if you are a beginner at observing. It is a constellation of the zodiac located between the serpentarium and the square. The brightest stars in this constellation draw a figure that recalls the shape of the scorpion, hence its name. We must know that the zodiac is a region of the celestial sphere where the ecliptic passes and where we can find the planet. This name refers to the fact that the constellations that the Greeks saw corresponded to real or mythological animals. That's where the name of the zodiac comes from.
Within the constellation Scorpio we find some stars brighter than others, as is the case in almost all constellations. In this case, the brightest star in the constellation is known by the name of Antares. It is a visual binary star considered a red super giant star that has a diameter 300 times greater than the sun. We must consider the size of this star since our sun already seems small.
The secondary star of the constellation Scorpio has a diameter only twice that of the sun. However, it is about 300 times brighter, so you can see it despite the distance. The apparent visual value of the binary system is 1,0. Scientists have discovered an extrasolar planet located approximately at about 12.400 light years from Earth in the constellation Scorpio. An extrasolar planet is also known by the name of exoplanet and is one that orbits around any star other than our sun.
Therefore, it is part of other planetary systems different from ours. The existence of these planets has been suspected for a long time, although they did not begin to be discovered until the 90s. Thanks to improved technology and detection techniques, a thousand exoplanet have been discovered. The first exoplanet to be discovered orbiting a main sequence star was 51 Pegasi b, discovered in 1995 by Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz of the Geneva Observatory. This planet has a mass comparable to that of Jupiter. Since then more than a hundred planets have been discovered by different international groups. Some of these planets are in the constellation Scorpio, like the one we mentioned above.
Shape and position of the constellation Scorpio
The brightest star in Scorpio is called Qualbu'l-Agrab by the Arabs, the "Heart of the Scorpion," due to its location. The Greeks called it by a very interesting name, Antares, which means Counter-Mars. The name is due to its reddish color and the fact that Mars and this star are almost in the same sky. Once in mind it is a red star, it is quite easy to recognize the claws and the scorpio stinger. This constellation is only visible during the summer, even in some places in the south it is incomplete.
This constellation has a large number of stars and 30 of the most outstanding are the following:
- Antares: As we have mentioned before, it is the central star and has a reddish color with a diameter much greater than that of the sun.
- Akrab: It is also known by the name of Grafias and its color is bluish white.
- Dschubba: This star has a bluish-white color and is located in the front of the scorpion.
- Saula: it is the star that is located in the scorpion's sting and is located in front of another star that is known by the name of Lesath.
- Twill: It is located 190 light years from our planet and its name comes from Mesopotamia.
Scorpio constellation mythology
Of course, a constellation must be accompanied by its own mythology. According to this mythology, in order to marry Merope, the king's daughter, the experienced hunter Orion had to free Chios Island from all existing wild animals. Seeing that he could not get it, the king stopped the marriage. Orion, enraged, he began to kill all the wild animals in the world. This made Gaia, the goddess of Earth, freaked out. To prevent this, he sent a small but very dangerous scorpion to prevent Orion from fulfilling its purpose.
Despite this, Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, had great admiration for Orion and wanted to protect him to the end. In this way, he was able to resolve the conflict in a simple way. He placed each of them on a different side of the sky. Therefore, Orion and the scorpion are very far from each other. It is so much that they are separated, that the two cannot be seen at the same time.
Astrological meaning and curiosities
As for the astrological meaning, people born under the sign of Scorpio are full of self-confidence and have firm beliefs. With so much enthusiasm, they will be jealous and take revenge. They are very honest and sincere, so even though they sometimes feel pain, their opinions can be very valuable. The element of Scorpio is water.
Let's see what are the main curiosities of this constellation:
- It is the constellation with a greater number of stars than it has a magnitude less than 15.
- Many times it conjugates with the moon despite its southern location. In this way, it manages to offer a show highly appreciated by those who dedicate themselves to photography of the sky.
- It belongs to the select group of stars distributed by its corresponding stars with its name.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the constellation of scorpio and its characteristics.