Scorpius Constellation
Andrew Guida
What is a constellation?
A group of stars forming a recognizable pattern that is traditionally named after its apparent form or identified with a mythological figure. The scorpius is a very large and old constellation that contains one of the worlds brightest stars.
The Scorpion's Myth and why its placed in its spot
Scorpius was a giant scorpion sent forth by the earth-goddess Gaia who was the god of personification in Greek to slay the giant the great huntsman Orion in Greek mythology when Orion threatened to slay all the beasts of the earth. Orion and the Scorpion were afterwards placed amongst the stars as a pair of constellations. The two opponents are never seen in the sky at the same time, for one constellation sets as the other rises. The scorpion's claws were originally formed by Libra.
About the Scorpius
The Scorpius is placed in the southern sky. Scorpius is one of the oldest constellations known and is one of the original six zodiac signs. The shape of a large skewed "S" was seen as a scorpion in many cultures, so this constellation was influenced and found out by the cultures. Alpha Scorpii also known as Antares is one of the brightest star in the world and it is in the middle of the Scorpius' constellation. Although the Scorpius was discovered by many cultures other cultures use this constellation for others. In indonesia the people believe that it is a swan constellation and in China the stars are part of the Azure Dragon. The first person to discover this constellation was a greek astronomer named Ptolemy in the second century. All around the world from either the Northern or the Southern hemisphere, July is the month for the Scorpius to reign over Orion and for Orion to take his place in the underworld. But six months before or after – in the month of January – Orion has his turn to lord over the nighttime sky.
Diagram of Scorpius below
Scorpius
One of the oldest constellations in the world.
Antares
The antares is one of the brightest stars in the world and is in the middle of the scorpius constellation.
Scorpius used with other constellations.
This shows how other constellations use the stars of the scorpius in other cultures.
MLA Citations
"Scorpius Constellation." Constellation Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2013.
"Scorpius Constellation: Facts About the Scorpion." Space.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2013.
"Category:Scorpius (constellation)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Apr. 2013. Web. 22 May 2013.
"Enjoying EarthSky? Subscribe." EarthSky. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2013.