Scorpius constellation visible in southern UK sky this week
8 reported
According to a report from The Guardian, stargazers can identify the zodiacal constellation Scorpius, the Scorpion, this week. In mythology, Scorpius is the creature sent to kill Orion the hunter, and the two constellations are on opposite sides of the sky. The full constellation is visible from more southerly latitudes, but for viewers in the UK it can be frustrating to track down because it is so low that it never fully rises above the horizon. The chart provided shows the view looking low in the southern sky from London at 11pm BST on 24 July. The bright waxing gibbous moon lies close to Antares, the red-orange star that marks the heart of the Scorpion. Antares, meaning “rival of Mars,” is a red supergiant star vastly larger than the sun and nearing the end of its life.
What’s reported
Scorpius is one of the famous zodiacal constellations.
In mythology, Scorpius is the creature sent to kill Orion the hunter.
The two constellations are on opposite sides of the sky; when Scorpius rises, Orion has already departed.
The full constellation is visible from more southerly latitudes.
For stargazers in the UK, Scorpius never fully rises above the horizon.
The chart shows the view looking low in the southern sky from London at 11pm BST on 24 July.
The bright waxing gibbous moon lies close to Antares, the red-orange star marking the heart of the Scorpion.
Antares means “rival of Mars” and is a red supergiant star vastly larger than the sun.
Sources: The Guardian
