Back to Constellation Index

Scorpius



Abbreviation: Sco
Genitive: Scorpii
Right Ascension: 16.99 hours
Declination: -37.17 degrees
  Scorpius the Scorpion, can be seen in summer from the Northern Hemisphere, but is best seen from the Southern Hemisphere or southern US.

Scorpius is the slayer of Orion. Sent by a jealous Artemis, Orion was stung by the Scorpion and caused his death. Orion could not be saved even by Asclepius, the god of healing.

Scorpius was also responsible for the runaway horses of Phoebus Apollo when Phaethon tried to drive the Chariot of the Sun, he caused great havoc as he careened around the skies, drying up rivers and scorching the earth.

  Bright Stars | Deep Sky | Other Deep Sky | Variable Stars | Double Stars
 

Best Known Stars

(Yale Bright Star Catalog)
 
Common Name
or Bayer Number 1 		RA DEC Magnitude 2
ANTARES 16.00:29.00:24.43 -26.00:25.00:55.15 0.90
SHAULA 17.00:33.00:36.53 -37.00:6.00:13.72 1.63
THE SCO 17.00:37.00:19.15 -42.00:59.00:52.21 1.87
EPS SCO 16.00:50.00:9.82 -34.00:17.00:35.72 2.29
DEL SCO 16.00:0.00:20.00 -22.00:37.00:18.04 2.32
KAP SCO 17.00:42.00:29.27 -39.00:1.00:48.09 2.41
GRAFFIAS 16.00:5.00:26.23 -19.00:48.00:19.50 2.62
LESATH 17.00:30.00:45.84 -37.00:17.00:45.03 2.69
TAU SCO 16.00:35.00:52.96 -28.00:12.00:57.72 2.82
PI SCO 15.00:58.00:51.12 -26.00:6.00:50.75 2.89
SIG SCO 16.00:21.00:11.31 -25.00:35.00:34.17 2.89
IOT1 SCO 17.00:47.00:35.08 -40.00:7.00:37.36 3.03
ETA SCO 17.00:12.00:9.20 -43.00:14.00:20.99 3.33
   
 

Deep Sky Objects

(PAS Catalog)

M-4

 M-4 As this fine globular cluster lies only about 1.5 degrees due west of the bright star Antares, this is one of the easiest of the Messier objects to find. This loosely concentrated globular is about 15' in diameter, and is easily resolved. Visually, this object is distinctive in that about 8-10 relatively bright stars appear to form a bar right through its center. These stars help in giving the appearance that the cluster is slightly elongated.

M-6

 M-6 The Butterfly Cluster. This fine open cluster is large, about 25' in diameter and contains over a hundred bright and relatively bright stars. It is called the Butterfly Cluster because some observers see the shape of a butterfly formed by the stars. This cluster is visible to the naked eye as a faint patch of light.

M-7

 M-7 This beautiful open cluster is almost a degree in diameter, so either very low powers or binoculars should be used to optimally view it. This loosely concentrated cluster is easily visible to the naked eye, but should you observe it through a telescope, be sure to look for NGC 6453. This is a small, faint globular cluster seemingly imbedded in M-7's western edge.

M-80

 M-80 Seen in binoculars as a fuzzy star, this is a small, highly concentrated globular cluster which is only partially resolved around the edges in my telescope. The center appears somewhat granulated.

NGC-6144

 NGC 6144 Lying only about one degree NW of Antares, this globular cluster is not as obvious as M-4, which is also nearby. It is faint and loose, about 4' in diameter, and appears slightly granulated, with no resolution seen.

NGC-6231

 NGC 6231 This cluster is only about 15' in extent, but has over one hundred stars blazing in this small area. According to Burnham's Celestial Handbook, if this cluster were the same distance from us as the Pleiades, it would appear about the same size as that cluster, but it would be about fifty times brighter, and its brightest members would shine as bright as Sirius!
   
 

Other Deep Sky Objects

(Saguaro Astronomy Club Catalog)
  Only Objects less than 10.0 Mag.
 
Object R.A. Dec. Object Type 3 Mag. Uranometria Tirion
NGC 6093 16 17.0 -22 59 GLOCL 07.2 336 22
NGC 6121 16 23.6 -26 32 GLOCL 05.9 336 22
NGC 6124 16 25.6 -40 40 OPNCL 05.8 407 22
Cr 302 16 26.0 -26 00 OPNCL 01 336 22
NGC 6144 16 27.3 -26 02 GLOCL 09.1 336 22
NGC 6139 16 27.7 -38 51 GLOCL 09.2 375 22
NGC 6178 16 35.7 -45 38 OPNCL 07.2 407 22
NGC 6192 16 40.3 -43 22 OPNCL 08.5 407 22
NGC 6222 16 50.7 -44 45 OPNCL 10.0 407 22
NGC 6231 16 54.0 -41 48 OPNCL 02.6 407 22
Lynga 14 16 55.2 -45 19 OPNCL 09.7 407 22
Cr 316 16 55.5 -40 50 OPNCL 03.4 407 22
NGC 6242 16 55.6 -39 30 OPNCL 06.4 407 22
Tr 24 16 57.0 -40 40 OPNCL 08.6 407 22
NGC 6249 16 57.6 -44 47 OPNCL 08.2 407 22
NGC 6259 17 00.7 -44 40 OPNCL 08 407 22
NGC 6268 17 02.4 -39 44 OPNCL 09.5 407 22
NGC 6281 17 04.8 -37 54 OPNCL 05.4 376 22
Bochum 13 17 17.3 -35 33 OPNCL 07.2 376 22
NGC 6322 17 18.5 -42 57 OPNCL 06 408 22
PK355+ 3.2 17 21.5 -30 21 PLNNB 10.0 376 22
Pismis 24 17 25.3 -34 21 OPNCL 09.6 376 22
Antalova 2 17 29.7 -32 30 OPNCL 08.8 376 22
Cr 332 17 30.8 -37 05 OPNCL 08.9 376 22
Cr 333 17 31.3 -34 05 OPNCL 09.8 376 22
NGC 6374 17 32.3 -32 36 OPNCL 09 376 22
NGC 6383 17 34.8 -32 34 OPNCL 05.5 376 22
Tr 27 17 36.2 -33 29 OPNCL 06.7 376 22
NGC 6388 17 36.3 -44 44 GLOCL 06.9 408 22
Tr 28 17 36.8 -32 39 OPNCL 07.7 376 22
Ru 127 17 37.7 -36 16 OPNCL 08.8 376 22
NGC 6396 17 38.1 -35 00 OPNCL 08.5 376 22
Cr 338 17 38.2 -37 34 OPNCL 08 376 22
NGC 6405 17 40.1 -32 13 OPNCL 04.2 377 22
NGC 6400 17 40.8 -36 57 OPNCL 08.8 377 22
Tr 29 17 41.6 -40 06 OPNCL 07.5 408 22
NGC 6416 17 44.4 -32 21 OPNCL 05.7 377 22
NGC 6425 17 46.9 -31 32 OPNCL 07.2 377 22
NGC 6441 17 50.2 -37 03 GLOCL 07.4 377 22
NGC 6451 17 50.7 -30 13 OPNCL 08.2 377 22
NGC 6475 17 53.9 -34 49 OPNCL 03.3 377 22
Tr 30 17 56.5 -35 19 OPNCL 08.8 377 22
NGC 6453 17 59.0 -34 36 GLOCL 09.9 377 22
NGC 6496 17 59.0 -44 16 GLOCL 09.2 408 22
   
 

Variable Stars

(General Catalog of Variable Stars)
  Only Objects <= 8.0 magnitude
 
GCVS ID R.A.
(hh mm ss.ss)		 Dec.
(deg mm ss)		 Variable Type 4 Mag. Min Mag. Max
RV Sco 16.00:55.00:3.30 -33.00:32.00:0.00 DCEP 7.49 6.61
V0453 Sco 17.00:52.00:59.80 -32.00:28.00:7.00 EB/GS 6.73 6.36
V0636 Sco 17.00:19.00:5.50 -45.00:34.00:1.00 DCEP 6.92 6.40
V0760 Sco 16.00:21.00:27.70 -34.00:46.00:46.00 EA/DM 7.40 7.04
V0856 Sco 16.00:5.00:12.80 -38.00:58.00:23.00 INA 8.00 6.80
V0861 Sco 16.00:53.00:6.90 -40.00:44.00:44.00 EB 6.40 6.07
V0883 Sco 16.00:54.00:28.50 -37.00:55.00:12.00 EB/KE 7.66 7.34
V0884 Sco 17.00:0.00:32.70 -37.00:46.00:29.00 ELL+X 6.60 6.51
V0900 Sco 16.00:50.00:27.60 -41.00:54.00:48.00 ELL: 6.34 6.29
V0905 Sco 17.00:38.00:41.20 -33.00:28.00:47.00 ACYG: 6.67 6.49
V0906 Sco 17.00:50.00:34.70 -34.00:44.00:35.00 EA/DM 6.23 5.96
V0911 Sco 16.00:48.00:58.80 -40.00:38.00:23.00 ACV 6.38 6.32
V0913 Sco 15.00:55.00:34.60 -24.00:41.00:20.00 SXARI 5.47 5.40
V0915 Sco 17.00:11.00:0.00 -39.00:42.00:36.00 null 6.64 6.22
V0918 Sco 16.00:32.00:51.10 -42.00:45.00:27.00 ELL 5.50 5.42
V0919 Sco 16.00:48.00:48.40 -41.00:46.00:17.00 WR 6.61 6.45
V0922 Sco 16.00:59.00:28.70 -38.00:23.00:23.00 DSCTC 0.10 7.45
V0923 Sco 17.00:0.00:25.90 -38.00:4.00:57.00 EA/D 6.24 5.86
V0927 Sco 15.00:51.00:39.10 -25.00:5.00:49.00 SXARI 0.03 5.80
V0928 Sco 15.00:54.00:50.20 -23.00:23.00:2.00 ACV 6.76 6.74
V0929 Sco 16.00:3.00:7.10 -23.00:28.00:18.00 SXARI 5.91 5.89
V0933 Sco 16.00:17.00:9.80 -19.00:56.00:13.00 ACV 0.04 7.37
V0936 Sco 16.00:22.00:31.10 -29.00:17.00:13.00 ACV 7.71 7.63
V0949 Sco 17.00:29.00:5.70 -34.00:14.00:37.00 DSCTC 0.05 6.13
V0950 Sco 17.00:34.00:6.50 -40.00:47.00:3.00 DCEPS 7.40 7.07
V0951 Sco 17.00:50.00:37.90 -34.00:49.00:19.00 ACV 6.44 6.39
V0952 Sco 16.00:7.00:12.40 -26.00:46.00:43.00 ACV 0.04 6.57
V0954 Sco 16.00:35.00:19.60 -44.00:3.00:32.00 EB/KE 7.75 7.49
V0957 Sco 17.00:48.00:53.40 -34.00:47.00:15.00 SXARI 0.05 5.87
V0958 Sco 17.00:49.00:56.20 -34.00:36.00:37.00 ACV 0.05 6.95
V0959 Sco 17.00:50.00:2.70 -35.00:0.00:23.00 ACV 0.14 7.25
V0973 Sco 16.00:48.00:4.20 -41.00:8.00:48.00 ACYG 5.28 5.22
V0975 Sco 17.00:19.00:14.50 -37.00:45.00:27.00 ACYG 6.35 6.27
V0994 Sco 17.00:36.00:21.80 -32.00:17.00:36.00 BCEP 7.22 7.10
V1003 Sco 16.00:34.00:53.60 -43.00:17.00:57.00 ELL: 0.03 5.83
V1005 Sco 16.00:47.00:26.00 -44.00:18.00:24.00 M 1.46 7.92
V1007 Sco 16.00:50.00:39.00 -41.00:44.00:39.00 EB 0.24 6.06
V1008 Sco 17.00:0.00:25.00 -41.00:19.00:48.00 M 5.85 3.00
V1009 Sco 17.00:3.00:50.00 -40.00:26.00:54.00 SR 5.10 3.52
V1011 Sco 17.00:7.00:25.00 -39.00:55.00:0.00 M 2.72 7.53
V1012 Sco 17.00:11.00:57.00 -38.00:9.00:25.00 EB 6.83 6.76
V1018 Sco 17.00:31.00:45.00 -33.00:31.00:36.00 SR 4.70 2.42
alf Sco 16.00:26.00:20.20 -26.00:19.00:22.00 LC 1.16 0.88
zet 1 Sco 16.00:50.00:27.70 -42.00:16.00:51.00 SDOR: 4.86 4.66
kap Sco 17.00:39.00:1.50 -39.00:0.00:23.00 BCEP 2.42 2.41
lam Sco 17.00:30.00:12.60 -37.00:4.00:10.00 BCEP+E: 0.06 1.62
mu1 Sco 16.00:48.00:28.70 -37.00:57.00:49.00 EB/SD 3.22 2.94
sig Sco 16.00:18.00:8.70 -25.00:28.00:28.00 BCEP 2.94 2.86
   
 

Double Stars

(Saguaro Astronomy Club Catalog)
  Only Objects <= 8.0 magnitude
 
Name R.A.
(hh mm.m)		 Dec.
(deg mm)		 Mag 5 Sep 6 PA 7 Tirion Uranometria
BU 36 15 53.6 -25 19 4.7, 7.4 2.30 273 21 335
STF 1998 16 04.4 -11 22 4.9, 7.2 7.60 50 15 290
STF 1998 16 04.4 -11 22 5.3, 7.3 7.20 57 15 290
H 7 16 05.4 -19 48 2.9, 6.9 13.60 21 15 335
DUN 199 16 08.6 -39 05 6.9, 7.1 44.10 184 22 374/ 406
BSO 11 16 09.6 -32 38 6.8, 7.5 7.70 85 22 374
H 6 16 12.0 -19 27 4.4, 6.5 41.20 337 15 335/ 336
HJ 4839 16 12.3 -28 24 5.9, 7.9 3.80 72 22 335/ 336/ 374
BSO 12 16 19.5 -30 54 5.4, 6.9 23.20 319 22 374/ 375
HJ 4848 16 23.9 -33 12 7.1, 7.6 6.20 154 22 374/ 375
H 39 16 24.7 -29 41 5.9, 6.6 5.20 354 22 336/ 375
A SCO 16 29.4 -26 26 1.2, 5.4 2.90 275 22 336
CPO 70 16 43.8 -41 07 6.2, 6.3 95.70 258 22 407