Notable stars in Sagittarius
Sagittarius
Sagittarius is the ninth astrological sign, which is associated with the constellation Sagittarius and spans 240–270th degrees of the zodiac. Under the tropical zodiac, sun transits this sign between November 23 and December 21. The symbol of the archer is based on the centaur Chiron, who ment…
Full Answer
What stars are in Sagittarius constellation?
Epsilon SagittariiSigma SagittariiZeta SagittariiDelta SagittariiLambda SagittariiAlpha SagittariiSagittarius/Stars
What type of star is Sagittarius?
It is a double star about 90 light-years distant. Sagittarius is home to the bright blue hypergiant Pistol Star, one of the brightest stars discovered in the Milky Way. While it is bright, it is barely visible to the naked eye due to a great deal of interstellar dust that surrounds it.
What are the major stars in Sagittarius?
There are 17 named stars in Sagittarius. The names, officially approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), are: Ainalrami, Albaldah, Alnasl, Arkab Posterior, Arkab Prior, Ascella, Belel, Gumala, Kaus Australis, Kaus Borealis, Kaus Media, Nunki, Pincoya, Polis, Rukbat, Sika and Terebellum.
How many total stars are in the Sagittarius constellation?
M22, the Sagittarius Cluster, is a globular cluster that contains over 80,000 stars. It is also one of only four globular clusters known to contain a planetary nebula. This constellation also contains a large number of non-Messier objects including globular clusters, open clusters, and nebulas.
Which God is Sagittarius?
The Babylonians identified Sagittarius as the god Nergal, a centaur-like creature firing an arrow from a bow. It is generally depicted with wings, with two heads, one panther head and one human head, as well as a scorpion's stinger raised above its more conventional horse's tail.
Who is Sagittarius soulmate?
The best Soulmate signs for Sagittarius are their fellow Fire signs: Aries and Leo, as well as the Air signs: Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius.
What zodiac is Jesus?
PiscesWith the story of the birth of Christ coinciding with this date, many Christian symbols for Christ use the astrological symbol for Pisces, the fishes. The figure Christ himself bears many of the temperaments and personality traits of a Pisces, and is thus considered an archetype of the Piscean.
Who should Sagittarius marry?
Generally, the most compatible signs for Sagittarius friendships and romantic relationships are fellow fire signs (Sagittarius, Aries, Leo), as they speak the same emotional language. Air signs (Gemini, Aquarius, Libra) also have a similar dynamism and wit.
Is Sagittarius an Alpha?
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 21) You're definitely an alpha sign.
Why is it called Sagittarius A star?
A: The name 'Sagittarius A*' refers to the believed location of the supermassive black hole in the center of our galaxy. About 50 years ago, astronomers identified an area within the constellation of Sagittarius that was the strongest region of radio emission -- thus making it the likely center of the Milky Way.
What element is Sagittarius?
FireSagittarius / ElementFire is one of the four classical elements along with Earth, Water and Air in ancient Greek philosophy and science. Fire is considered to be both hot and dry and, according to Plato, is associated with the tetrahedron. Wikipedia
What are the 3 types of Sagittarius?
There's three types of Sagittarius Suns: Sagittarius who have Mercury in Scorpio, Sagittarius who have Mercury in Capricorn, and Sagittarius who have Mercury in Sagittarius.
What are the 3 types of Sagittarius?
There's three types of Sagittarius Suns: Sagittarius who have Mercury in Scorpio, Sagittarius who have Mercury in Capricorn, and Sagittarius who have Mercury in Sagittarius.
Who should a Sagittarius marry?
Generally, the most compatible signs for Sagittarius friendships and romantic relationships are fellow fire signs (Sagittarius, Aries, Leo), as they speak the same emotional language. Air signs (Gemini, Aquarius, Libra) also have a similar dynamism and wit.
Why is it called Sagittarius A star?
A: The name 'Sagittarius A*' refers to the believed location of the supermassive black hole in the center of our galaxy. About 50 years ago, astronomers identified an area within the constellation of Sagittarius that was the strongest region of radio emission -- thus making it the likely center of the Milky Way.
What is a Sagittarius weakness?
Weaknesses: Gluttonous, Lazy, Restless, Irresponsible, Blindly Optimistic, Tactless. While most of the time, those with the Sagittarius zodiac sign are very open and accepting, one thing that they can't seem to tolerate is close mindedness.
How many constellations does Sagittarius have?
Sagittarius borders on 10 constellations in the night sky; Aquila, Scutum, Serpens Cauda, Ophiuchus, Scorpius, Corona Australis, Telescopium, Indus (corner), MicroscopiumCapricornus. In the image below, you’ll notice how Sagittarius sits low in the sky near the core of the Milky Way from my location at 43° North.
What is the Sagittarius constellation?
Sagittarius Constellation. Sagittarius is one of the 88 modern constellations, and one of the 12 constellations of the zodiac. It is commonly depicted as a centaur pulling back a bow, but many amateur astronomers in the northern hemisphere view Sagittarius as a more recognizable “teapot” asterism. The Sagittarius constellation has an interesting ...
What is the name of the constellation that represents the return of warmer weather?
The Constellation Saggitarius. Saggitarius is one of the more interesting constellations in the night sky due to the many bright Messier objects within it. In the northern hemisphere, Sagittarius signifies the return of warmer weather and many fascinating telescopic objects.
What constellation is the arrow in?
The arrow is pointed at the heart of Scorpius. The neighboring constellations include Aquila, Capricornus, Indus, Microscopium, and Scutum. Moreover, Sagittarius’ brightest stars also form a pattern of a teapot. The following star map shared by Astro Bob is a great representation of the Sagittarius constellation from mid-northern latitudes.
What blocks Saggitarius from the sky?
If this is the case, get to a location with a low view of the southern horizon to see Saggitarius in all its glory. The “Teapot” asterism spills into the core of the Milky Way.
How to see Sagittarius?
As is common with all the constellations, the perfect way to view Sagittarius would be outside of the city during a dark sky. But since the stars of this constellation are quite bright, you should be able to see its basic shape even if the moon is up.
How to find Sagittarius in September?
By September, Sagittarius begins to set by sunset. The easiest way to locate Sagittarius would be to first locate the Milky Way and then going southward. Because this constellation sits rather low in the sky from the perspective of the northern hemisphere, you may not have a great view of it from your backyard.
Which star is the arrow of Sagittarius?
The arrow of this constellation points towards the star Antares, the "heart of the scorpion", and Sagittarius stands poised to attack should Scorpius ever attack the nearby Hercules, or to avenge Scorpius's slaying of Orion.
Where is Sagittarius in the sky?
In Scotland and Scandinavia it cannot be seen at all. In southern Brazil, South Africa, and central Australia (30° south), Sagittarius passes directly overhead. It is hidden behind the Sun's glare from mid-November to mid-January and is the location of the Sun at the winter solstice (December 21). By March, Sagittarius is rising at midnight. In June, it achieves opposition and can be seen all night. The June full moon appears in Sagittarius.
What star is on the bottom of the teapot?
Marking the bottom of the teapot's "handle" (or the shoulder area of the archer), is the bright star (2.59 magnitude) Zeta Sagittarii (ζ Sgr), named Ascella , and the fainter Tau Sagittarii (τ Sgr).
Which constellations are represented by the reddish star Antares?
Sagittarius famously points its arrow at the heart of Scorpius, represented by the reddish star Antares, as the two constellations race around the sky. Following the direct line formed by Delta Sagittarii (δ Sgr) and Gamma2 Sagittarii (γ 2 Sgr) leads nearly directly to Antares.
What constellation is the teapot?
The "Teapot" asterism is in Sagittarius. The Milky Way is the "steam" coming from the spout. As seen from the northern hemisphere, the constellation's brighter stars form an easily recognizable asterism known as "the Teapot ". The stars δ Sgr (Kaus Media), ε Sgr (Kaus Australis), ζ Sgr (Ascella), and φ Sgr form the body of the pot;
What is the brightest part of the Milky Way?
The Large Sagittarius Star Cloud is the brightest visible region of the Milky Way. It is a portion of the central bulge of the galaxy seen around the thick dust of the Great Rift, and is the innermost galactic structure that can be observed in visible wavelengths. It has several embedded clusters and superimposed dark nebulae.
Why did Chiron create the constellations Sagittarius and Centaurus?
Or, as an alternative tradition holds, that Chiron devised the constellations Sagittarius and Centaurus to help guide the Argonauts in their quest for the Golden Fleece.
What are the stars in Sagittarius?
The following are Ptolemy’s remarks: The stars at the point of the arrow in Sagittarius have an influence similar to that of Mars and the Moon (adventurous, perfidious, insolent, wanton, brutal, danger to eyes. If rising, sore eyes, weak sight, trouble and loss through women. If culminating, disgrace and imprisonment): those on the bow, and at the grasp of the hand, act like Jupiter and Mars (high ambition, pride, love of power, grandeur of view, If rising, military honors. If culminating, high ecclesiastical honor, martial preferment, prosperity in business)… those in the waist and in the back resemble Jupiter, and also Mercury moderately (religious mind, thoughtful, philosophical, writer on religious or similar subjects): those in the feet, Jupiter and Saturn (legacies, inheritance, fame, especially if rising, but foolish and unfortunate in love affairs. If culminating, honor and preferment). By the Kabbalists Sagittarius is associated with the Hebrew letter Vau and the 6th Tarot Trump “The Lovers.” [1]
What is the constellation of Sagittarius?
Constellation Sagittarius the Archer, is an ecliptic constellation laying between constellation Scorpio and constellation Capricorn. It spans nearly 30 degrees longitude in the zodiac sign Capricorn. The Sagittarius constellation contains 15 named fixed stars.
What constellation is Urania's mirror?
Constellation Sagittarius [Urania’s Mirror ] As for the Archer, when the foremost portion of his cloak rises, he will give birth to hearts renowned in war and will conduct the conqueror, celebrating great triumphs in the sight of all, to his country’s citadels.
What is the Sagittarius called?
According to Grecian fable, this Sagittarius is Cheiron, the chief Centaur; noble in character, righteous in his dealings, divine in his power…. In the ancient Zodiac of Denderah he is called (as in Coptic) Pi-maere, i.e. graciousness, beauty of the appearing or coming forth.
How many stars are in the sign of Sagittarius?
In Coptic it is Pimacre, the graciousness, or beauty of the coming forth. In Greek it is Toxotes, the archer, and in Latin Sagittarius. There are 69 stars in the sign, viz., five of the 3rd magnitude (all in the bow), nine of the 4th, etc…An ancient Akkadian name in the sign is Nun-ki, which means Prince of the Earth.
Who was the archer next to Sagittarius?
Sagittarius, the Archer…next to the eastward from Scorpio, was Toxeutes, the Archer, and Rutor toxon, the Bow-stretcher, with Aratos; Toxeuter with other Greeks; and Toxetes with Eratosthenes, Hipparchos, Plutarch, and Ptolemy…
What is the name of the house of Jupiter?
Astrologically the constellation was the House of Jupiter, that planet having appeared here at the Creation, a manuscript of 1386 calling it the Schoter “ye principal howce of Jupit “; although this honor was shared by Aquarius and Leo.
What is the brightest star in the constellation Sagittarius?
The Southern constellation of Sagittarius, the Archer, is best viewed in Summer during the month of August. It's brightest star is Kaus Australis at magnitude 1.79. The boundary of the Sagittarius constellation contains 22 stars that host known exoplanets.
Where are the neutron stars in Sagittarius?
Neutron Stars in Sagittarius. These are the most well-known neutron stars in the constellation Sagittarius. Although neutron stars cannot be seen in any amateur telescope, they are at the center of many supernova remnant nebulae, which can be seen. Also see all neutron stars. Neutron star.
Where are black holes in Sagittarius?
Black Holes in Sagittarius. These are the most well-known smaller (non-supermassive) black holes in the constellation Sagittarius . Although black holes cannot be seen directly, the smaller ones are at the center of some star clusters and supernova remnant nebulae, which can be seen. Supermassive black holes are at the center of most galaxies, ...
What constellation is the Galaxy in?
The most notable, famous, and easy-to-find galaxies in the constellation Sagittarius. Also see all galaxies. Galaxy name. Alt name. Galaxy type.
Where are the dwarf satellites located?
Dwarf satellite galaxies that orbit the Milky Way Galaxy located in the constellation Sagittarius. Also see all Milky Way satellite galaxies. Galaxy name. Alt name. Magnitude.
What is the brightest star in the constellation Sagittarius?
Kaus Australis is the brightest Sagittarius star. It is a binary star system that lies about 143 light-years away. This blue giant has an apparent magnitude of 1.79 and you can see it without a telescope.
When is the Sagittarius constellation visible?
In the southern hemisphere, in June and July Sagittarius (constellation) will appear in the southeastern sky at about 9.00pm. In August and September, the Sagittarius constellation location is visible earlier at around 8.00pm.
What is the brightest star in the sky?
Brightest star: Kaus Australis (ε Sgr) Visible at: Latitudes between +55° and −90°. Best viewed: During the month of August at 9.00pm. The Sagittarius constellation is one of the twelve constellations of the Zodiac. It is also known as the Archer.
What is the name of the second brightest star in the constellation?
Nunki is the second brightest star in the bow and arrow constellation and lies about 228 light-years away. It is one of the interesting Sagittarius constellation stars, in that its name is of Assyrian or Babylonian origin, but the meaning is unknown. Nunki is a hydrogen dwarf with an apparent magnitude of 2.1.
What quadrant is the Sagittarius constellation in?
Sagittarius star constellation, Night sky, Cluster of stars, Deep space, Archer constellation. The Sagittarius star constellation is in the fourth quadrant of the southern hemisphere, SQ4. A quadrant is a quarter of a circle, which allows astronomers to measure the altitude of objects above the horizon.
What constellation is the Archer?
Sagittarius is a large and exciting constellation that dominates the southern sky. The Archer is a mythical creature known as a Centaur. A Centaur has the head, arms, and torso of a man and the body and legs of a horse. He stands ready to shoot his arrow into the body of the Scorpion.
What is the name of the constellation that dates back to Greek mythology?
It is also known as the Archer. Sagittarius is an ancient constellation that dates back to Greek Mythology. Sagittarius is the largest constellation in the southern sky and the 15th largest constellation overall. A distinct and interesting star pattern known as the Teapot helps you to identify it.
Where is Sagittarius in the Milky Way?
Sagittarius is at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, and the galaxy is at its densest point as it makes its way through Sagittarius.
Which star is the brightest in the constellation?
While typical naming conventions have the alpha star as the brightest star in a constellation, German celestial cartographer Johann Bayer did not follow his own rule. Instead, he named the brightest star Epsilon Sagittarii (Kaus Media, or middle bow).
What is the orange giant in Sagittarius?
An orange giant, 10 Sagittarii (Gamma-2) lies more than 400 light-years from Earth. The IAU's working group approved the name Alnasi for the star. With a magnitude of 2.1, Sigma Sagittarii this is the second brightest star in Sagittarius. Making up the armpit, Zeta Sagittarii, also known as Ascella, is the third brightest star in the constellation.
What constellation is the Archer?
Sagittarius Constellation: Facts About the Archer. Riding low in the summer sky is the constellation Sagittarius, looking like a teapot and containing some of the finest deep sky objects. <a href=http://www.space.com/spacewatch/cosmic-teapot-milky-way-skywatching-100707.html>Full Story</a>.
What is the name of the star at the tip of the arrowhead?
At the tip of the arrowhead lies a pair of double stars that share the Gamma Sagittarii designation. Instead of a single star, W Sagittarii (Gamma-1) is made up of three components, with the primary star a pulsing yellow supergiant six times as massive as the sun.
How many companions does a giant star have?
The giant star has three dim companions that may or may not be connected to the primary. In 2016, a working group organized by the International Astronomical Union approved the name Kaus Media for the star. At the tip of the arrowhead lies a pair of double stars that share the Gamma Sagittarii designation.
What is the largest constellation in the Southern Hemisphere?
Occupying 867 square degrees, Sagittarius is the largest constellation in the Southern Hemisphere and the 15th largest constellation overall. The constellation has many bright stars and is very visible with the naked eye. As is the case with all of the Zodiac constellations, Sagittarius was recorded in the 2nd century by ...
What is the Sagittarius constellation?
The Sagittarius constellation or the archer constellation was first cataloged by Ptolemy in the 2nd century, like other constellations. Sagittarius means Archer in Latin. It has been depicted in Greek mythology as a centaur holding a “Bow and Arrow”. The Bow and Arrow constellation lies in the Southern sky and is one of the largest southern constellations. It is easy to find the Sagittarius constellation in the sky as it lies close to the dense area of the Milky Way and the brightest stars in it form a teapot-like image in the sky. The eight bright stars that contribute to the formation of the Sagittarius constellation are:
What is the story behind the constellation Sagittarius?
He knew how to control his animal instinct and became a wise man by staying away from all the other centaurs. Chiron later became the idol and teacher of many Greek heroes like Hercules. One day Hercules accidentally hit him with a poisoned arrow. After this incident, he suffered a lot. Chiron asked Zeus, the King of Gods, to help him become mortal. Zeus was ready to help him at one condition, and the condition was that he had to exchange his immortality for the life of a mortal, Prometheus, a brave warrior, and hero who gave fire to humans. Zeus rewarded Chiron for this sacrifice, by placing him in the sky forever in the form of the Sagittarius constellation. The Sagittarius star constellation is also called the archer constellation.
What is the 15th constellation?
The Sagittarius constellation is the 15th constellation in size and occupies an area of approximately 867 square degrees. The Sagittarius star constellation lies in the fourth quadrant of the southern hemisphere (SQ4) and can be seen at the latitude of +55 degrees and -90 degrees. The neighbors of the Sagittarius constellation are Aquila, Capricornus, Corona Australis, Indus, Microscopium, Ophiuchus, Scutum, Scorpius, Serpens cauda, and Telescopium.
What is the ninth sign of the zodiac?
According to astrology, Sagittarius is the ninth sign of the 12 zodiac signs. The Sun is near the Sagittarius constellation from 22 November to 21st December. The Sagittarius zodiac as represented by its constellation “Bow and Arrow”, is considered one of the bravest Zodiac signs. People born under this Sagittarius sign possess heroic abilities.
Which star constellation is 100 light years away from the center of the galaxy?
The quintuplet cluster: Another dense open cluster of the Sagittarius star constellation which is also 100 light-years away from the Galactic center and 26000 light-years away from the earth. The most luminous star in the Milky Way Galaxy called the Pistol star is a part of this cluster.
When is the best time to see the Sagittarius constellation?
The best time to see the Sagittarius star constellation is the month of July, August, and early September. During this period you may get a beautiful view of the Sagittarius star constellation, which gives a fascinating view of deep-sky objects. Its shape appears to be like a teapot with a handle and a spout extending outwards. Sometimes it seems that the Milky way is rising out of the spout like steam. During July, August, and September, it appears in the northern hemisphere and reaches its highest point in the southern part of the sky. Its shape is distinctive and it is easy to locate, just look up and observe the shapes to find the Sagittarius constellation.
Where is the Sagittarius A?
The Sagittarius A is a bright radio source that is found at the galactic center of the milky way.
What are the stars in Sagittarius?
Notable stars in Sagittarius include the blue hypergiant V4647 Sagittarii ( Pistol Star) and the Wolf-Rayet star WR 102ka (Peony Star), both among the most luminous stars ever discovered. The constellation also contains the red supergiant KW Sagittarii, one of the largest stars known. The best time of year to observe the stars ...
What is the name of the nebula in the constellation of Sagittarius?
The constellation is also home to the planetary nebulae NGC 6537 (the Red Spider Nebula ), M 1-42 (the Eye of Sauron Nebula) and NGC 6445 (the Little Gem Nebula or Box Nebula), the star-forming nebula NGC 6559, the Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy (Sag DEG), a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, and the Arches Cluster, the densest cluster known in our galaxy.
What are the semiregular stars in the constellation Orion?
Other semiregular stars of the SRc type include the red supergiants Betelgeuse in the constellation Orion, Mu Cephei ( Garnet Star) in Cepheus, CE Tauri (119 Tauri) in Taurus, the bright giant or supergiant Rasalgethi in Hercules, and the bright giant T Ceti in Cetus.
What is a SRc star?
The stars in this class (SRc) are semiregular variable giants or supergiants of late spectral types whose brightness varies with an amplitude of about 1 magnitude over periods that range from 30 days to a few thousand days . Other semiregular stars of the SRc type include the red supergiants Betelgeuse in the constellation Orion, Mu Cephei ( Garnet Star) in Cepheus, CE Tauri (119 Tauri) in Taurus, the bright giant or supergiant Rasalgethi in Hercules, and the bright giant T Ceti in Cetus.
How many objects does Sagittarius have?
Sagittarius is one of the larger constellations – the 15th in size out of 88 – stretching across 867 degrees of the southern sky. It contains 15 Messier objects, more than any other constellation. These include the globular clusters Messier 22, Messier 28, Messier 54, Messier 55, Messier 69 and Messier 75, the open clusters Messier 23 ...
What is the envelope of VX Sagittarii?
VX Sagittarii has a highly irregular circumstellar envelope that changes as the star pulsates. Observations with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) in the 1990s revealed SiO maser emission lines appearing in a ring with a radius of 1.4 solar radii in the extended atmosphere. The observations also revealed molecular water layers which, together with masers, are commonly found in OH/IR stars (stars in the late stages of the asymptotic giant branch). In 2007, a study used the masers to derive an accurate distance of 1.57 ± 0.27 kiloparsecs.
What is the pulsation period of VX Sagittarii?
VX Sagittarii is classified as a semiregular variable of the SRc type. It has a pulsation period of 732 days. It sometimes exhibits brightness variations with amplitudes similar to those of long period variables, while at other times the amplitudes are considerably smaller.
Sagittarius Constellation
The Constellation Saggitarius
- Saggitarius is one of the more interesting constellations in the night sky due to the many bright Messier objects within it. In the northern hemisphere, Sagittarius signifies the return of warmer weather and many fascinating telescopic objects. I highly recommend spending time in this area of the night sky with your binoculars or Dobsonian telescope and eyepiece (here is the telescop…
Location in The Sky
- Sagittarius is the 15th biggest constellation in the sky with a surface area of 867 square degrees. If you want to get more technical, the constellation is placed in the fourth quadrant of the southern hemisphere i.e. SQ4, and is visible in the latitudes between +55 and -90. The constellation is quite easy to locate given its one of the largest in the southern sky. As a whole, t…
Observing
- As Sagittarius is a summer constellation, if you wish to see it, your best bet would be from June through August. Technically the best viewing of Sagittarius is in August at around 9 pm. By September, Sagittarius begins to set by sunset. The easiest way to locate Sagittarius would be to first locate the Milky Way and then going southward. Because this constellation sits rather low i…
Stars
- Kaus Australis:
Also known as Epsilon Sagittari, it is the brightest star in the Sagittarius constellation with a magnitude of 1.79. Just for the sake of comparison, Kaus Australisis 375 times more luminous than the Sun. It is also the 36th brightest star in the sky. Its distance from our planet is that of 14… - Nunki:
Nunki or Sigma Sagittari has a magnitude of 2.1 and therefore is the second brightest star within the constellation. (Note: Take a deep breath before reading the following sentence) The star is 3300 times more luminous than our Sun, and is 100 times faster than it with a speed of 200 km/…
Mythology
- According to the Babylonians, Sagittarius is associated with the god Pabilsag. Pabilsagis an unusual centaur-like creature who fires arrows. What’s strange about this centaur is that it has wings, two heads, of which one is that of a panther and the other is a human head. Moreover, in Babylonian’s traditions, this centaur also has the stinger of a scorpion that is placed above its ho…
Deep-Sky Objects in Sagittarius
Overview
This is the list of notable stars in the constellation Sagittarius, sorted by decreasing brightness.
Visualizations
Notable features
Sagittarius is one of the constellations of the zodiac and is located in the Southern celestial hemisphere. It is one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy and remains one of the 88 modern constellations. Its old astronomical symbol is (♐︎). Its name is Latin for "archer". Sagittarius is commonly represented as a centaur pulling back a bow. It lies between Scorpius
Exploration
As seen from the northern hemisphere, the constellation's brighter stars form an easily recognizable asterism known as "the Teapot". The stars δ Sgr (Kaus Media), ε Sgr (Kaus Australis), ζ Sgr (Ascella), and φ Sgr form the body of the pot; λ Sgr (Kaus Borealis) is the point of the lid; γ Sgr (Alnasl) is the tip of the spout; and σ Sgr (Nunki) and τ Sgr the handle. These same stars originally formed the bow a…
Mythology
α Sgr (Rukbat, meaning "the archer's knee" ) despite having the "alpha" designation, is not the brightest star of the constellation, having a magnitude of only 3.96. It is towards the bottom center of the map as shown. Instead, the brightest star is Epsilon Sagittarii (ε Sgr) ("Kaus Australis," or "southern part of the bow"), at magnitude 1.85.
See also
The space probe New Horizons is moving on a trajectory out of the Solar System as of 2016 that places the probe in front of Sagittarius as seen from the Earth. New Horizons will exhaust its radioisotope thermoelectric generator long before it reaches any other stars.
The Wow! signal was a strong narrowband radio signal that appeared to have come from the direction of Sagittarius.
External links
The Babylonians identified Sagittarius as the god Nergal, a centaur-like creature firing an arrow from a bow. It is generally depicted with wings, with two heads, one panther head and one human head, as well as a scorpion's stinger raised above its more conventional horse's tail. The Sumerian name Pabilsag is composed of two elements – Pabil, meaning 'elder paternal kinsman' and Sag, …