Starwatch: Identifying the Scorpion, mythical adversary of Orion
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- Scorpius is a zodiacal constellation mythologically sent to kill Orion the hunter, which is why the two sit on opposite sides of the sky so that when Scorpius rises, Orion has already set.
- UK observers find Scorpius one of the more frustrating constellations to track because it stays so low on the southern horizon that it never fully rises, unlike from more southerly latitudes where the full figure is visible.
- Antares, the red-orange star marking the Scorpion's heart, lies close to a waxing gibbous moon on 24 July at 11pm BST as viewed from London, with the constellation staying in roughly the same part of the sky all week.
- Antares means "rival of Mars" and is a red supergiant vastly larger than the Sun, nearing the end of its life; from Britain its ruby-jewel colour often twinkles because it is seen through thicker, more turbulent air close to the horizon.
Why it matters: UK observers rarely get a clean look at Scorpius because it hugs the southern horizon, so the 24 July pairing of a bright gibbous moon with Antares gives a practical anchor for finding the constellation. Antares is also a dying red supergiant, making each viewing a diminishing look at a star nearing its supernova stage.
