Overview

Constellation Sagittarius is one of the 88 modern constellations and is located in the southern hemisphere. It is named after the archer Sagittarius in Greek mythology and is also known as the Archer constellation. Sagittarius is one of the zodiac constellations, along with Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, and Scorpio. The constellation is visible from June to August.

History

The constellation Sagittarius was first cataloged by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the second century AD. In Greek mythology, Sagittarius was associated with the centaur Chiron, who was a teacher and healer. Sagittarius was also identified as the Babylonian god Nergal, the god of war and the underworld.

Features

• Sagittarius A*, a supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy
• The Lagoon Nebula, a region of intense star formation
• The Trifid Nebula, a combination of reflection and emission nebula
• Several globular clusters, including M55, M22, and NGC 6440

Mythology

In Greek mythology, Sagittarius was associated with the archer centaur Chiron, who was both wise and knowledgeable in medicine. It is believed that the constellation was named for Chiron, who was known for his skills as an archer and teacher. In other cultures, Sagittarius was identified as the Babylonian god Nergal, the Roman god Apollo, and the Persian god Anahita.