Article
Article
Sagittarius
Article By:
Pasachoff, Jay M. Hopkins Observatory, Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts.
Last reviewed:January 2020
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.598200
The Archer, a large, zodiacal, southern summer constellation (see illustration). It is identified with the centaur Chiron of Greek mythology, knowledgeable in music and medicine and skilled in hunting. (Other myths identify Chiron with the constellation Centaurus.) Sagittarius contains the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, so it is especially rich in star clusters and star clouds. However, it never rises high in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere. Visitors to the Southern Hemisphere marvel at Sagittarius's overall brightness and richness. See also: Centaurus; Milky Way Galaxy; Star clouds; Star clusters; Zodiac
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