Confession and Purpose
Hi Reader, let me make an honest confession, this blog will not educate you with any extraordinary information about space that is not already out there. Neither am I an expert in this field with years of dedication. So what is this blog about??? Merely a digital journal of my observations over 9-10 hours of googling on the subject. So the purpose is just to document my observations.
What's The Topic and Why I Picked It
So of all topics why did I pick this? I have always been interested in Vedic astronomy and despite the atheist aspect in me, the whole astrology thing has been a bit of a fascination if not anything less. So when I had to pick a subject to read on I couldn't help but start with zodiac constellations. And why Scorpio constellation you ask??? I am not too sure, it simply happened to be the first one to cross my mind.
Hi Scorpio!!!
So first things first name of the constellation is Scorpius constellation, not Scorpio. Scorpius is a zodiac constellation. The zodiac is a belt-shaped region in the sky. The orbital paths of the moon and major planets are within the belt of the zodiac. Now this is something I didn't know, I always thought the zodiac is something you use to refer to astrological charts. Clearly, I was a fool, and now I am curious. But for now, I need to get back to Scorpius. As for the zodiac, I promise to come around.
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Constellations in the zodiac belt
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Scoprious must enjoy all the attention it gets, after all, it's right in the centre of the Milky Way (our galaxy). I wonder if Libra (to the west) and Sagittarius (to the east) feel jealous. I mean it's like having a seat next to the best seat in a show, so close but not quite there. Scorpius must have been through a lot :( . it is an old dude, one that predates the Greeks. Famous Greek astronomer
Ptolemy found it. I feel gratitude for his work.
It may be old but it has the 15th brightest star
Antares (Alpha Scorpii ) in its arsenal. More on this bugger later. It is probably Antares that makes Scorpius easier to find than other constellations.
Where in the Universe is Scorpio? A Celestial Detective's Guide
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| Scorpius Location |
Hide and Seek is not a good game for Scorpius. And I don't blame him/her. I mean you are sitting in the center of the Milky Way with the 15th brightest star. On the other hand, I'm sure it enjoys all the attention. However let's get into the technical jargon, the "Lats and the Longs". Sounds like a good title for a movie. If you're into movie production feel free to use it, I won't sue you.
In size, Scorpius is the 33rd constellation and occupies an area of 497 square degrees. It rests in 3rd quadrant of the southern hemisphere (SQ3) and is visible at latitudes between +40 and -90. If you want to see it in all its glory best time is July and August. Its highest point in the sky is around 9 p.m. in mid-July.
Twinkle Twinkle Scorpius Star, I Wonder Who You Are !!!
Scorpius dances in the Milky Way with as many as 18 stars. Reminds me of the song "18 Till I Die" by Bryan Adams. Does the number 18 ring any bell in your head? Anyway, I do suggest you give it a listen, I used to listen to that song a lot as a teen. So if you're curious about the song, youtube it and as for the stars, read along!!!
1. Acrab
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| Beta 1 Scorpii |
Did the name Acrab sound Arabic to you as well? If yes that makes two of us. Acrab (Akrab) comes from Arabic al-'Aqrab which means "the scorpion". If you don't like this name you can also call it Graffias which means "the claws". If you like options, you can call is Beta 1 Scropii as well.
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| Alniyat Star System |
Alniyat like Acrab is also a multiple-star system. It is about 568 light years away. I can't help but keep the thought of Star Wars out of my mind while writing this. Also another food for thought, eventually when we do start travelling in space, isn't it interesting the lightyears will probably be used as frequently as miles or Km? Stars are so underrated. Alniyat actually has a star that is 18 times the size of the sun with 12 times more radius. Also, Alniyat like Acrab comes from Arabic origins.
Antares is also called Alpha Scorpii. If Constellation is the stage then Antares is the main dancer. It is the brightest star in the constellation. I hope others don't feel too jealous and gang up on him. I don't like bullies. Antares probably like Earth a little more than Alniyat and is about 500 light-years away. Sun should know that Antares is about 10,000 times more luminious than the sun. Antares seems to be pretty old too, about 12 million years old. Also if Scorpius falls in love, we could probably blame it on Antares, as it's the heart of the constellation shape.
Also, Antares probably does not like being alone, luckily it has Antares B about 529 Astronomical Units (AU) away to give it company. I wish them well in their relationship.
Curious how Antares got its name? It comes from Ancient greek Άντάρης which roughly translates as "anti Ares", "Rival of Mars" or "like Mars"
I felt a little bad for Diwo when I found out Diwo is not part of the constellation outline but within its borders instead. I wonder if this makes it a little reserved and that's why it is invisible to the naked eye. It is 1,338.60 lightyears away from us. It has also grown pretty old as of now, about 3 billion years old.
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| Dschubba |
Another name for Dschubba is Delta Scorpii. Delta Scorpii is close to Earth, to be precise about 444 light years. The name Dschubba comes from the Arabic Jabhat which means forehead referring to scorpion forehead. I couldn't help but wonder how so many of these names are coming from the Arabic language. Are you also wondering the same?
Are You Also Sleepy-
Now I would love to continue to drag this discussion along and tell you what I find. But I feel sleepy and there is only so much time my work allows me to give to this. However, I will continue this in the next blog next week. Hopefully, you'll be there to check it out. If have read this far whoever you are thanks for taking out time.
Credits:
https://www.universeguide.com/star/122439/wasp17
https://www.space.com/16947-scorpius-constellation.html
https://www.constellation-guide.com/constellation-list/scorpius-constellation/
https://earthsky.org/constellations/scorpius-heres-your-constellation/
http://www.seasky.org/constellations/constellation-scorpius.html
https://star-name-registry.com/constellations/scorpius
https://www.britannica.com/place/Scorpius
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorpius
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