A giant fierce, menacing constellation

One of the favorite and most recognizable jewels of the summer sky is the constellation Scorpius, the Scorpion. It is one of the few constellations that actually looks like what it is supposed to be, a giant, fierce, menacing, scorpion.

To find it look due south when the sky is good and dark after local sunset (about an hour and a half). It's very obvious with the three stars for a head and claws, extending down toward the horizon in the very distinctive shape of a fishhook, or a backwards letter "J."

For us folks here at 40-degrees North (the Kansas/Nebraska line) that hook reaches almost to the horizon.

Scorpius is a very ancient constellation having been recoded by Babylonian astronomers whose name for some of the stars are still in use. Their knowledge was passed down to the Greeks whose Mythology about Scorpius we use today.

For example, we never see Scorpius and Orion in the sky at the same time. Greek mythology says that Scorpius was sent to kill Orion because of some insult to the gods. Zeus then put the pair on the opposite side of the sky so they would never meet again.

Scorpius is also one of the 12 zodiacal constellations because it is located along the Ecliptic -- the line the Sun follows throughout the year.

The moon and planets also follow that line and are often located in these constellations. Like now we can see Saturn and Mars located in Scorpius and next door in Libra, the Scales.

Speaking of Libra, the two major stars of Libra, Zubeneschamali and Zubenelgenubi--now there is a tongue twister for you--at one time were considered the claws of the scorpion. Zubeneschamali means "Northern Claw" and Zubenelgenubi means "Southern Claw.

That is until Julius Caesar came along and lopped them off to make Libra into a sign of the Zodiac.

Libra is located to the upper left of Scorpius.

Scorpius is also the jumping off point for a fabulous tour of the star clusters, nebula, and other sights next door in Sagittarius which we will be getting into in the coming weeks.

SKY WATCH: Full moon, Tuesday, July 19. For the very daring and swift of eye the two innermost planets, Mercury and Venus, will make a very short appearance in the evening sky starting on July 20. Neither of the pair will get very far above the western horizon so a clear, unobstructed view in that direction is required (note to my friends in Colorado, that means no mountains).

A very slender crescent moon will help with locating Mercury on August 4. Venus will set before the end of July and Mercury will follow by Aug. 13. Binoculars will be essential for finding them in the bright afterglow of sunset.

However, there are much easier planetary targets for our attention. Jupiter is still holding forth as "King of the Evening Sky" just below the belly of Leo, the Lion in the western sky, and our old friends Saturn and Mars are still giving a fine show very high--which is much better for viewing--in the south.

Just in case you are wondering where the planet Pluto is, let the moon help. On Monday, July 18, the moon will be about 2.5 degrees to the upper left of Pluto's location. You won't be able to see it without a ginormous telescope, but it is still nice to know where it is.

NEXT WEEK: A Cook's Tour of Scorpius -- Part two, and more astronomical blathering.