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Scorpius - The Deadly Killer
Scorpius is one of the real highlights of the summer sky. Unfortunately, you can only see the entire constellation during the months of July, August and September. The head of Scorpio starts to peek above the southern horizon in June, and, after September, you will just see its tail as it dips below our horizon until the following summer. At the same time, the appearance of Scorpio in the southern sky means that summer is in full swing once again.
The mythology is very interesting because in the legend, Scorpio spent a great deal of time trying to kill the great hunter Orion, but they are on opposite sides of the sky. According to varying legends, Scorpio either was or was not finally successful in killing the mighty hunter.

The Beating Heart of Scorpius
The real "star" of Scorpius is Antares, its giant red heart. The supermassive star is about seven hundred times as large as our Sun. It also shines with a light that is as red as a standard traffic light.
If you live in the city, it's a real treat to drive far into the country when Scorpius is visible and see just how red a star can really be. It's not sight you will soon forget. It's worth the effort.

Find Out More About Orion
Chris Dolan's Scorpius Page
Chris Dolan's Scorpius page has lots of technical information about the stars that make up Scorpius
Richard Dibon-Smith's Scorpius Page
Richard Dibon-Smith's Scorpius page has an excellent account of the mythology behind this fascinating constellation.
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