Sagittarius

Sagittarius is a constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere and part of the zodiac. It is one of the 88 modern constellations, named from the Latin for “the archer.” The Sun passes through Sagittarius from about November 22 to December 21 in tropical astrology. The center of the Milky Way lies within this region, near the Galactic Center identified as Sgr A*.

Bright stars and notable deep-sky objects mark the region. The brightest star in Sagittarius is Kaus Australis, also known as Lambda Sagittarii. The Teapot is a well-known asterism in the northern part of the constellation, used as a guide to locate objects toward the galactic center. The region contains several notable deep-sky objects, including the Lagoon Nebula (M8), the Trifid Nebula (M20), and the Omega Nebula (M17).

Observation and scope: Sagittarius lies along the ecliptic and is therefore one of the zodiac constellations. It is best seen from the southern half of the northern hemisphere and from most of the southern hemisphere during summer evenings; in northern latitudes it appears low in the southern sky. The region is prominent along the direction of the Milky Way’s center, making it rich in star fields and diffuse nebulae.

In astronomy, Sagittarius is a celestial region containing many stars, nebulae, and star clusters. In astrology, Sagittarius is the ninth sign of the zodiac, covering roughly November 22 to December 21, associated with the archer and often described as optimistic, freedom-loving, and adventurous.