Sagittarius, the Archer, is a zodiac constellation shaped like a teapot that lies towards the centre of the Milky Way, where the galaxy’s glow is brightest.
At a glance
| stars in the figure | 14 |
|---|---|
| not placed by measurement | Polis (no usable parallax; left out of the depth below) |
| nearest star of the figure | Kaus Borealis, 78.2 light-years (24 pc) |
| farthest star of the figure | Albaldah, 510 light-years (156 pc) |
| depth | the farthest is 6.5 × farther than the nearest |
| zodiac | ♐ the ecliptic runs through it |
Read off the piece’s own catalogue, the same values it draws with.
About Sagittarius
Sagittarius is the archer of Greek star lore, usually drawn as a centaur drawing a bow. Its brightest stars, Kaus Australis, Kaus Media, Kaus Borealis, Nunki and their neighbours, form the asterism called the Teapot, with the Milky Way rising like steam from its spout. The ecliptic runs through it, and the Sun passes here at the northern winter solstice.
Beyond its stars lies the heart of the Galaxy and the black hole Sgr A*, hidden from sight by dust. The direction is crowded with clusters and nebulae: the Lagoon Nebula, a star-forming cloud visible to the naked eye, and M22, a bright globular cluster. Behind the bulge, the Sagittarius Dwarf galaxy is being torn apart by the Milky Way. It is highest on southern winter nights.
What you see in the piece
Flown out to, the Teapot breaks: Kaus Borealis, at the lid, is a near neighbour, while Albaldah lies far deeper, and the galactic centre waits far beyond them all.
Measured or modelled
Polis has no usable parallax, so its distance is not measured: the piece pins it at a stand-in distance only so its line can still draw, and the card leaves it out of the nearest, farthest and depth.
Questions
Is the centre of the Milky Way in Sagittarius?
Yes. Looking towards Sagittarius is looking towards the Galaxy’s centre and its black hole Sgr A*, far beyond the constellation’s stars and hidden by dust in visible light.
How far away are the stars of Sagittarius?
Of the stars with a measured distance, they range from Kaus Borealis, 78.2 light-years (24 pc), to Albaldah, 510 light-years (156 pc): the farthest is 6.5 × farther than the nearest. Polis has no usable parallax, so its distance is not measured.