Shaula is the sting of Scorpius, a hot blue-white giant and the second-brightest star of the Scorpion, set at the raised tip of its tail.
At a glance
| type | blue-white giant (class B) |
|---|---|
| distance from the Sun | 571 light-years (175 pc) |
| its light left it | 571 years ago |
| luminosity | 48,800 × the Sun |
| radius | 13.2 × the Sun |
| surface temperature | 23,600 K |
| constellation | Scorpius (Scorpion) |
Read off the piece’s own catalogue, the same values it draws with.
About Shaula
Shaula, Lambda Scorpii, is a hot, massive class B giant, vastly more luminous than the Sun. It is a multiple system of at least three stars, and the brightest of them pulsates slightly, a Beta Cephei variable.
Its name comes from the Arabic for the raised tail of the scorpion, poised to strike. With Lesath beside it, it marks the sting, which points towards the rich Milky Way fields of Sagittarius and the clusters M6 and M7.
What you see in the piece
In the piece Shaula and Lesath lie at nearly the same distance, so the sting stays a pair even as the rest of the Scorpion breaks apart in depth.
Questions
What is the second-brightest star in Scorpius?
Shaula, the sting of the Scorpion, after Antares. It is 571 light-years (175 pc) from the Sun.
What does Shaula mean?
It comes from the Arabic for the raised tail of the scorpion.