Sagittarius is a spectacular square constellation spanning 700º and is located in the observable South hemisphere from almost all the planet, but it is at its most magnificient in the Southern hemisphere. In the Southern hemisphere Sagittarius is observable during the months of autumn, winter and spring; however for the inhabitants of the North hemisphere he is observable during the warm nights of summer to low height on the horizon. While this is a very large constellation, its stars are relatively faint and most people easily recognise just the central figure which resembles a teapot with a lid, handle, and spout. More than a dozen objects reside in Sagittarius, including globular clusters. Recently, astronomers have discovered a small galaxy in Sagittarius that is crashing through the Milky Way. Mythology The Mediterranean people viewed him as Enkidu, the close friend of Gilgamesh, believed to be represented by Orion. Greek mythology associates Sagittarius with Crotus, the son of the goat-god Pan and Eupheme, the nurse of the Muses. He grew to be a skilled hunter, as well as a man with an artistic soul. The Muses, with whom he was raised, begged Zeus to honour him with a constellation equal to his great talents.In Greek mythology, Sagittarius was sometimes identified as Chiron, aiming his bow at the Scorpion, although the more usual identification of Chiron was with the constellation Centaurus. The constellation Sagitta was sometimes considered to be an arrow fired by Sagittarius. Other early identifications include that of a rattle, which the constellation's brightest stars considered together vaguely resemble. As such, together with other constellations in the Zodiac sign of Sagittarius (specifically, Cygnus, Lyra, and Aquila), may be a significant part of the origin of the myth of the Stymphalian Birds, one of The Twelve Labours of Hercules.
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