Sagittarius is a constellation known as the Archer. It is a constellation of the Southern Hemisphere. Sagittarius borders several other constellations, including Aquila, Capricornus, and Scorpius. It is best viewed during June, July, and August. Sagittarius was among the 48 constellations defined by the ancient Greek mathematician Ptolemy . Today, it is one of 88 constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the leading authority in the naming of heavenly objects. Sagittarius is also one of the 12 signs of the zodiac used in astrology (see Sagittarius ).
Sagittarius includes many stars that can be connected in a great variety of configurations. The figure of Sagittarius is often depicted as a centaur , a mythical creature with the torso and head of a human and the body of a horse. The figure is holding a bow and arrow.
The center of our galaxy, the Milky Way , can be seen in Sagittarius. The area around the galaxy’s center has its densest concentration of stars. For this reason, many stars and star clusters can be found within the constellation. The center of the galaxy also contains a supermassive black hole named Sagittarius A* .
