Equally distant southeast and southwest of Ras Alhague are to be seen two stars close together, representing the shoulders of Ophiuchus. His foot rests on the Scorpion just above Antares. The head of Serpens is the star group in the form of an "X" just below the Crown. 1604 indicates the spot where in that year a famous temporary star appeared, called Kepler's star. Note the asterism the "Bull of Poniatowski" just east of γ. The star marked 70 is one of the most distant stars for which a parallax has been obtained. Its distance from the earth = 1,300,000 radii of the earth's orbit, or 120 quadrillion miles. There is something remarkable in the central position of this gigantic figure. It is situated almost exactly in the mid-heavens, being nearly equidistant from the poles, and midway between the vernal and autumnal equinoxes. [Illustration: OPHIUCHUS SERPENS] SCORPIUS (skôr´-pi-us)--THE SCORPION. (Face South.) LOCATION.--Scorpius, one of the signs of the zodiac, is a beautiful star group, and one that is easily traced out. It lies just under the Serpent Bearer, between Sagittarius and Libra. The resemblance to a Scorpion is not difficult to see, hence this constellation is perhaps the most aptly named of any. The ruddy star Antares, the brightest star in the constellation, is in the heart of the Scorpion. It lies about 40° southwest of Ras Alhague, in Ophiuchus, and a little over 20° west of the bow of Sagittarius. The fact that it is the most brilliant star in this region of the sky renders its identity unmistakable. It is one of the reddest stars in the firmament. There are several star clusters and double stars to be seen in this constellation. Their position is indicated in the diagram. The curved tail of the Scorpion is very conspicuous. λ and υ are a striking pair and the fine clusters above them can be seen with the naked eye. A record of a lunar occultation of β Scorpii in 295 B.C. is extant. Note a pair just below β. They are known as ω¹ and ω². In this region of the sky have appeared many of the brilliant temporary stars, the first one in astronomical annals being discovered in 134 B.C. Scorpius is mentioned by all the early writers on astronomy and is supposed to be so named because in Egypt it was a sickly time of the year when the sun entered this sign. [Illustration: SCORPIUS] LIBRA (lī´-bra)--THE SCALES. (Face Southwest.) LOCATION.--Libra is one of the signs of the zodiac, and lies between Virgo and Scorpius. Its two chief stars, α and β, may be recognized west of and above the head of the Scorpion. The star ι Libræ is about 20° northwest of Antares in the Scorpion. Spica in Virgo, a star of the first magnitude, is a little over 20° northwest of α Libræ. A quadrilateral is formed by the stars α, β, γ, ε, which characterizes the constellation. The star α Libræ looks elongated. An opera-glass shows that it has a fifth-magnitude companion. β is a pale green star. Its color is very unusual.