#sigma scorpii

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Sh2-9 surrounding Alniyat (σ Scorpii) // Jim Case

Alniyat (σ Scorpii) is a quadruple star system about 570 light years away. The two largest stars are both blue giants. Its name comes from the Arabic word al-niyāţ meaning "the arteries" since it sits near Antares (α Scorpii), the scorpion's heart.

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Alniyat (σ Scorpii) and Sh2-9 // Nico Gärtner & Carpe-Noctem-Rooisand-Team

Alniyat (σ Scorpii) is a quadruple star system about 570 light years from Earth. The largest member star is a blue-white giant about 18 times more massive and 13 times larger than the Sun. The name comes from the Arabic word al-niyāţ meaning "the arteries."

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Sh2-9 and Alniyat (σ Scorpii, left) and the Spider Globular Cluster (M4, right) // Michel

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The ρ Ophiuchi Cloud Complex (top) and the Blue Horsehead Nebula (IC 4592, bottom left) // Jakub Korbel

Click below to see an annotated image identifying the bright stars in the picture!

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The ρ Ophiuchi Cloud Complex // Mupanga Mwanakatwe

Included in this cloud complex are the stars Antares (α Scorpii) in the large yellowish area, Alniyat (σ Scorpii) in the redish area, and ρ Ophiuchi in the large blue area.

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The Spider Globular Cluster (M4, center right) and a few stars of Scorpius // William Guyot-Lénat

Read below the cut for some info about the three brightest stars in this image!

Antares (α Scorpii, center left) is a red supergiant star. It might be part of a binary system, although the best calculated orbit for the pair is unreliable. Antares is expected to explode in about 1 million years. Its name comes from the Ancient Greek word Ἀντάρης meaning "rival to Ares" since its red hue gives it an appearance similar to the planet Mars (Greek god Ares).

Paikauhale (τ Scorpii, lower left) is a massive blue giant star. It is about 470 light years from Earth and is about 6 times larger than the Sun. Its name is a Hawaiian word meaning "vagabond owning no home; house-to-house wanderer."

Alniyat (σ Scorpii, above right of M4) is a blue giant star about 12 times the size of the Sun and 20 times the mass of the Sun. It is about 550 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic word al-niyāţ meaning "the arteries", referring to its position near Antares, often called the scorpion's heart.

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A selection of stars in Scorpius // FLYNN WILLIAMS

The bright star on the right is Antares (α Scorpii), who's name comes from the Ancient Greek Ἀντάρης, meaning "rival to Ares" since the star has a similar red color to Mars (Ares in Greek).

The blue star on the left is Alniyat (σ Scorpii) who's name comes from the Arabic al-niyāţ meaning "the arteries", referring to their position next to Antares, the scorpion's heart.

The big cluster of stars at the top is the Spider Globular Cluster (M4), and the smaller cluster near Antares is NGC 6144.

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Sh2-9, surrounding the star Alniyat (σ Scorpii) // Reggie Jones