[Capitalism2003]

call me stupid...I always thought that was the "scorpio" constellation. I've never been into astronomy much, but those stars always reminded me of a scorpion, and I thought that it is what the astrology sign scorpio was based on.

[petuniasevan]

Scorpius (Scorpio) is a SUMMER constellation located along the plane of the ecliptic (also called zodiac). In northern summer this is well south.

Here is a graphic image of Scorpius:

I recommend a simple book on stargazing, and perhaps one of the astronomy software programs listed at the link I mentioned in post 1.

I welcome questions - I may be a bit getting back to you, as I work rotating shifts. FReepmail me if you like.

Plane of the ecliptic (zodiac): Simply the plane in which the planets orbit the sun. From Earth they appear to follow a narrow path through certain constellations; those are termed the zodiacal constellations. There are 13 (not 12) such constellations: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, and Ophiuchus.

A constellation is nothing more than a RANDOM GROUPING of stars at vastly DIFFERENT distances (and VAST distances indeed). The apparent passage of planets through those parts of the sky which contain certain star patterns does NOTHING to influence events on Earth.