Scorpius

Fish Hook of Scorpius

Scorpius hook

common observer pattern · high confidence

The northern claws and red Antares curve into the scorpion's long low hook. At 50°N only the upper hook is comfortable; the tail needs a flat southern horizon.

Central RA: 16^h 44^m 12.3^s
Central Dec: −32° 06′ 07″
Brightest member: V 0.96
Best months from 50°N: June–September evenings
Suggested instrument: naked-eye
Approx. span: 28.6°

Finder context

This wider chart is deliberately schematic: it uses nearby bright-star context and boxes the asterism’s member-star footprint, but it does not draw official constellation boundaries or promise horizon/season precision.

Framing: Approximate member-star span: 28.6°; use at least 40.1° field for context.

Observing and imaging

Naked eye

Very low from 50°N: it culminates only about 8° above the southern horizon, so you need a flat, haze-free southern sky and it never rises into comfortable naked-eye view. Plan it for its best month at transit.

Binoculars

Binoculars help against horizon haze, but atmospheric extinction this low dims and reddens the stars; pick a transparent night and a low southern horizon.

Small scope

A telescope is impractical this low; treat it as a wide naked-eye/binocular horizon target only.

Imaging

Frame as a wide-field scene in/near Scorpius; a field of view around 40° keeps context without claiming exact constellation boundaries.

Observability from your latitude

Uses this asterism’s centroid RA/Dec: transit altitude, hours above 20°, and a month-scale evening window. Default is Edmonton-ish 50°N.

Latitude 50°NMonth Sky darkness Bortle 4 · limit V 6.1

Naked-eye visibility by sky class

Approximate limiting magnitudes: Bortle 3 ≈ V 6.6, Bortle 5 ≈ V 5.6, Bortle 7 ≈ V 4.6. The shape is counted recognisable when at least 70% of defining stars clear the limit.

Bortle 3: 11/11 stars — fully visibleBortle 5: 11/11 stars — fully visibleBortle 7: 11/11 stars — fully visible

Member stars

Name	Bayer / Flamsteed	HR	RA J2000	Dec J2000	V mag
Antares	21Alp Sco	HR 6134	16^h 29^m 24.4^s	−26° 25′ 55″	0.96
35Lam Sco	35Lam Sco	HR 6527	17^h 33^m 36.5^s	−37° 06′ 14″	1.63
The Sco	The Sco	HR 6553	17^h 37^m 19.2^s	−42° 59′ 52″	1.87
26Eps Sco	26Eps Sco	HR 6241	16^h 50^m 09.8^s	−34° 17′ 36″	2.29
7Del Sco	7Del Sco	HR 5953	16^h 00^m 20.0^s	−22° 37′ 18″	2.32
34Ups Sco	34Ups Sco	HR 6508	17^h 30^m 45.8^s	−37° 17′ 45″	2.69
23Tau Sco	23Tau Sco	HR 6165	16^h 35^m 53.0^s	−28° 12′ 58″	2.82
6Pi Sco	6Pi Sco	HR 5944	15^h 58^m 51.1^s	−26° 06′ 51″	2.89
20Sig Sco	20Sig Sco	HR 6084	16^h 21^m 11.3^s	−25° 35′ 34″	2.89
Eta Sco	Eta Sco	HR 6380	17^h 12^m 09.2^s	−43° 14′ 21″	3.33
5Rho Sco	5Rho Sco	HR 5928	15^h 56^m 53.1^s	−29° 12′ 51″	3.88

Source and confidence

common observer pattern; high confidence. Commonly used constellation-part or seasonal guide-pattern name, with member-star positions plotted from BSC5.

Citations

Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed.: Hoffleit, D. & Warren, W.H. Jr. (1991). Positions, V magnitudes, Bayer/Flamsteed identifiers. source
Star Tales: Ridpath, I. Constellation and asterism notes used to cross-check common sky-pattern names. source
The Hipparcos and Tycho Catalogues: ESA SP-1200 (1997). Used as the modern astrometric reference named by the atlas; the MVP pages expose BSC5 J2000 fields for the plotted bright-star members.