SAGITTARIUS

(Latin: Archer), in astronomy, zodiacal constellation lying between Capricornus and Scorpius, at about 19 hours right ascension (the coordinate on the celestial sphere analogous to longitude on the Earth) and 25 south declination (angular distance south of the celestial equator). The centre of the Milky Way Galaxy lies in Sagittarius, with the densest star clouds of the galaxy. Near the western border of Sagittarius is the winter solstice, the southernmost point reached by the Sun in its apparent annual journey among the stars. In astrology, Sagittarius is the ninth sign of the zodiac, considered as governing the period from about November 22 to about December 21. It is represented either by a centaur shooting a bow and arrow or by an arrow drawn across a bow. The identification of Sagittarius as a mounted archer was made by the Babylonians as early as the 11th century BC.