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Sagittarius, the Archer

Sagittarius is one of the most interesting regions of the sky. The center of our Milky Way galaxy lies inside Sagittarius, about 26,000 light-years away. The constellation also contains several globular clusters — tightly packed collections of hundreds of thousands of stars. Its brightest stars form the shape of a teapot, and the constellation slides low across the southern sky of summer.

Resources

Sagittarius, the Archer

Sagittarius, the Archer May 25, 2010

Radio Programs

Milky Way Satellites A flock of galactic sheep August 17, 2023

Bow and Arrow Aiming a bright celestial bow July 29, 2023

Flaring Up A doomed cloud near a massive black hole July 12, 2023

Missing Handle A teapot loses part of its handle September 5, 2022

Steamy Nights Steamy sights in the southern sky August 16, 2022

Sweet Cloud Young stars and raspberry rum July 18, 2022

Terzan 5 A tightly packed star cluster May 20, 2022

Venus in the Teapot The teapot and the “evening star” November 16, 2021

In the Middle Looking into the middle of the galaxy July 5, 2021

Galactic Ripples Rippling through the Milky Way September 7, 2020

Sagittarius Bar Stepping up to the Milky Way’s bar August 19, 2020

VX Sagittarii A monster among monsters August 18, 2020

Sagittarius Cluster Extra black holes in a star cluster August 17, 2020

Sagittarius Nurseries Starbirth in the Milky Way August 16, 2020

Sagittarius A high-speed ride ’round the galaxy August 15, 2020

Centaurs Centaurs everywhere you look June 21, 2020

Messier 7 A far but bright star cluster August 24, 2019

Hidden Galaxy A close galaxy hides from view August 1, 2019

Quiet Monster A quiet monster flares up July 30, 2019

Baade’s Window A window into the heart of the galaxy July 1, 2019

Timing a Black Hole Delicate timing for a dead star October 26, 2018

Black Hole Bonanza Black holes by the hundreds August 31, 2018

Making Lithium Making an important element August 30, 2018

Distant Planets Planets at the spout of the teapot August 29, 2018

Star Clouds Bright clouds in the Milky Way August 7, 2018

IRS 7 A giant in the heart of the Milky Way July 10, 2018

Milky Way Center Discovering the galaxy’s distant heart August 26, 2017

Sakurai’s Object A “rebirth” for a dying star August 13, 2017

Black-Hole Blobs A black hole fires some rockets August 12, 2017

Future Resident A future resident of the Milky Way August 11, 2017

Featured Images

Wow! signal

Wow! August 15, 2022
hubble space telescope view of the globular cluster Terzan 5

Stellar Graveyard May 20, 2022
the first image of the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way Galaxy

Seeing the Darkness May 12, 2022
New view of the Milky Way Galaxy

Milky Way Bar August 19, 2020
Sagittarius and Scorpius

Summer Highlights June 25, 2020
Hubble Space Telescope view of NGC 6624

Home to a Black Hole? October 26, 2018
Hubble Space Telescope view of the core of the Lagoon Nebula

Colorful Nursery April 24, 2018
A 2015 solar flare

Scary Storm May 28, 2017
The bow of Sagittarius

Celestial Bow August 15, 2016
Two views of Messier 22

Stellar Sparkler August 24, 2015