Cosmic winter skies: Scorpius (Scorpion) Probably the easiest constellation to recognize in the winter skies down here in Africa. Scorpio’s alfa star is Antares, which is referred to as a red giant. It is 560 million kilometers in diameter and is the 15th brightest star in our galaxy -shining at a staggering distance of 604 light years away from earth. The total constellation consists of a total of 17 stars. Antares is 10 000 times brighter than our sun and 700 times larger in diameter. If we would to replace our sun with Antares, earth will go up in a cloud of dust. Mythology: Scorpio was sent to kill Orion (the hunter) because Orion boasted he was the biggest and best hunter and that none could overcome him. According to mythology they were put at 180 degrees apart form each other so that they could never fight again. When Orion sets in the west, Scorpio will rise in the east and vice-versa. Antares was seen as the Guardian of the heaven by the Persians. The Chinese saw Antares as a great fire due to its red colour, fire at the heart of the great dragon of the east.