Sagittarius (The Archer) Greek A constellation in the night sky of the Northern Hemisphere between Scorpio and Capricorn; the ninth sign in the Zodiac.

Sagittarius (The Archer) Greek A constellation in the night sky of the Northern Hemisphere between Scorpio and Capricorn; the ninth sign in the Zodiac. Star charts show Sagittarius wielding a bow and arrow, pointing as if to shoot at Scorpio. Experts debate the mythological identity of Sagittarius. Some scholars believe that Sagittarius, who is often shown as human from the waist up and horse from the waist down, represents a Centaur, and conclude that he was a symbol of Chiron, the wise centaur of Greek mythology. Because Chiron was skilled at archery and hunting, they believe Zeus placed him in the night sky in this position to make him immortal. However, other scholars and the Latin poet Hyginus, who lived in the first century b.c., argue that Sagittarius is not half horse but half goat, which would make him a Satyr and a servant of the god Dionysus (known as Bacchus to the Romans). These experts suggest that Chiron's constellation is Centaurus, which shines in the night sky of the Southern Hemisphere.