The constellation of Sagittarius is one of the most striking ones in the whole zodiac, and that is because of various factors and elements that make it extremely fascinating. First of all, even though its full centaur form is hard to trace in the sky, Sagittarius contains a distinctive and unmistakable shape known as the Teapot, a group of stars that resembles precisely a teapot. Making it even more wonderful, a dense area of the Milky Way can be seen rising above the spout of the teapot, almost like a puff of steam, making this constellation one of the most breathtaking regions of the night sky for astronomers and stargazers alike. Its brightest star is Kaus Australis, meaning ‘southern bow’, but Sagittarius is also home to several deep-sky wonders, such as the Lagoon Nebula and the Omega Nebula, dazzling clouds of gas and dust containing very young, hot stars.
Sagittarius is most often depicted as a centaur, half man and half horse, aiming a bow towards the stars, particularly towards Scorpio’s fiery and red heart. In the zodiac calendar, the sun traverses it from about November 22 to December 21, carrying us through the final stretch of autumn and into the first whispers of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s positioned between Scorpio and Capricorn, and, like all the other signs, its origins lie in Greek mythology.
Sagittarius’s myth may vary, but two very important figures completely dominate the legends: Crotus and Chiron.
In one version of the tale, this zodiac is seen as Crotus, the son of Pan and the inventor of archery. According to the legend, Crotus was known for his skills with the bow and his love for the Muses. It is said that he lived with them and delighted in their art, and that when he died, the Muses asked Zeus to place him among the stars to honour him, his artistry, and his prowess as a hunter.
The other version, instead, tells of a figure whom you have surely heard of at least once—Chiron, the wise and gentle centaur. Son of Cronus, an intelligent and skilled healer, and the one who tutored heroes such as Achilles, Jason, and Heracles. In the myth, after being accidentally wounded by Hercules with a poisoned arrow, Chiron, unable to heal himself, gave up his immortality in an act of selflessness, and for that, the gods rewarded him by placing him among the stars. Either way, be it Crotus or Chiron, Sagittarius represents someone wise, sensible, and a master of arts, characteristics we can certainly observe and see in someone born under this zodiac sign.
Sagittarius is also a mutable fire sign, ruled by Jupiter, the planet of expansion, abundance, and higher learning. Everything about this sign (its planet, its house, and all the things you can find online) speaks about philosophy, travel, exploration, honesty, and a fiery attitude. And indeed, Sagittarians are often described as restless souls, always seeking for something greater. They are known for being true ‘adventurers’, even though the same boundless energy that makes them so distinct can sometimes make other people perceive them as too impatient or too blunt. Personally, I have mixed feelings about Sagittarians. As a water sign, I find them sometimes too intense, ready to poke or strike you down with their pointy arrow. But anyway, like them or not, one thing’s for certain about the children of abundance: they definitely know how to grab your attention, and they always aim high.
Up, Sagittarius Illustration by my amazing twin Soul
Sources:
The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need by Joanna Martine Woolfolk (2012)
The Library of the Unseen 
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