Sagittarius

Authors: Kristin Lippincott, Susanne M Hoffmann, Youla Azkarrula, Roland Laffitte, Doris Vickers, Ian Ridpath

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Sgr star chart (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg).

Τοξότης (Toxotes)

Asterism Info
Native	Τοξότης
Romanisation	Toxotes
Translation	Archer
Position (2000)
Right ascension	269.7720073 to 305.9715694
Declination	-44.7997788 to -15.49146815
Area	746.74 sq. deg.
Stars
Bright stars	179
Bayer/Flamsteed stars	152
Stars brighter than 3.00m	7
Brightest star	Kaus Australis (1.81m)
Taxonomy
category of asterism	Almagest constellation
IAU- constellations	Sgr, CrA

One of the 88 IAU constellations. Originally, it depicted the Mesopotamian god Pabilsaĝ (PA.BIL.SAG), a god of agriculture and war, later equated with Ninurta and depicted as a mixed creature of a human body attaced to horse body with wings and an additional scorpion tail. This complex image was simplified in Greek reception, and there drawn as a centaur. From time to time, it formed a super-constellation with the stars of Corona Australis drawn as boat or ring or wheel at the Archer's foot or hoof, but CrA has been regarded as separate constellation since Roman time (see Geminos, Hyginus, Ptolemy's Almagest).

Etymology and History

Profile of the figure of Pabilsag from a 12th century BCE kudurru. è.c. (Roland Laffitte 2023)

Depiction on the Kugel Globe (4th c. CE): two centaurs in Cen and Sgr with Lup+Ara in between (drawing by SMH 2024).

Origin of Constellation

This figure came to Greek culture from Mesopotamia as a zodiac sign. Since MUL.APIN, it has been called Pabilsang (PA.BIL.SAG). This is a deity depicted as a hybrid creature: a male upper body sits on a horse's body, which has a scorpion's tail and wings. Pabilsang is equated with Ninurta, a god of agriculture and war. This explains why he holds a bow and arrow – either for hunting or for defence.

Such a hybrid creature was unknown to the Greeks. The most similar creature in Greek culture and mythology is a centaur, which at least combines horse and human (although it does not have a scorpion's tail and wings). However, Eratosthenes questions whether this is a centaur: He has illustrations in which the archer has only two legs – horse legs. For this reason, and because centaurs cannot use bows and arrows, Eratosthenes prefers the opinion that this is the satyr Krotos, the son of the nurse of the Muses. He is considered a cultural founder, having invented the bow and arrow and used it to hunt animals.

Eratosthenes' belief that Sagittarius has a ship with him also points to a Babylonian influence and an accidental equation of the two-legged and four-legged figures. The Babylonian constellation Ship (MA₂.GUR₈) refers to a river boat and must have been located near Sagittarius. Based on depictions of Babylonian river boats, the constellation Corona Australis is usually equated with the Babylonian ship. However, centaurs do not travel on ships, which is why, according to Eratosthenes, the ship is another argument against the centaur.

Eratosthenes' claim that Sagittarius is bipedal may seem surprising at first, as today he is depicted as a four-legged centaur in all common star charts.

The Almagest mentions three feet, a horse's body and a human torso, from which we can conclude that Ptolemy also thought of Sagittarius as a centaur. So how did Eratosthenes come to the conclusion that it could be a man with horse's legs?

On the zodiac of Dendera, a depiction in an Egyptian temple that was restored in the Ptolemaic period in the 1st century (i.e. only about 100 to 150 years after Eratosthenes), there are two Sagittarians: one with two legs and one with four legs. The four-legged one is in the part of the sky where the constellation Sagittarius is located. The two-legged archer stands next to the star Sirius. This is significant in that Sirius and the stars around it formed the two Babylonian constellations ‘Arrow’ (KAK.SI.SA) and ‘Bow’ (PAN). The strong Babylonian influences are not surprising here, as there is evidence of a significant transfer of Babylonian mathematical astronomy to Greek astronomy in Egypt, especially in the 2nd century BCE.

Babylonian

see

• PA.BIL.SAG

• 
  Pabilsag on Nabu kudurru
• 
  Pabilsag in Kassites
• 
  Pabilsag on Mesopotamian seal print, Wallenfels (1993).

Greco-Roman

Egyptian

In Ptolemaic times (1st century BCE), when Egypt was ruled by the Romans, new Egyptian temples were built in Esna and Dendera (south and north of Thebes/ Luxor). They display a cultural mixture of Babylonian and Egyptian constellations.

• 
  Sagittarius; rectangular zodiac of Dendera
• 
  Sgr, circular zodiac of Dendera (CC BY Musée du Louvre, Département des Antiquités égyptiennes)
• 
  Sagittarius in the round zodiac of Dendera, Egypt, with two boats beneath his feet (CC BY WGSN 2026).

Aratus

[300] After much suffering at sea even in the previous month, when the sun inflames the bow and the Drawer of the bow, you should put ashore in the evening and not continue to trust the night. A sign of that season and that month will be the rising of the Scorpion at the end of night. [305] The Archer actually draws his great bow near the sting; the rising Scorpion stands a little ahead of him, and he then rises shortly after. At that time the head of Cynosura runs very high up at the end of night, and just before dawn Orion sets entirely, and Cepheus from hand to waist. (Kidd 1997)

Another paragraph, Kidd (1997) interprets as the constellation Centaurus but it describes Sagittarius, a centaur with bow and arrow, next to The Water (in Cetus/ Aquarius), and a "circled ring" or "wheel of Ixion" below his feet:

[400] This cluster as a whole men call The Water. But others low beneath the forefeet of the Archer (Centaur) [Centaurus], a tuned in a circled ring, go wheeling round the sky.

Eratosthenes

Pamias and Zucker (2013, 85-87)

Var. 1 (Περὶ τοῦ Τοξότου): This is the figure holding the bow, whom most people regard as a centaur, though others dispute this, arguing that no centaur uses a bow; he is indeed a man, but with horse’s legs and a tail like that of the satyrs. The Archer has two stars on his head, one on his right elbow, one on his hands, one shining on his stomach, two on his back, one on his front knee, one on his foot, one on his back knee, one on his hoof, two on the bow and one on the sheepskin. Fourteen.

Var. 2 (Τοξότου): This is the Archer whom most people regard as a Centaur, a view contested by others, who argue that he is not shown with four legs, but is standing and shooting a bow; yet no Centaur has ever used a bow; he is indeed a man, but with horse’s legs and a tail like that of the Satyrs. This is why it seems implausible to the people in question that he is a Centaur, and more likely that he is Crotos (Clapping), the son of Euphemia (Renown), the nurse of the Muses, who lived and stayed on Helicon.

The Muses ensured that he discovered the use of the bow and could obtain his food from wild beasts, as Sositheus relates. He had become intimately acquainted with the Muses and attended their performances, and he approved of them by marking the beat with cheers.

Indeed, he would clap his hands to mark the off-beat of their singing; so, seeing him do this, the other men began to do the same. That is why the Muses, when they tasted the charm of fame, thanks to his support, asked Zeus to reveal to all the fervour of this figure, and thus he was placed amongst the constellations, in recognition of that hand gesture he had made, adopting the posture of the archer as his distinctive mark. His gesture was perpetuated amongst men. Furthermore, the presence of the Boat indicates that he will be visible to everyone: not only to men on land, but also to those at sea; hence the error of those who depict him as a Centaur.

The Archer has two stars on his head, two on the bow, two on the tip of the arrow, one on his right elbow, one on his hand, one shining on his belly, two on his back, one on his tail, one on the front knee, one on the hoof, and one on the back knee. Fifteen in all.

The seven stars of the Boat are located beneath his paw. They resemble hind legs, but the latter are not visible at all.

Eratosthenes's star catalogue can be reconstructed from the list of stars he mentions in the last section of each of the constelllation descriptions. Hoffmann (2017) made such a catalogue and used it for computational comparison with Hipparchus's, Ptolemy's and Babylonian data; it is based on the edition and translation by Pamias and Geus (2007) and presented here in English translation.

erat.Cat.ID	constStarID	starName	ident.Bayer	ident.HIP	certainty
486	1	two stars on the head	xi Sgr	93085	1
487	2	two stars on the head	pi Sgr	94141	1
488	3	two on the bow	eta Sgr	89642	1
489	4	two on the bow	lambda Sgr	90496	1
490	5	two on the arrowhead	gam Sgr	88635	1
491	6	two on the arrowhead	delta Sgr	89931	1
492	7	one on the right elbow	sigma Sgr	92855	1
493	8	one at the front of the hand	phi Sgr	92041	1
494	9	one bright one on the belly	eps Sgr	90185	1
495	10	two on the back	tau Sgr	93864	1
496	11	two on the back	zeta Sgr	93506	1
497	12	one on the tail	c Sgr	98688	1
498	13	one on the front knee	alpha Tel	90422	1
499	14	one on the hoof	zeta Tel	90568	1
500	15	one on the hind knee	beta1 Sgr	95241	1

Hipparchus

Rising (Lib II Cap V §10)

The Rising of ...

	east		south
	lam1	lam2	lam1	lam2
	Sgr 5 1/2	Cap 18	Vir 19 1/2	Sco 8 1/2
star	at the tip of the arrow	the bright one in the hind feet
duration	3 hours = 180 min = 45 degree

Setting (Lib III Cap IV §6)

	west		south
	lam1	lam2	lam1	lam2
	Sco 3	Sgr 26 1/2	Cap 20	Psc 4 1/2
star	the bright one in the front foot	the northern one of those in the upper garment
duration	3 hours = 180 min = 45°

Hipparchus's "lost" star Catalogue

The star catalogue of Hipparchus is not preserved. Yet, several scholars have reconstructed it in the past century: Vogt (1925), Grasshoff (1990), Hoffmann (2017) and Glover (2026). Grasshoff's catalogue and computations are not published digitally, Hoffmann published three versions of the Manitius+Hoffmann star lists in the CDS VizieR "catalog of catalogs", and Glover printed the star lists constellationwise in his book.

Hipparchus's star in Aquarius (Glover 2026)

hipp.Cat.ID	constStarID	starName	ident.Bayer	ident.HIP	concordance
487	1		α Sgr	95347	non-CPAE
488	2		β Sgr (β1)*	95241	CPAE
489	3		γ Sgr	88635	CPAE
490	4		δ Sgr	89931	CPAE
491	5		ε Sgr	90185	CPAE
492	6		ζ Sgr	93506	CPAE
493	7		ι Sgr	98032	CPAE
494	8		λ Sgr	90496	CPAE
495	9		ξ2 Sgr	93085	CPAE
496	10		ο Sgr	93683	CPAE
497	11		π Sgr	94141	CPAE
498	12		ρ Sgr (ρ1)	95168	CPAE
499	13		σ Sgr	92855	CPAE
500	14		τ Sgr	93864	CPAE
501	15		υ Sgr	95716	CPAE
502	16		φ Sgr	92041	CPAE
503	17		χ Sgr (χ1)	95477	CPAE
504	18		ψ Sgr	94643	CPAE
505	19		d Sgr	94820	CPAE
506	20		h Sgr (h2)	96465	CPAE
507	21		α CrA	94114	non-CPAE

Hyginus, Astronomica

Many have called this sign the Centaurus; others deny the name, for the reason that no Centaurus makes use of arrows. The question is raised, too why he is formed with horse flanks but a Satyr's tail. Some say that he is Crotus, son of Eupheme, nurse of the Muses. As Sositheus, writer of tragedies, says, he had his home on Mount Helicon and took his pleasure in the company of the Muses, sometimes even following the pursuit of hunting. He attained great fame for his diligence, for he was very swift in the woods, and clever in the arts. As a reward for his zeal the Muses asked Jove to represent him in some star group, and Jove did so. Since he wished to display all his skills in one body, he gave him horse flanks because he rode a great deal. He added arrows, since these would show both his keenness and his swiftness, and he gave him a Satyr's tail because the Muses took no less pleasure in Crotus than Liber did in the Satyrs. Before his feet are a few stars arranged in a circle, which some said were a wreath, thrown off as by one at play. (Mary Ward 1960)

Almagest Τοξότης.

id	Greek (Heiberg 1898)	English (Toomer 1984)	ident.
	Τοξότου ἀστερισμός.	Constellation of Sagittarius
1	ὁ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀκύδος τοῦ βέλους	The star on the point of the arrow	gam Sgr
2	ὁ ἐν τῇ λαβῇ τῆς ἀριστερᾶρ χειρός	The star in the [bow-] grip held by the left hand	del Sgr
3	ὁ ἐν τῷ νοτίῳ μέρει τοῦ τόξου	The star in the southern portion of the bow	eps Sgr
4	τῶν ἐν τῷ βορείῳ μέρει τοῦ τόξου ὁ νοτιώτερος	The southernmost of the [2] stars in the northern portion of the bow	lam Sgr
5	ὁ βορειότερος αὐτῶν ἐπ’ ἄκρου τοῦ τόξου.	The northernmost of these, on the tip of the bow	mu Sgr
6	ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀριστεροῦ ἅμου.	The star on the left shoulder	sig Sgr
7	ὁ τούτου προηγούμενος κατὰ τοῦ βέλους	The one in advance of this, just over the arrow	phi Sgr
8	ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ νεφελοειδὴς καὶ διπλοῦς,	The star on the eye, which is nebulous and double	nu1 + nu2 Sgr
9	τῶν ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ γ’ ὁ ἠγούμενος.	The most advanced of the 3 stars in the head	xi Sgr
10	ὁ μέσος αὐτῶν	The middle one of these	omi Sgr
11	ὁ ἐπόμενος τῶν τριῶ.	The rearmost of the three	pi Sgr
12	τῶν ἐν τῇ βορεύῳ ἐφαπτίδι γ’ ὁ κότιος.	The southernmost of the 3 stars in the northern cloak attachment	43 Sgr
13	ὁ μέσος αὐτῶν	The middle one of these	rho Sgr
14	ὁ βόρειος τῶν τριῶη	The northernmost of the three	ups Sgr
15	ὁ ἐπόμενος τοῦς τρισὶν ἀμαυρός	The faint star to the rear of these three	55 Sgr
16	τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς νοτίου ἐφαπτίδος β ὁ βορειότερος;	The northernmost of the 2 stars on the southern cloak-attachment	61 Sgr
17	ὁ νοτιώτερος αὐτῶν	The southernmost of them	57 Sgr
18	ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ δεξιοῦ ὥμου.	The star on the right shoulder	chi1 Sgr
19	ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ δεξιοῦ ἀγκῶνος..	The star on the right elbow	51+52 Sgr
20	τῶν ἐν τῷ νώτῳ ἡ ὁ κατὰ τοῦ μεταφρένου.	The three stars in the back: the one just above the place between the shoulders	psi Sgr
21	ὁ μέσος αὐτῶν καὶ κατὰ τῆς ὡμοπλάτης.	The three stars in the back: the middle one, just above the shoulder-blade	tau Sgr
22	ὁ λοιπὸς καὶ ὑπὸ τὴν μασχάλην.	The three stars in the back: the other one, under the armpit	zet Sgr
23	ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐμπροσθίου καὶ ἀριστεροῦ σφυροῦ	The star on the front left hock	bet1 + bet2 Sgr
24	ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ γόνατος τοῦ αὐτοῦ ποδός	The one on the knee of the same leg	alf Sgr
25	ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐμπροσθίου καὶ δεξιοῦ σφυροῦ	The star on the front right hock	eta Sgr
26	ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀριστεροῦ μηροῦ	The star on the left thigh	kap1 + kap2 Sgr
27	ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὀπισθύου δεξιοῦ πήχεως.	The star on the right hind lower leg	iot Sgr
28	τῶν ἐν τῇ ἐκφύσει τῆς οὐρᾶς ὃ τῆς βορείου πλευρᾶς ὁ προηγούμερος	The four stars [forming a quadrilateral] in the place where the tail joins [the body]: the advance star on the northern side	omega Sgr
29	ὁ ἐπόμενος τῆς βορείου πλευρᾶς.	The four stars [forming a quadrilateral] in the place where the tail joins [the body]: the rear star on the northern side	60 Sgr
30	τῆς νοτίου πλευρᾶς ὁ προηγούμενος.	The four stars [forming a quadrilateral] in the place where the tail joins [the body]: the advance star on the southern side	59 Sgr
31	ὁ ἐπόμενος τῆς νοτίου πλευρᾶς	The four stars [forming a quadrilateral] in the place where the tail joins [the body]: the rear star on the southern side	62 Sgr
	ἀστέρες λα, ὧν β’ μεγέθους β, γ’ 3, δ’ θ, εη, σ’ β, νεφελοειδής	{31 stars, 2 of the second magnitude, 9 of the third, 9 of the fourth, 8 of the fifth, 2 of the sixth, [1] nebulous}

Convex Hull for the stars inside Toxotes (CC BY Youla Azkarrula).

Stars within the Constellation Area

id	Label	IAU design.	description	Vmag
1	Kaus Australis	HIP 90185	Constellation lines	1.81
2	Nunki	HIP 92855	Constellation lines	2.067
3	Ascella	HIP 93506	Constellation lines	2.59
4	Kaus Media	HIP 89931	Constellation lines	2.668
5	Kaus Borealis	HIP 90496	Constellation lines	2.81
6	Albaldah	HIP 94141	Constellation lines	2.88
7	Alnasl	HIP 88635	Constellation lines	2.99
8	η Sagittarii	HIP 89642	Constellation lines (Vertex)	3.11
9	ϕ Sagittarii	HIP 92041	Constellation lines	3.14
10	τ Sagittarii	HIP 93864	Constellation lines	3.31
11	ξ2 Sagittarii	HIP 93085	Inside the hull	3.51
12	NAME SDG	NAME SDG	Inside the hull	3.6
13	ο Sagittarii	HIP 93683	Inside the hull	3.77
14	Polis	HIP 89341	Constellation lines (Vertex)	3.85
15	ρ1 Sagittarii	HIP 95168	Constellation lines	3.93
16	Rukbat	HIP 95347	Constellation lines	3.943
17	Arkab Prior	HIP 95241	Inside the hull	4.01
18	Meridiana	HIP 94114	Inside the hull	4.087
19	β Coronae Australis	HIP 94160	Inside the hull	4.095
20	ι Sagittarii	HIP 98032	Constellation lines	4.13
21	γ1 Coronae Australis	HIP 93825	Inside the hull	4.21
22	Arkab Posterior	HIP 95294	Constellation lines (Vertex)	4.27
23	θ1 Sagittarii	HIP 98412	Constellation lines	4.37
24	59 Sgr	HIP 98162	Constellation lines	4.528
25	-	HIP 88839	Inside the hull	4.56
26	δ Coronae Australis	HIP 94005	Inside the hull	4.571
27	62 Sgr	HIP 98688	Constellation lines	4.58
28	52 Sgr	HIP 96465	Constellation lines	4.598
29	υ Sagittarii	HIP 95176	Constellation lines (Vertex)	4.61
30	-	HIP 89678	Inside the hull	4.627
31	γ1 Sagittarii	HIP 88567	Inside the hull	4.69
32	Terebellum	HIP 98066	Constellation lines	4.7
33	ζ Coronae Australis	HIP 93542	Inside the hull	4.725
34	-	HIP 98761	Constellation lines	4.764
35	Ainalrami	HIP 92761	Constellation lines	4.845
36	60 Sgr	HIP 98353	Constellation lines	4.846
37	ϵ Coronae Australis	HIP 93174	Inside the hull	4.85
38	ψ Sagittarii	HIP 94643	Constellation lines	4.86
39	21 Sgr	HIP 90289	Inside the hull	4.86
40	-	HIP 91918	Constellation lines	4.87
41	56 Sgr	HIP 97290	Inside the hull	4.873
42	43 Sgr	HIP 94820	Constellation lines	4.878
43	1 Sgr	HIP 89153	Inside the hull	4.98
44	ν2 Sagittarii	HIP 92845	Inside the hull	4.98
45	-	HIP 98842	Constellation lines	4.99
46	61 Sgr	HIP 98258	Constellation lines (Vertex)	4.998
47	χ1 Sagittarii	HIP 95477	Constellation lines	5.009
48	55 Sgr	HIP 96950	Constellation lines	5.045
49	ξ1 Sagittarii	HIP 93057	Constellation lines	5.054
50	λ Coronae Australis	HIP 91875	Inside the hull	5.111
51	M22	M22	Inside the hull	5.2
52	29 Sgr	HIP 92390	Inside the hull	5.21
53	μ Coronae Australis	HIP 92226	Inside the hull	5.217
54	77 G. Sgr	HIP 91014	Inside the hull	5.276
55	54 Sgr	HIP 96808	Inside the hull	5.296
56	θ2 Sagittarii	HIP 98421	Inside the hull	5.299
57	-	HIP 99461	Inside the hull	5.32
58	V3961 Sgr	HIP 97749	Inside the hull	5.33
59	V4050 Sgr	HIP 90074	Inside the hull	5.34
60	PZ 6AB	HIP 88060	Constellation lines (Vertex)	5.36
61	28 Sgr	HIP 92111	Inside the hull	5.366
62	V686 CrA	HIP 92989	Inside the hull	5.38
63	75 G. Sgr	HIP 90763	Inside the hull	5.386
64	χ3 Sagittarii	HIP 95503	Inside the hull	5.43
65	-	HIP 91989	Inside the hull	5.439
66	24 Sgr	HIP 91004	Inside the hull	5.461
67	14 Sgr	HIP 89369	Inside the hull	5.473
68	134 G. Sgr	HIP 93667	Constellation lines	5.482
69	193 G. Sgr	HIP 95865	Constellation lines	5.49
70	V4024 Sgr	HIP 93996	Inside the hull	5.49
71	228 G. Sgr	HIP 97260	Inside the hull	5.512
72	60 G. Sgr	HIP 90124	Inside the hull	5.518
73	50 Sgr	HIP 95564	Inside the hull	5.569
74	18 Sgr	HIP 90260	Inside the hull	5.574
75	162 G. Sgr	HIP 94986	Constellation lines	5.579
76	165 G. Sgr	HIP 95077	Inside the hull	5.579
77	κ1 Sagittarii	HIP 100469	Inside the hull	5.59
78	131 G. Sgr	HIP 93498	Constellation lines	5.628
79	κ2 Sagittarii	HIP 100591	Constellation lines (Vertex)	5.64
80	51 Sgr	HIP 96406	Inside the hull	5.64
81	209 G. Sgr	HIP 96496	Inside the hull	5.642
82	186 G. Sgr	HIP 95619	Constellation lines	5.644
83	37 G. Sgr	HIP 89020	Constellation lines	5.65
84	262 G. Sgr	HIP 98470	Inside the hull	5.66
85	33 Sgr	HIP 92747	Inside the hull	5.678
86	189 G. Sgr	HIP 95823	Inside the hull	5.701
87	V701 CrA	HIP 93552	Inside the hull	5.716
88	152 G. Sgr	HIP 94434	Inside the hull	5.765
89	84 G. Sgr	HIP 91405	Inside the hull	5.772
90	94 G. Sgr	HIP 91974	Inside the hull	5.811
91	ρ2 Sagittarii	HIP 95188	Inside the hull	5.845
92	-	HIP 94157	Inside the hull	5.855
93	-	HIP 91438	Inside the hull	5.86
94	57 Sgr	HIP 97783	Constellation lines	5.896
95	-	HIP 90485	Inside the hull	5.902
96	V4089 Sgr	HIP 96234	Inside the hull	5.91
97	180 G. Sgr	HIP 95456	Constellation lines	5.93
98	116 G. Sgr	HIP 92931	Inside the hull	5.93
99	83 G. Sgr	HIP 91347	Inside the hull	5.931
100	260 G. Sgr	HIP 98461	Inside the hull	5.948
101	218 G. Sgr	HIP 96760	Inside the hull	5.957
102	264 G. Sgr	HIP 98575	Inside the hull	5.999
103	132 G. Sgr	HIP 93537	Inside the hull	6
104	179 G. Sgr	HIP 95408	Inside the hull	6.011
105	140 G. Sgr	HIP 93925	Inside the hull	6.027
106	RS Sgr	HIP 89637	Inside the hull	6.03
107	233 G. Sgr	HIP 97515	Inside the hull	6.031
108	121 G. Sgr	HIP 93134	Constellation lines	6.08
109	258 G. Sgr	HIP 98485	Inside the hull	6.097
110	108 G. Sgr	HIP 92643	Inside the hull	6.098
111	148 G. Sgr	HIP 94144	Inside the hull	6.11
112	V4333 Sgr	HIP 96440	Inside the hull	6.12
113	197 G. Sgr	HIP 95965	Inside the hull	6.13
114	224 G. Sgr	HIP 97067	Inside the hull	6.131
115	178 G. Sgr	HIP 95396	Inside the hull	6.132
116	123 G. Sgr	HIP 93140	Inside the hull	6.141
117	62 G. Sgr	HIP 90290	Inside the hull	6.142
118	-	HIP 98077	Inside the hull	6.15
119	58 G. Sgr	HIP 90012	Inside the hull	6.154
120	38 G. Sgr	HIP 89086	Inside the hull	6.16
121	-	HIP 93858	Inside the hull	6.16
122	49 G. Sgr	HIP 89622	Inside the hull	6.168
123	280 G. Sgr	HIP 99570	Inside the hull	6.191
124	26 Sgr	HIP 91689	Inside the hull	6.205
125	-	HIP 93470	Inside the hull	6.209
126	V4200 Sgr	HIP 97944	Inside the hull	6.213
127	128 G. Sgr	HIP 93423	Inside the hull	6.215
128	[SC96] GC 607	[SC96] GC 607	Inside the hull	6.22
129	[SC96] Mis 1381	[SC96] Mis 1381	Inside the hull	6.22
130	Gumala	HIP 94645	Inside the hull	6.237
131	70 Sgr	HIP 89980	Inside the hull	6.25
132	-	HIP 94730	Inside the hull	6.25
133	V4199 Sgr	HIP 95159	Inside the hull	6.26
134	150 G. Sgr	HIP 94272	Inside the hull	6.272
135	69 G. Sgr	HIP 90510	Inside the hull	6.276
136	254 G. Sgr	HIP 98351	Inside the hull	6.28
137	-	HIP 93074	Inside the hull	6.284
138	109 G. Sgr	HIP 92635	Inside the hull	6.29
139	V4198 Sgr	HIP 93887	Inside the hull	6.293
140	64 G. Sgr	HIP 90336	Inside the hull	6.296
141	Cl Collinder 394	Cl Collinder 394	Inside the hull	6.3
142	143 G. Sgr	HIP 93993	Inside the hull	6.3
143	263 G. Sgr	HIP 98579	Inside the hull	6.306
144	90 G. Sgr	HIP 91901	Inside the hull	6.308
145	53 Sgr	HIP 96729	Inside the hull	6.321
146	96 G. Sgr	HIP 92016	Inside the hull	6.331
147	167 G. Sgr	HIP 95211	Inside the hull	6.338
148	-	HIP 94243	Inside the hull	6.344
149	V3879 Sgr	HIP 91781	Inside the hull	6.35
150	127 G. Sgr	HIP 93315	Inside the hull	6.356
151	133 G. Sgr	HIP 93543	Inside the hull	6.357
152	48 G. Sgr	HIP 89620	Inside the hull	6.36
153	80 G. Sgr	HIP 91172	Inside the hull	6.366
154	125 G. Sgr	HIP 93234	Inside the hull	6.378
155	151 G. Sgr	HIP 94372	Inside the hull	6.39
156	C 1806-240	C 1806-240	Inside the hull	6.4
157	-	HIP 93371	Inside the hull	6.4
158	V4434 Sgr	HIP 99920	Inside the hull	6.4
159	36 G. Sgr	HIP 89010	Inside the hull	6.405
160	V4405 Sgr	HIP 92079	Inside the hull	6.42
161	269 G. Sgr	HIP 98785	Inside the hull	6.428
162	-	HIP 94130	Inside the hull	6.435
163	[SC96] Mis 1401	[SC96] Mis 1401	Inside the hull	6.45
164	[SC96] GC 625	[SC96] GC 625	Inside the hull	6.45
165	115 G. Sgr	HIP 92972	Inside the hull	6.45
166	-	HIP 92866	Inside the hull	6.47
167	244 G. Sgr	HIP 98012	Inside the hull	6.47
168	-	HIP 96274	Inside the hull	6.475
169	166 G. Sgr	HIP 95149	Inside the hull	6.48
170	V4190 Sgr	HIP 91132	Inside the hull	6.481
171	M55	M55	Inside the hull	6.49
172	-	HIP 93209	Inside the hull	6.497
173	-	HIP 90576	Inside the hull	6.5
174	V* V4045 Sgr	HIP 89178	Constellation lines	6.52
175	-	HIP 94124	Constellation lines	6.533
176	-	HIP 92329	Constellation lines	6.69
177	-	HIP 92301	Inside the hull	6.7
178	-	HIP 96932	Constellation lines	6.88
179	-	HIP 93149	Constellation lines	7.2

Arabic star names in Sagittarius

Sagittarius with Arabic star names (CC BY Laffitte 2025).

Arabic lunar stations: mapped to the stars and with drawn images.

Star names reflect the cultural adoption and transformations. Roland Laffitte (2025) compiled the following list:

Arabic
Original	Transliteration	English	historical author	identification
Τοξότης > al-Rāmī, ‟the Archer”, (Ḥağğāğ, Isḥāq, Battānī, Ṣūfī, Bīrūnī) al-Qaws, ‟the Bow” < Arabian zodiac (Ḥağğāğ, Isḥāq, Battānī, Ṣūfī, Bīrūnī)
	Rukbat al-Rāmī	the [Right] Knee of the Archer	Uluġ Bēg	α Sgr
	ᶜUrqub al-Rāmī	the [Left] Tendon of the l’Archer	Battānī	β Sgr
	Zuğg Saham al-Rāmī	the Tip of the Arrow of the Archer	Battānī	γ Sgr
	al-Naṣl	the Tip [of the Arrow]	Miṣrī
	Maqbiḍ [Qaws] al-Rāmī	the Handle [of the Arc] of the A.	Marrākušī	δ Sgr
	Ibṭ al-Rāmī	the Armpit of the Archer	Marrākušī	ζ Sgr
	Kaᶜb al-Rāmī	the Ankle of the Archer	Marrākušī	η Sgr
	ᶜAyn al-Rāmī, ġamāmī	the Eye of the Archer, cloud	Battānī	ν1ν2 Sgr
	ᶜAyn al-Rāmī	the Eye of the Archer	Battānī	ν1ν2 Sgr
	ᶜIṣābat al-Rāmī	the Turban de l’Archer	Ét. Laffitte	ρ Sgr
	al-Mankib al-aysar	the Left Shoulder	Bīrūnī	σ Sgr
	Mankib al-Rāmī	the shoulder of the Archer	Miṣrī
	Aṣl Ḏanab al-Rāmī	the Beginning of the End of the A.	Battānī	ω Sgr
A05. Stations XX et XXI : al-Nacā’im & al-Balda, « the Ostriches » & « the Unhabitated Place »
	al-Balda	the [Unhabitated] Place	Mālik	St. XXI : π Sgr
	al-Naᶜā’im	the Ostriches	Qutayba, Farġānī, Mālik	St. XX : γδεν +σφτζ Sgr
	al-Naᶜā’im al-Wārida	the Ostriches coming down to drink	Farġānī	γδεη Sgr
	al-Naᶜām al-Wārid	the Ostriches coming down to drink	Qutayba
	al-Naᶜā’im	the Ostriches coming back from drinking	Farġānī	σφτζ Sgr
	al-Naᶜām al-Ṣādir	the Ostriches coming back from drinking	Qutayba	σφτζ Sgr
	min Naᶜā’im al-Ṣādira	From the Ostriches coming back from drinking	Marrākusī
	al-Waṣl	the Link	Ḥanīfa	λ Sgr
	al-Rāᶜī	the Shepherd	Marrākusī
	Rāᶜī ’l-Naᶜā’im	the Shepherd of the Ostriches	Tīzīnī
	al-Udḥī	the Nest	Qutayba	ξ2οπdρ  Sgr
	Udḥī ’l-Naᶜām	the Nest of the Ostriches	Ṣūfī	Corona Australis
	al-Ẓalīmān	the Two Male Ostriches	Qutayba,Ṣūfī	λμ Sgr (Sufi: ιλ Aql)
	al-Ẓalīmān al-Ṣaġīrān	the Two Little Male Ostriches	Fāris
	al-Ẓalīmān al-Ṣiġār	the Little Male Ostriches	Mammātī
Other Names
	al-Qilāda	the Necklace	Qutayba	ξ2οπdρυ Sgr
	al-Qalā’iṣ	the Young She Camels	Qutayba
	al-QawsL	the Bow	Qutayba
	al- Udḥī	the Nest	Qutayba
	Nayyir al-Qilāda	the Bright One of the Necklace	Tīzīnī	π Sgr
	Āḫar al-Qilādathe	the Last One of the Young She Camels	Ast Oner	υ Sgr
	al-Nayyir min al-Qalā’iṣ	the Bright One of the Young She Camels	Marrākusī	π Sgr
	Aḫar al-Qalā’iṣ	the Last ne of the Young She Camels	Marrākusī	υ Sgr
	al-Miḥrāb	the Mihrab	Ḏ. hay.
	al-Saraṭān	the Crab	Ḏ. hay.

Mediaeval & Renaissance Source

Alfonsine Tables (1483)

In 1483 the printer Erhard Ratdolt, working in Venice, published Tabulae Alphonsinae or the Alphonsine Tables, a compilation of astronomical data tabulating the positions and movements of the planets. A reprint of the Alfonsine Tables (1521) had ...

Sagittarius in Dürer (1515).

Dürer (1515)

The pair of celestial maps created by Albrecht Dürer in 1515, one showing the Northern Hemisphere sky and the other the Southern Hemisphere sky, are generally regarded as the first printed star charts published in Europe. Dürer labels the constellation Sagittarius.

Early Modern Source (after 1550)

Schickard wrote it .

Bayer (1603)

In his Uranometria, Bayer gives all the name alternatives mentioned above:

• ...
• ...

Rudolphine Tables (1627)

The Tabulae Rudolphinae were ordered and dedicated to Emperor Rudolph II of the Holy Roman Empire. The main purpose was to allow the computation of the positions of the five classically known planets, but the tables also consist of a star catalogue. They were published by Johannes Kepler (1627), including earlier work and observational data by Tycho Brahe. The original Latin title is "Tabulæ Rudolphinæ, Quibus Astronomicæ Scientiæ, Temporum longinquitate collapsæ Restauratio continetur".

An alternative name for Sagittarius is given:

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

• 
  Pabilsag in the zodiac sign of Sagittarius on Mesopotamian seal print, Wallenfels (1993).
• 
• 
  Kugel Globe (1st c. BCE): Sgr, CrA and Sco
• 
  Sagittarius in Hevelius (1690)
• 
  Sagittarius in Flamsteed (1776).
• 
  Bode (1805) Sagittarius and Sobieski's Shield
• 
  Sgr in Jamieson (1822)
• 
  Sagittarius in Sidney Hall (1825) Urania's Mirror.
• 
  (1952) H.A. Rey's stick figure of Sagittarius
• 
  (1988) O. Hlad's stick figure of Sagittarius
• 
  Reconstruction of Stickfigure based on the depiction of Almagest (100-170 CE). CC-BY Susanne Hoffmann in Stellarium.
• 
  Image of the Farnese Globe (2nd century CE) taken by Susanne Hoffmann and imported into Stellarium.

Images from the Saxl Project

Classical Image

• 
  Egyptian Zodiac tomb, Anthribis cf. Flinders Petrie, Anthribis, 1908, pl. xxxviii
• 
  Egyptian Zodiac tomb, Denderah
• 
  Egyptian Sagittarius Esna
• 
  Egyptian Denderah ceiling Paris, Louvre
• 
  Egyptian Denderah ceiling Paris, Louvre
• 
  Greek (for depictions of centaurs on ceramics, see ‘Centaurus’ pages) Coin of King Prusias II Kynegos (182-49 BC) with Dionysus on obv and Lyre-playing centaur on rev. cf: coinarchives.com
• 
  Greek (Pan/satyr with bow and arrow) Old satyr with bow and arrow Coin from Pantikapaeum, Bosphorus c. 325-310 BC cf: www.nobleromancoins.com
• 
  Greek (Pan/satyr with bow and arrow) Young satyr with bow and arrow Coin from Pantikapaeum, c. 325-310 BC cf: www.vcoins.com
• 
  Greek (Pan/satyr with bow and arrow) Young satyr with bow and arrow Coin from Pantikapaeum, c. 314-310 BC cf. www.kwintocoins.com
• 
  Roman Orpheus mosaic with centaur and music making satyr late Roman, 6th C AD Jerusalem cf: Grabar 1996, III, p. 113
• 
  Roman Bronze Cheiron c. 200 AD cf. www.sadigh.weebley.com

Classical Globes

• 
  Naples, Farnese Atlas © Petr Hadrava n.b. – facing away, walks to left, bow drawn
• 
  Naples, Farnese Atlas © Petr Hadrava n.b. – facing away, walks to left, bow drawn
• 
  Bentley’s Manilius
• 
  Paris, Kugel Globe n.b. – facing away, leaps to left, bow drawn, CrA on front hoof
• 
  Mainz globe n.b. – facing away, walks to left, one leg raised, bow drawn
• 
  (drawing © Kunzl)

Germanicus mss

• 
  Leiden, Univbibl Voss lat 4° 79 n.b. – leaps to right, drawn bow, leopard skin on shoulder
• 
  planetary schema with zodiac
• 
  Boulogne-sur-Mer, Bibl. Mun. Ms 188 same
• 
  planisphere same
• 
  vs. planet schema
• 
  Bern, Burgerbibl, Ms 88 same
• 
  planisphere
• 
  Basle, OBU Ms AN. IV. 18 n.b. – leaps to right, bow drawn, lion skin on shoulder
• 
  vs. planisphere n.b. – reversed
• 
  Aberystwyth, NLW Ms 735 C: missing from manuscript
• 
  vs. planisphere n.b. – to left, two-legged
• 
  vs. schema to left
• 
  vs. winter hemisphere to left
• 
  vs. zodiac to left, two-legged
• 
  Madrid, Bib nac Ms 19 (16) n.b. – leaps to left, bow drawn, lion skin on shoulder, horns
• 
  Cologny, Bib Bodmer Cod lat 7 similar: leafy waistband, pink shirt, no horns
• 
  NY, Pierpont Morgan Libr Ms M 389 same
• 
  Vatican, BAV Barb lat 76 same
• 
  London BL Egerton 1050 n.b. – runs to left, leafy band at waist, bow drawn, cape on shoulders, arrow between feet
• 
  London BL Add 15819 similar, but lion’s skin
• 
  Naples, Bib naz XIV D 37 same
• 
  Madrid Bib Nac Ms 8282 same
• 
  Vatican, BAV Barb lat 77 same
• 
  Vienna, Schottenstift Ms 51 same
• 
  Vatican,BAV Urb lat 1358 same, with hood
• 
  Florence, Bibl Laurenziana Plut 89 sup 43 same
• 
  Montpellier Ms H 452 n.b. – helmetted soldier standing to left, bow drawn

Ps-Erathosthenes

• 
  Vatican BAV, Vat grec 1087 n.b. – as a satyr standing to the left, bow drawn, cape on shoulder
• 
  Planisphere as a centaur, running to left, bow drawn, cape on shoulders
• 
  winter hemisphere satyr to left
• 
  zodiac rota centaur to left

Cicero

• 
  London, BL Harley 647 n.b. – walks to left, front leg raised, holds bow, cape on shoulder
• 
  London, BL Harley 647 – planisphere n.b – runs to right
• 
  London, BL Harley 2506 n.b. – as satyr, walks to left and shoots bow to right, wings on head
• 
  London, BL Cotton ms Tib B.V., pars 1 n.b. – centaur, walks to left with front leg raised, bow drawn, shirt, cape at shoulder
• 
  London, BL Cotton Ms Tib C. 1 same
• 
  Gottweig, Stiftsbibl Ms 7 similar, bow missing

Revised Aratus Latinus

• 
  Dresden, Landesbibl. Ms D C 183 n.b. – centaur runs to left, bow drawn, cape at shoulder, horns
• 
  Dresden – winter hemisphere n.b. – man with bow, standing to left
• 
  Dresden – zodiac rota n.b. – centaur to left
• 
  Paris BN Lat 12957 n.b. – similar, face on cloak
• 
  Paris – winter hemisphere n.b. – man with bow
• 
  rota centaur to left
• 
  Prague, Univbibl Ms IX. C. 6 (1717) n.b. – same
• 
  Prague – winter hemisphere: missing from mss
• 
  St Gallen, Stiftsbibl Ms 902 n.b. – centaur walks to left, front leg raised, bow drawn, cape, horns
• 
  winter hemisphere satyr to left
• 
  zodiac rota man with horns to right
• 
  St Gallen, Stiftsbibl Ms 250 same
• 
  winter hemisphere satyr to left
• 
  zodiac rota man with horns to right
• 
  Gottweig, Stiftsbibl. Ms 7 (146) : missing from manuscript
• 
  hemisphere: missing from manuscript
• 
  Siena, Bib com Ms L. IV. 25 : missing from manuscript
• 
  hemisphere: missing from manuscript
• 
  Paris BN n.a. 1614: missing from manuscript
• 
  winter hemisphere n.b. – satyr to left
• 
  Munich, Staatsbibl. Clm 560 n.b. – satyr shotting arrow to right
• 
  winter hemisphere: image missing from manuscript
• 
  Vatican, BAV Reg lat 1324 n.b. – two-legged centaur shoots to right
• 
  winter hemisphere n.b. – two-legged centaur to left
• 
  Cologne, Dombibliothek Ms 83.11 n.b. – pencil lines, centaur lunging to right, arms as if pulling bowstring

ps-Bede, De signis caeli

• 
  Oxford, Bodleian Laud misc 644 n.b. – leaps to left, back to viewer, bow drawn, hairy waist, horns
• 
  Padua, Bibl Antoniona Ms Anton 27 similar, no horns
• 
  Venice, Bib Marciana Ms VIII, 22 n.b. – wearing shirt, no horns
• 
  Paris BN lat. 14754 n.b. – leaps to left, hairy waist, flamelike hair
• 
  Dijon Bib mun, Ms 488 constellations n.b. -- leaps to left, bow drawn
• 
  zodiac series n.b. – leaps to left, bow drawn, band at waist, arrow beneath feet
• 
  zodiac rota satyr stands to right, bow drawn, horns
• 
  Paris, BN Lat 5543 n.b. – leaps to left, bow drawn, band at waist, animal skin at shoulder, arrow beneath
• 
  Paris, BN Lat 5239 same
• 
  Klosterneuburg, Stiftskirche, Ms 685 n.b. – leaps to left, bow drawn, lacy band at waist, scarf at shoulder, arrow below
• 
  zodiac rota centaur to right
• 
  Vatican, BAV Vat lat 643 similar, with band at horse-waist
• 
  zodiac rota similar
• 
  Zwettl, Stiftskirche Ms 296 closer to Klosterneuburg
• 
  zodiac rota similar
• 
  Laon Bib mun, Ms 422 n.b. – centaur to right, drawn bow
• 
  Rouen, Bibl mun, 26: missing from manuscript
• 
  Amiens Bibl mun, Ms 222 n.b. – centaur leaps to the right
• 
  Durham, Cathedral Libr Hunter 100 n.b. – centaur leaps to right, bow drawn, cloak, Phrygian cap
• 
  Sagittarius on calendar page centaur leaps to left, arrow shot, cloak
• 
  Freiburg-im-Bresgau Ms 35 n.b. – satyr shoots arrow to right
• 
  Montecassino, Badia, Ms 3 n.b. – centaur leaps to left, bow drawn, cloak, Phrygian cap
• 
  Montecassino, Badia, Ms 3 rota – centaur leaps to left, bow drawn

De ordine ac positione

• 
  Berlin, Staatsbibl Ms lat 130 (Phill 1832) n.b.– satyr moves to right, bow drawn
• 
  Berlin planisphere n.b. – centaur leaps to left, back to viewer, bow drawn
• 
  inverted color Berlin planisphere n.b. – centaur leaps to left, back to viewer, bow drawn
• 
  Monza, Bib capit Ms F. 9/176 (246) satyr stands to right, bow drawn
• 
  winter hemisphere man stands, bow drawn to left
• 
  Madrid, Bib Nac Ms 3307 n.b. – satyr steps to right, bow drawn
• 
  Vatican BAV, Vat lat 645 same
• 
  Munich, Staatsbibl. Ms clm 210 n.b. – centaur leaps to right, bow drawn
• 
  planisphere centaur leaps to right, bow drawn
• 
  Vienna, ONB Vindob 387 same
• 
  rota
• 
  Austin TX, Harry Ransom, Univ of Texas, Ms 29 n.b. – centaur leaps to right, bow drawn
• 
  St Petersburg, Nat Libr Ms Q v IX, no 2 n.b. – similar
• 
  Paris BN lat n.a. 1614 bow drawn, cape, horns
• 
  winter hemisphere man/satyr, shoots to left
• 
  Paris BN lat 12117 n.b.– centaur leaps to right, bow drawn, spiky hair
• 
  Vatican BAV, Reg lat 309 n.b. – similar
• 
  Los Angeles, Getty Mus Ludwig XII, 5: missing in manuscript
• 
  Paris BN, lat 8663 n.b. – satyr stands to right, bow drawn
• 
  Vienna, ONB Vindob 12600 n.b. – satyr steps to right, bow drawn
• 
  Reykjavik Ms 1812 n.b. – centaur leaps to left, furry belt, bow drawn, CrA behind ?

Hyginus

• 
  S Paul im Lavantthal Ms 16/1 (XXV. 4. 20: missing from manuscript
• 
  Florence, Bibl Laurenziana Ms Plut 29.30 n.b. – satyr, back to viewer, stands to left, bow drawn
• 
  Leiden, Univ-blbl Voss 8°18 similar
• 
  Wolfenbüttel, Herz Aug Ms 18. 16. Aug 4° n.b. – satyr, back to viewer, shoots bow to left, cap
• 
  London BL Arundel 339 same
• 
  Vienna ONB Vindob 51 n.b. – satyr, back to viewer, shoots bow to left, long hair and beard
• 
  Leiden Univ-bibl Voss lat 4° 92 n.b. – centaur leaps to left, bow drawn, lacy belt
• 
  Leiden Univ-bibl Voss lat 8° 15 n.b. – centaur leaps to left, bands at human and horse waists, bow drawn, animal skin on shoulder
• 
  Vatican BAV Reg lat 123 n.b. – same
• 
  planisphere n.b.. – centaur leaps to right, bow drawn
• 
  Oxford, Bodleian Libr Bodley 614 n.b. – centaur leaps to left, bow drawn, wears shirt, cape on shoulders
• 
  Oxford, Bodleian Libr Digby 83 (SC 1684) n.b. – same
• 
  Baltimore, Walters Art Gallery Ms 734 n.b. – satyr, walks to right, bow drawn
• 
  Berlin, Staatsbibl. Ms 8° 44 (Rose 962) n.b. – centaur leaps to right, bow drawn, wavy waistband, shirt, pointed cap
• 
  Lyon, Bib mun, Pal des Arts 45
• 
  Lyon, Bib mun Ms 172 similar, bare chest and turban
• 
  Munich, Staatsbibl Germ 595 walks, curl in hat
• 
  Munich, Staatsbibl Clm 59 similar, but reversed
• 
  Vatican BAV Pal.lat. like Munich 595
• 
  Vatican BAV Pal.lat. 1389 same
• 
  Wolfenbüttel Herz Aug Guelf 81 24 Aug 2 Sagittarius or Centaurus?
• 
  London BL, Roy Ms 13. A. XI n.b. – centaur leaps to right, belt at waist, bow drawn, long hair
• 
  Munich, Staatsbibl. Clm 10270 n.b. – satyr, back to viewer, runs to the left, bow drawn, Phrygian cap
• 
  Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Mus Ms 260 n.b. – centaur leaps to right, band at waist, bow drawn
• 
  Florence, BN Magl XI. 141 same
• 
  Milan Bibl Ambrosiana T 47 sup Same, with CrA
• 
  Oxford Bodleian Libr can class lat 179 Same, with CrA
• 
  Siena Bib com Ms L VI 25 Same, with CrA
• 
  Vatican BAV Vat lat 3109 similar, no stars
• 
  Vatican BAV Vat lat 3109 similar, with stars
• 
  Verona, Bibl capitolare Ms CCLXI similar
• 
  Oxford Bodleian Library can misc 46 n.b. – similar
• 
  Milan Bibl Tribulziana N 690 E 83 similar, with stars and CrA
• 
  Vatican BAV Vat lat 3110 similar, with CrA
• 
  Florence, BNC Magl XI. 114,1: missing from manuscript
• 
  Florence Bibl Laurenziana Ashburnam 1148 n.b. – similar, with shirt
• 
  Pavia Bibl Univ Aldini 490 similar, with CrA
• 
  Vatican BAV Urb lat 1358 similar, with CrA
• 
  NY Public Libraru Spencer Ms 28 leaps to left, back to viewer, with CrA
• 
  Freiberg Andreas Moeller Bibl Cl XI 40 9 same
• 
  Florence Bib Laurenziana Plut 89 sup 43n.b. – leaps to left, lion skin, horns, CrA
• 
  Vatican, BAV Chigi H. IV. 20
• 
  Cortona, Lib del Comune Ms 184 (256) n.b. – leaps to right, shirt, bow drawn, fillet in hair; cf: Domenico Bandini
• 
  Cambrai, Bibl Mun. Ms 933 (832) n.b. – leaps to left, turns to shoot arrow to right
• 
  Cambridge, Trinity College Ms R 15 32: missing from manuscript
• 
  Leiden, Univ.-bibl. Gronovius 21: missing from manuscript
• 
  Venice Ratdolt 1482 cf Michael Scot = leaps to left, shirt, bow drawn, band at waist, lion skin at shoulder, horns, arrow and CrA at feet
• 
  Vienna ÖNB Vindob 3111 similar

Lambertus, Liber Floridus

• 
  Hague Ms 72.A.83 n.b. – centaur leaps to the right, bow drawn
• 
  Hague Ms 128 C same
• 
  Paris, BN Lat 8865 similar, with shirt
• 
  Chantilly, Petit Château Ms 724 (1596) n.b. – centaur leaps to right, with bow drawn, shirt and hat
• 
  Leiden, Univ-bibl Ms 1° 31
• 
  Ghent Ms 92 similar, without hat
• 
  Wolfenbüttel, WDB, Ms Gud lat 1 similar, no shirt

Domenico d’Arezzo

• 
  Vatican BAV Val Lat 3121 n.b. – centaur leaps to right, shirt, bow drawn
• 
  Madrid, BN Ms 1983 similar, band at waist, fillet around head with fluttering ends
• 
  Fermo, Bibl. Com. Ms 4 n.b. – similar, tendrilled band at waist, fillet around head with fluttering ends
• 
  Florence, Bibl. Laurenziana Aedil 170 n.b. – walking, reversed, turban with fluttering ends
• 
  London, Lambeth Palace Ms 35 n.b. – centaur leaps to right, tendrils from waist, back and sleeve, draws bow

Matteo Palmieri, Città di Virtù

• 
  Florence, Bibl Laurenziana Plut 40 53 n.b. – leaps to right, furry belt, draws bow
• 
  detail from planisphere detail from planisphere leaps to left, bow drawn

Eastern Globes

• 
  Florence,Mus delle Scienze, no. 2712 dated 1025 AD n.b. – human, seated to left, holding arrow/spear,odd fish-tail coming out of head (fillet?)
• 
  Paris globe GA 325 n.b. – same
• 
  Smithsonian Mus, no 72-3085 cf: Savage-Smith 1985 n.b. – centaur leaps to left, front leg extended, draws bow, turban with fluttering ends
• 
  BM – Malcolm globe n.b. – same

non-Latin Eastern mss

• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Doha, Mus of Islamic Art Ms 2. 1998. SO (= Sotheby’s 1998, lot 34) Dated April 1125 AD; Baghdād n.b. – leg extended, drawn bow, turban with fluttering ends
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Doha, Mus of Islamic Art Ms 2. 1998. SO (= Sotheby’s 1998, lot 34) Dated April 1125 AD; Baghdād n.b. – leg extended, drawn bow, turban with fluttering ends
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Istanbul, Süleymaniye Libr Ms Fatih Kütüphanesi 3422 1125/26 AD; Mārdin similar
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Istanbul, Süleymaniye Libr Ms Fatih Kütüphanesi 3422 1125/26 AD; Mārdin similar
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Istanbul, Topkapī Sarayī Ahmet II 3493 1130-31 AD, Mayyafariqin, SE Turkey n.b. – similar
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Istanbul, Topkapī Sarayī Ahmet II 3493 1130-31 AD, Mayyafariqin, SE Turkey n.b. – similar
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Oxford, Bodleian Library Huntington Ms 212 1170/71 AD; Mosul n.b. – similar
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Oxford, Bodleian Library Huntington Ms 212 1170/71 AD; Mosul n.b. – similar
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Oxford, Bodleian Libr Ms Marsh 144 dated 1009-1010 AD / probl. end 12th C; Shiraz (?), Iran or Egypt (?) n.b. – similar
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Oxford, Bodleian Libr Ms Marsh 144 dated 1009-1010 AD / probl. end 12th C; Shiraz (?), Iran or Egypt (?) n.b. – similar
• 
  Berlin, Staatsbibl. Ms qu or 704 c. 1203: missing from manuscript
• 
  Berlin, Staatsbibl. Ms qu or 704 c. 1203: missing from manuscript
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Vatican, BAV Ross 1033 1224 AD, Ceuta (?) N Africa n.b. – similar
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Berlin, Staatsbibl. Landberg 71 Aug/Sept 1233; Mosul n.b. – similar
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Berlin, Staatsbibl. Landberg 71 Aug/Sept 1233; Mosul n.b. – similar
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Istanbul, Suleymanie Libr Ayasofia 2595 1249-50 AD; Alamut (?) Iran
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Istanbul, Suleymanie Libr Ayasofia 2595 1249-50 AD; Alamut (?) Iran
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Paris BN Arabe 2488 mid-13th C, Ceuta (?) N Africa n.b. – similar
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Paris BN Arabe 2488 mid-13th C, Ceuta (?) N Africa n.b. – similar
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Paris BN Arabe 2489 1266-67 AD; Syria? n.b. – similar
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Paris BN Arabe 2489 1266-67 AD; Syria? n.b. – similar
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) London BL Or 5323 1260-80; Maragha (?), NW Iran n.b. – similar, but leg not extended
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) London BL Or 5323 1260-80; Maragha (?), NW Iran n.b. – similar, but leg not extended
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Cairo, National Libr Ms Dar al-Kutub miqãt 390 1300 AD
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Oxford, Bodleian Libr Pococke 257 1303/04; Aleppo
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Escorial Ms 915 20 March 1364 AD
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) NY, Metropolitan Mus Ms 13.160-10 (Rogers Fund 1913) c. 1400, Samarkand n.b. – leaps
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) NY, Metropolitan Mus Ms 13.160-10 (Rogers Fund 1913) c. 1400, Samarkand n.b. – leaps
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Paris BN Ms arabe 5036 c. 1430-40, Samarkand n.b. – similar, front leg raised
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Paris BN Ms arabe 5036 c. 1430-40, Samarkand n.b. – similar, front leg raised
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Bologna, Bibl. Univ Ms 2953 8 Oct 1500 AD
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Dublin, Chester Beatty Libr Ms Ar 4119 1504/05 AD
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Paris BN Arabe 2490 1516/17 AD n.b. – similar, foreleg raised
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Paris BN Arabe 2490 1516/17 AD n.b. – similar, foreleg raised
• 
  Dublin, Chester Beatty Libr Ms Ar 4222 16th C; Iran
• 
  London BL Add ms 7488 16th C
• 
  Istanbul, Perter Pasa Libr Ms 375 16th C
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Copenhagen, Kong. Bibl. Ms arabe 83 25 May 1602 AD; Medina; copied from copy dated 1013/14 AD believed to be al-Sufi’s own copy 89 n.b. – similar, foreleg raised
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Copenhagen, Kong. Bibl. Ms arabe 83 25 May 1602 AD; Medina; copied from copy dated 1013/14 AD believed to be al-Sufi’s own copy 89 n.b. – similar, foreleg raised
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) St Petersburg, Inst Or Studs Ms n.s. 191 16th C; Istanbul ? n.b. – similar, leg extended
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Princeton, Univ Libr Ms Garrett 2259 Yehuda al-Sufi, dated 3 Jan 1607 n.b. – same
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Paris BN Arabe 6528 India, 1643-44 n.b. – similar, foreleg raised, no arrow
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Paris BN Arabe 6528 India, 1643-44 n.b. – similar, foreleg raised, no arrow
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) leaps, furry band at waist
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) leaps, furry band at waist
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Paris BN Arabe 2491 1770 AD n.b. – similar, foreleg raised
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Paris BN Arabe 2491 1770 AD n.b. – similar, foreleg raised
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Paris BN Arabe 2492 18th C n.b. – similar
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Paris BN Arabe 2492 18th C n.b. – similar
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) New York, Met Museum of Art Ms 1975.192.2 attr. Iran (?), 18th C n.b. – leaps, wings at join between bodies, halo, one with fillet and one with crown
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) New York, Met Museum of Art Ms 1975.192.2 attr. Iran (?), 18th C n.b. – leaps, wings at join between bodies, halo, one with fillet and one with crown
• 
  al-Sufi translations, etc al-Sufi, at-Tusi transl???
• 
  al-Sufi translations, etc Tehran, Riza ‘Abbasi Libr Ms M. 570 Ibn-al-Sufi (son) 1159-60 AD
• 
  Qazwini St Petersburg, Ms E (?) Qazwini
• 
  (Qazwini) Baltimore, Walters Art Gall Ms W 359 Qazwini n.b. – with leopard’s body, walks to right, turns to shoot at dragon’s head on tail, crown
• 
  (al-Sufi, Kitāb suwar al-kawākib al-ṯābita) Paris BN Arabe 2178 1762-63 AD – n.b. – similar, but with cow’s body and a snake across its back
• 
  Qazwini Washington DC, Freer Ms 1954 -52 (ex-Sarre) Qazwini n.b. – centaur leaps to right, crown and fluttering scarf, elaborate tail that ends in a dragon head

Andalò da Negro, Introductorius ad iudicia astrologie

• 
  London, British Library Add MS 23770 n.b. – runs to left with bow drawn, right foreleg extended, human half in loose shirt and wearing turban with fluttering ends
• 
  Paris, BN lat 7272 n.b. – leaps to the left, but turns body to shoot to the right over his flank, bow drawn, loose shirt with cape, hair tied with fillet with fluttering ends

Alfonsine

• 
  Iconography El Escorial Ms h 115 n.b. – leaps to left, bow drawn, fillet
• 
  Iconography El Escorial Ms h 115 n.b. – leaps to left, bow drawn, fillet
• 
  Iconography El Escorial Ms h 115 n.b. – leaps to left, bow drawn, fillet
• 
  Iconography El Escorial Ms h 115 n.b. – leaps to left, bow drawn, fillet and 14 more
• 
  Iconography Vatican BAV Reg lat 1283a: missing from manuscript
• 
  Iconography Vatican BAV Vat lat 8174: missing from manuscript
• 
  Iconography Los Angeles, Getty Mus Ms Ludwig XII, 7 Constellatio sagittarii in arabico habet 2o nomina afrany ascavus
• 
  Iconography Oxford, Bodleian Library Can. misc. 27 (zodiac only) n.b. – centaur leaps to left, bow drawn, turban/fillet
• 
  Stellar Tables Oxford, Bodleian Libr Rawl C 117 n.b. – centaur leaps to left, bow drawn, hat Stellatio sagittarii et est arcus
• 
  Stellar Tables Oxford, Bodleian Libr Rawl C 117 n.b. – centaur leaps to left, bow drawn, hat Stellatio sagittarii et est arcus
• 
  Stellar Tables Vatican, BAV Urb lat 1399 n.b – same, with tail raised
• 
  Stellar Tables Oxford, Bodleian Library Can misc 554 n.B – similar, but reversed
• 
  Stellar Tables Bergamo, Bibl A Mai Ms Σ II 2 n.b. – similar, leaps to right, hat
• 
  Stellar Tables Vatican, BAV Vat lat 3099 reversed
• 
  Stellar Tables New York, Morgan Pierpont Library Ms 355 (zodiac only) n.b. – leaps to left, wavy band, tail vertical, hat

Ptolemaic

• 
  stellar tables / picture books Brussels, Bib Roy Ms 10117-26 n.b. – leaps to right, but turns to shoot arrow over his back, shirt, turban
• 
  stellar tables / picture books Vatican BAV Pal lat 1368 n.b. – walks to left, foreleg raised, bow drawn, shirt, turban
• 
  stellar tables Vatican BAV Pal lat 1377 n.b. – walks to right, foreleg raised, turns to shoot over back, shirt, turban
• 
  stellar tables Torun Ms 35 n.b. – walks to right, bow drawn, tail raised, shirt, wings on ears
• 
  stellar tables Augsburg, Univ-bibl. Cod II 1.2o 110 n.b. – leaps to right, tail raised, shirt, bow drawn, horns/wings on head
• 
  picture books Cambridge MA Houghton, Typ 43 n.b. – centaur walks to left, leafy horse’s chest, bow drawn, shirt
• 
  picture books Basle, Univ-Bib Ms F. II. 33 n.b. – walks to left, foreleg extended, bow drawn, shirt, blindfolded by fillet, prominent CrA
• 
  picture books Florence, BNC, Ms Angeli 1147: missing from manuscript
• 
  stellar tables Vienna ONB Vienna 5415 n.b. – centaur leaps to right, bow drawn, fillet with fluttering ends Stellatio sagittarii et est arcitenens, chyron, alcion cretensis
• 
  stellar tables Vienna ONB 5415 northern hemisphere reversed

Abraham ibn Ezra, Principium sapientiae

• 
  Munich, BSB Clm 826 n.b. – walks to the right; left leg raised, bow drawn (see also Sufi latinus II for those pictures)

Hebrew Stellar Tables

• 
  Phildelphia, U Penn Ms LJS 57 n.b. – centaur leaps to right, bow drawn, fillet
• 
  northern hemisphere
• 
  Vienna, ONB Hebrew 132: missing from manuscript

Seneca, Tragedies (comm. Nicolas Trevet)

• 
  Padua, Univ . Bibl. Cod 896
• 
  Vatican BAV Urb lat 355 n.b. – centaur walks to right, bow held in one hand, leafy band at waist, hat with odd key shaped extension
• 
  Vatican BAV Vat lat 1650 n.b. – same

Fenduli Abridgement

• 
  Paris BN Lat 7330
• 
  Paris BN Lat 7330 Jupiter – domus
• 
  Paris BN Lat 7330 no exaltation
• 
  Paris BN Lat 7330 Mercury – detriment
• 
  Paris BN Lat 7330 no fall
• 
  Paris BN Lat 7331
• 
  Paris BN Lat 7331 Venus – domus
• 
  Paris BN Lat 7331 no exaltation
• 
  Paris BN Lat 7331 Mercury – detriment
• 
  Paris BN Lat 7331 no fall
• 
  London BL Sloane 3983: missing from manuscript
• 
  London BL Sloane 3983 Jupiter – domus
• 
  London BL Sloane 3983 no exaltation
• 
  London BL Sloane 3983 Mercury – detriment
• 
  London BL Sloane 3983 no fall
• 
  NY Pierpont Mirgan Libr M 785
• 
  NY Pierpont Mirgan Libr M 785 Jupiter – domus
• 
  NY Pierpont Mirgan Libr M 785 no exaltation
• 
  NY Pierpont Mirgan Libr M 785 Mercury – detriment
• 
  NY Pierpont Mirgan Libr M 785 no fall
• 
  Paris BN Smith-Lesouëf 8 15th C
• 
  Paris BN Smith-Lesouëf 8 15th C Jupiter – domus
• 
  Paris BN Smith-Lesouëf 8 15th C no exaltation
• 
  Paris BN Smith-Lesouëf 8 15th C Mercury – detriment
• 
  Paris BN Smith-Lesouëf 8 15th C no fall

Miscellaneous images

• 
  Bernkastel-Kues St Nicholas-Hospital Ms 212 (hemispheres) n.b. – leaps to left, bow drawn, shirt
• 
  Darmstadt, , Univ- and Landesbibl. Ms 1020 northern hemisphere n.b. – leaps to right, bow drawn, hat
• 
  Cusanus globe n.b. – leaps to left, bow drawn, cape on shoulder, foreleg raised, prominent CrA © Petr Hadrava
• 
  Mantle of Henry II Regensburg c 1020 Bamberg, Domschatz n.b – leaps to left, bow drawn cf. RAL mss; O’Connor 1980
• 
  Mantle of Henry II Regensburg c 1020 Bamberg, Domschatz n.b – leaps to left, bow drawn cf. RAL mss; O’Connor 1980 inverted color
• 
  winter hemipshere as man/satryr
• 
  inverted color winter hemipshere as man/satryr
• 
  Centaurs and satryrs Vatican, St Peter’s throne
• 
  Centaurs and satryrs Vatican, St Peter’s throne
• 
  Centaurs and satryrs Vatican, St Peter’s throne
• 
  Centaurs and satryrs Vatican, St Peter’s throne
• 
  Centaurs and satryrs Vatican, St Peter’s throne
• 
  Centaurs and satryrs Vatican, St Peter’s throne
• 
  Centaurs and satryrs Vatican, St Peter’s throne
• 
  Centaurs and satryrs Vatican, St Peter’s throne
• 
  Sagittarius and Capricorn Italian, 8-9th C Paris, Ms. De Cluny (CL 391)
• 
  Sagittarius as horned satyr Reichenau, ea. 11th C Munich, BSB, clm 4454
• 
  Vatican, BAV, , Vat gr. 1291, fol. 23v
• 
  Ivory casket Quedlinburg, treasury n.b. – as satyr, bow drawn
• 
  Sagittarius and Capricorn Ivory comb from Metz, c. 875 London, V&A n.b. – as satyr, bow drawn Cf Weitzmann, St Peter’s Throne
• 
  Sagittarius and Capricorn Ivory comb from Metz, c. 875 London, V&A n.b. – as satyr, bow drawn Cf Weitzmann, St Peter’s Throne
• 
  Three decans of Sagittarius with planet gods above and prosopa below Albumasar, Book of Nativities Cairo, 15th C Paris BnF, arab. 2583 n.b. – bow drawn against dragon end of tail
• 
  Three decans of Sagittarius with planet gods above and prosopa below Albumasar, Book of Nativities Cairo, 15th C Paris BnF, arab. 2583 n.b. – bow drawn against dragon end of tail
• 
  Three decans of Sagittarius with planet gods above and prosopa below Albumasar, Book of Nativities Cairo, 15th C Paris BnF, arab. 2583 n.b. – bow drawn against dragon end of tail

Mythology

Eratosthenes tells us that the satyr Krotos watched the Muses playing and then clapped his hands in rapturous delight. Others followed suit, and thus applause after a musical performance was invented. For this non-verbal sign of appreciation, he was transported to heaven.

This is a beautiful star legend, but it does not explain why this hybrid creature is holding a bow and arrow. The story demonstrates once again the Greeks' perplexity with images from a foreign (Babylonian) culture.

Weblinks

• Warburg Institute Iconographic Database – Sagittarius
• Ian Ridpath's Star Tales – Sagittarius
• Saxl Project: Constellations - Sagittarius

References

• References (general)
• References (Babylonian)
• References (ancient Greco-Roman)
• References (medieval)