Sagittarius is one of the twelve constellations of the zodiac, a band of star patterns that the sun appears to pass through during the year. Ancient astronomers named it Sagittarius, which means “the archer” in Latin, because its stars form a pattern that reminded them of a centaur (a mythical creature that's half human, half horse) drawing a bow and arrow.

If you look at the night sky in the Northern Hemisphere during late summer, you can find Sagittarius toward the south. Its brightest stars form a shape that many people think looks more like a teapot than an archer! The constellation sits in the direction of the center of our Milky Way galaxy, making that region of sky particularly rich with stars.

In astrology (a belief system about how celestial bodies influence human life), people born roughly between November 22 and December 21 are said to be born under the sign of Sagittarius. Astrology is not scientifically supported, but many people still enjoy reading about zodiac signs for entertainment. The constellation itself, however, is real: a genuine pattern of stars that astronomers have studied and mapped for thousands of years.