Starwatch: Orion the hunter dominates the winter sky

In Greek mythology, Artemis is said to have placed Orion in the stars after a scorpion stung his foot and killed him

Winter in the northern hemisphere is dominated by the great constellation of Orion, the hunter.

One of the original 48 constellations defined by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy, it is now one of 88 recognised by the International Astronomical Union. Named after the great hunter from Greek mythology, Orion is said to have been placed in the stars by Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, after a scorpion stung his foot and killed him. In another version of the story, Artemis killed Orion either by mistake or to defend one of her companions from Orion's forceful advances.