Constellation Sagittarius in the zodiac lies in between Ophiuchus and Capricornus, Ophiuchus lying to its west and Capricornus to the east. It is pictorially depicted as a stick-figure archer drawing its bow, with the fainter stars shaping its horse body.

The constellation’s brighter stars Tau Sagittarii, Zeta Sagittarius, Sigma Sagittarii, Phi Sagittarii, Lambda Sagittarii, Epsilon Sagittarii, Delta Sagittarii, Eta Sagittarii and Gamma Sagittarii form an easily recognizable asterism that is popularly known as ‘the Teapot’. Delta Sagittarii, Epsilon Sagittarii, Zeta Sagittarii and Phi Sagittarii shape its body; Lambda Sagittarii shapes the point of the lid; Gamma Sagittarii shapes the tip of the spout; whereas Sigma Sagittarii and Tau Sagittarii shape the handle.

The most of the stars in this constellation are having planets revolving around them, the number of such stars being 14 exactly. Alpha Sagittarii is located in the southeastern corner of the constellation.

The Milky Way as visible from the Earth goes densest when it passes through Sagittarius, it being the center of the galaxy. The constellation has numerous star clusters and nebulae. One of the brightest of these clusters is named Messier 55, which is about 7.5° west of Delta Sagittarii. The main nebulae are known as Lagoon Nebula, Omega Nebula and Trifid Nebula.

The constellation is commonly represented as a centaur drawing a bow. Its name in Latin means the archer, and its symbol is  representing a stylized arrow.

As of 2002, the Sun appears in the constellation Sagittarius from December 18 to January 18. In tropical astrology, it is there from November 23 to December 21, and in sidereal astrology, from December 16 to January 14. That is how these stars affect people born during this period and make the constellations their zodiac signs.