The Scorpius-Centaurus Association is a nearby OB association
(stellar association with OB stars) near enough that
its stars cover a good bit of the sky. Its early
stars comprise many of the brighter stars in the constellations
Scorpius, Centaurus, Lupus, and Crux.
Three subgroups (often referred to as individual associations) are
Upper Scorpius (US),
Upper Centaurus-Lupus (UCL), and
Lower Centaurus-Crux (LCC).
The stars vary in age from 11 to 15 million years.
The association has been spread by a shell, presumed to have
been the result of supernovae.
The general designator-prefix USco has been used for some discoveries
within Upper Scorpius, followed by some type of identification,
sometimes a J designator.