Ophiuchus constellation
Latin Ophiuchus, genitive Ophiuchi, abbreviation Oph
North up, east to the left, as you see the sky. The lines are a common figure; the stars are from the catalogue.
The myth
Asclepius, the physician who even raised the dead; Zeus killed him so that humans would not become immortal, and set him in the sky. He holds a serpent, still the symbol of medicine. The sun passes through Ophiuchus for over two weeks in early December, although it is not one of the twelve zodiac signs.
When can Ophiuchus be seen?
It stands highest around 10 pm in July. It can be seen from everywhere south of 72°N.
The brightest stars
| Star | Designation | Magnitude | Colour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rasalhague | α Oph | 2.08 | white |
| Sabik | η Oph | 2.43 | white |
| Saik | ζ Oph | 2.56 | white |
| Yed Prior | δ Oph | 2.74 | reddish |
| Cebalrai | β Oph | 2.77 | orange |
| – | κ Oph | 3.20 | orange |
| Yed Posterior | ε Oph | 3.24 | yellow |
| Garafsa | θ Oph | 3.27 | bluish |
The smaller the number, the brighter: below 1 are the brightest stars of the sky, 4 is hard to see under a city sky. Greek letters after Johann Bayer (1603).