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Ophiuchus - Constellation
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Ophiuchus

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description Ophiuchus Overview

Ophiuchus is a large constellation representing a serpent bearer. It is one of the 48 constellations recorded by the ancient astronomer Ptolemy and is also among the 88 constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union. The constellation lies near the celestial equator, between Scorpius and Sagittarius, and the apparent path of the Sun, the ecliptic, passes through part of it. Ophiuchus is therefore important in both classical constellation history and modern observational astronomy.

help Ophiuchus FAQ

Is Ophiuchus really the 13th zodiac sign?

No. The Sun does pass through Ophiuchus for roughly 18 days each year (about November 30 to December 18), but the International Astronomical Union, which recognizes 88 constellations, has never defined the astrological zodiac. The '13th sign' idea periodically goes viral, often traced back to a NASA educational post about how the Babylonians chose 12 signs.

Where is Ophiuchus located and when is the best time to see it?

Ophiuchus straddles the celestial equator between Scorpius and Sagittarius, next to Hercules, with its brightest star Rasalhague marking the serpent bearer's head. From the Northern Hemisphere it is best viewed on summer evenings around July. It is one of the largest constellations in the sky.

What notable stars and objects are inside Ophiuchus?

It contains Barnard's Star, one of the Sun's nearest neighbors at roughly six light-years away, and the dark Snake Nebula (Barnard 72). Kepler's Supernova of 1604, the last supernova observed in our own galaxy, also appeared in Ophiuchus.

Why is Ophiuchus called the 'serpent bearer' and who first catalogued it?

It depicts a figure holding a serpent, represented by the neighboring constellation Serpens, and is associated with Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine. It was one of the 48 constellations recorded by the astronomer Ptolemy in the Almagest in the 2nd century, and it remains among the 88 constellations recognized today.

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