Ophiuchus facts for kids
| Constellation | |
List of stars in Ophiuchus
|
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| Abbreviation | Oph |
|---|---|
| Genitive | Ophiuchi |
| Right ascension | 17 |
| Declination | 0 |
| Area | 948 sq. deg. (11th) |
| Main stars | 10 |
| Bayer/Flamsteed stars |
59 |
| Stars with planets | 4 |
| Stars brighter than 3.00m | 5 |
| Stars within 10.00 pc (32.62 ly) | 8 |
| Brightest star | α Oph (Ras Alhague) (2.1m) |
| Messier objects | 7 |
| Meteor showers | Ophiuchids Northern May Ophiuchids Southern May Ophiuchids Theta Ophiuchids |
| Bordering constellations |
Hercules Serpens Caput Libra Scorpius Sagittarius Serpens Cauda Aquila |
| Visible at latitudes between +80° and −80°. Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of July. |
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Ophiuchus (Οφιούχος: say it 'Ofi-youkus') is one of the 88 official constellations in our night sky. Its name comes from Latin and means "snake-holder". This constellation is found near the celestial equator, which is like the Earth's equator but projected onto the sky. It's also located northwest of the center of our Milky Way galaxy. Ophiuchus is special because it lies along the ecliptic, the path the Sun appears to follow across the sky. Even though it's on the ecliptic, it's usually not counted as one of the twelve zodiac constellations.
Contents
What is Ophiuchus?
Ophiuchus is a large constellation that looks like a person holding a snake. This snake is another constellation called Serpens. Serpens is actually split into two parts by Ophiuchus: Serpens Caput (the snake's head) and Serpens Cauda (the snake's tail). Ophiuchus is the 11th largest constellation in the sky.
Where to Find Ophiuchus
You can find Ophiuchus in the northern sky during the summer months. It's located between the constellations of Hercules and Scorpius. Its brightest star is called Ras Alhague, which means "the head of the snake collector". This star shines with a brightness of about 2.1 magnitude.
The Story Behind Ophiuchus
Many constellations have interesting stories from ancient times. Ophiuchus is often linked to Asclepius, the Greek god of healing and medicine.
Asclepius, the Healer
In Greek myths, Asclepius was a skilled doctor who could even bring people back from the dead. He learned his healing secrets from a wise centaur named Chiron. Asclepius is often shown with a staff that has a snake wrapped around it. This symbol, called the Rod of Asclepius, is still used today to represent medicine. The snake in the constellation Ophiuchus is thought to be the snake that helped Asclepius with his healing powers. Some stories say that a snake taught Asclepius how to use herbs to cure illnesses.
Why a Snake-Holder?
The image of Ophiuchus holding the snake represents the fight against illness and death. Asclepius's ability to heal and overcome sickness is shown by him controlling the snake, which often symbolized rebirth and healing in ancient cultures because it sheds its skin.
Stars and Objects in Ophiuchus
Ophiuchus is home to many interesting stars and deep-sky objects that astronomers study.
Bright Stars
- Ras Alhague (Alpha Ophiuchi): This is the brightest star in Ophiuchus. It's a blue-white star that is much bigger and brighter than our Sun.
- Barnard's Star: This is one of the closest stars to our Sun, even though it's too faint to see without a telescope. It's famous for moving very quickly across the sky compared to other stars. Scientists have looked for planets around Barnard's Star.
Star Clusters and Nebulae
Ophiuchus contains several globular clusters. These are groups of hundreds of thousands of stars packed tightly together in a ball shape. Some examples include Messier 10, Messier 12, and Messier 14.
The constellation is also home to the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex. This is a large area of gas and dust where new stars are being born. It looks very colorful in pictures taken with special telescopes.
Ophiuchus and the Zodiac
The zodiac is a band of constellations that the Sun, Moon, and planets appear to travel through. There are usually 12 zodiac signs, like Aries, Taurus, and Gemini. However, the Sun actually passes through Ophiuchus for about 18 days each year, usually from late November to mid-December.
Why Isn't it a Zodiac Sign?
Even though the Sun passes through Ophiuchus, it's not traditionally considered a zodiac sign. This is because the zodiac was set up by ancient Babylonians thousands of years ago. They divided the sky into 12 equal parts, each with a constellation. Over time, the Earth's position has shifted slightly, causing the Sun's path to move into Ophiuchus. So, while it's a real constellation on the ecliptic, it's not part of the traditional 12-sign zodiac system used in astrology.
Meteor Showers
Several meteor showers appear to come from the direction of Ophiuchus. These include the Ophiuchids and the Theta Ophiuchids. Meteor showers happen when the Earth passes through a trail of dust left behind by a comet. As the dust enters our atmosphere, it burns up, creating streaks of light we call "shooting stars."
Images for kids
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Rho Ophiuchi, shown with a surrounding bluish cloud slightly above a pentagon of stars in Scorpius, with the main band of the Milky Way much further to the left
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Infrared light view of Rho Ophiuchi molecular cloud complex from NASA
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Photo from Rogelio Bernal Andreo of the Rho Ophiuchi molecular cloud complex
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Ophiuchus in a manuscript copy of Azophi's Uranometry, 18th century copy of a manuscript prepared for Ulugh Beg in 1417 (note that as in all pre-modern star charts, the constellation is mirrored, with Serpens Caput on the left and Serpens Cauda on the right).
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Ophiuchus holding the serpent, Serpens, as depicted in Urania's Mirror, a set of constellation cards published in London c. 1825. Above the tail of the serpent is the now-obsolete constellation Taurus Poniatovii while below it is Scutum.
See also
In Spanish: Ofiuco para niños
