Ophiuchus

English name Ophiuchus

Stelle
maggiori alpha Ophiuchi Ras Alhague magn. 2,1 RA: 17h 34m 56.06s Dec: +12° 33' 36.7"
beta Ophiuchi Cebalrai magn. 2,8 RA: 17h 43m 28.36s Dec: +04° 34' 01.9"
delta Ophiuchi Yed Prior magn. 3,0 RA: 16h 14m 20.75s Dec: -03° 41' 39.2"
epsilon Ophiuchi Yed Posterior magn. 3,3 RA: 16h 18m 19.27s Dec: -04° 41' 33.0"
zeta Ophiuchi magn. 2,7 RA: 16h 37m 09.55s Dec: -10° 34' 01.6"
eta Ophiuchi Sabik magn. 2,6 RA: 17h 10m 22.69s Dec: -15° 43' 29.6"
theta Ophiuchi magn. 3,4 RA: 17h 22m 00.58s Dec: -24° 59' 58.2"
kappa Ophiuchi magn. 3,4 RA: 16h 57m 40.14s Dec: +09° 22' 30.1"
ny Ophiuchi magn. 3,5 RA: 17h 59m 01.61s Dec: -09° 46' 24.9"

Description Big equatorial constellation, between Hercules and Scorpius. Even though Ophiuchus is not one of the twelve zodiacal constellations, the Sun transits through it during the month of December.
Besides many double stars (eta, lambda, xi, omicron, tau Ophiuchi), rho Ophiuchi is particularly remarkable: it is a multiple star, constituted by two components of fifth and sixth magnitude, accompanied by two stars of eighth magnitude disposed in V shape. Every component is visible with small telescopes.
Small telescopes also allow to see the star with the biggest own motion: it is the Barnard star, situated near Cebalrai, next to 66 Ophiuchi. This star is six light-years away from us and it is of magnitude 9,5: its movement is so rapid that in about 350 years it scours a degree of arc northwards. Some observations lead us to think that around the Barnard star there are at least two planets similar to Jupiter.
M10 Between the other interesting objects of the constellation there are a pair of open clusters, both visible with binoculars (IC 4665, with about twenty stars, and NGC 6633, with about sixty stars), and a pair of globular clusters (M10, here on the right, of seventh magnitude, and M12 of eighth magnitude).

Mythology
and history The constellation represents Aesculapius, god of the medicine, son of Apollo. Aesculapius was educated by the centaur Chiron (represented in the constellation of Centaurus) and he became so skilled in medical arts that he succeeded not only in recovering the illnesses, but also in resuscitating the dead.
Hyginus tells that one day Aesculapius killed a snake by striking it with his stick: then he saw another snake, which deposed a grass on the dead body, that immediately came back to life. In this way Aesculapius knew the secret of resurrection: therefore in the sky he is represented while he is holding a snake (that is the constellation of Serpens).
The god of the hereafter, Hades, complained with Zeus that Aesculapius subtracted, against nature, the dead souls from his kingdom: Zeus then killed Aesculapius with his thunderbolt and he indemnified him by giving him a place among the stars.

English name	Ophiuchus

Stelle maggiori	alpha Ophiuchi	Ras Alhague	magn. 2,1	RA: 17h 34m 56.06s	Dec: +12° 33' 36.7"
	beta Ophiuchi	Cebalrai	magn. 2,8	RA: 17h 43m 28.36s	Dec: +04° 34' 01.9"
	delta Ophiuchi	Yed Prior	magn. 3,0	RA: 16h 14m 20.75s	Dec: -03° 41' 39.2"
	epsilon Ophiuchi	Yed Posterior	magn. 3,3	RA: 16h 18m 19.27s	Dec: -04° 41' 33.0"
	zeta Ophiuchi		magn. 2,7	RA: 16h 37m 09.55s	Dec: -10° 34' 01.6"
	eta Ophiuchi	Sabik	magn. 2,6	RA: 17h 10m 22.69s	Dec: -15° 43' 29.6"
	theta Ophiuchi		magn. 3,4	RA: 17h 22m 00.58s	Dec: -24° 59' 58.2"
	kappa Ophiuchi		magn. 3,4	RA: 16h 57m 40.14s	Dec: +09° 22' 30.1"
	ny Ophiuchi		magn. 3,5	RA: 17h 59m 01.61s	Dec: -09° 46' 24.9"

Description	Big equatorial constellation, between Hercules and Scorpius. Even though Ophiuchus is not one of the twelve zodiacal constellations, the Sun transits through it during the month of December. Besides many double stars (eta, lambda, xi, omicron, tau Ophiuchi), rho Ophiuchi is particularly remarkable: it is a multiple star, constituted by two components of fifth and sixth magnitude, accompanied by two stars of eighth magnitude disposed in V shape. Every component is visible with small telescopes. Small telescopes also allow to see the star with the biggest own motion: it is the Barnard star, situated near Cebalrai, next to 66 Ophiuchi. This star is six light-years away from us and it is of magnitude 9,5: its movement is so rapid that in about 350 years it scours a degree of arc northwards. Some observations lead us to think that around the Barnard star there are at least two planets similar to Jupiter. Between the other interesting objects of the constellation there are a pair of open clusters, both visible with binoculars (IC 4665, with about twenty stars, and NGC 6633, with about sixty stars), and a pair of globular clusters (M10, here on the right, of seventh magnitude, and M12 of eighth magnitude).

Mythology and history	The constellation represents Aesculapius, god of the medicine, son of Apollo. Aesculapius was educated by the centaur Chiron (represented in the constellation of Centaurus) and he became so skilled in medical arts that he succeeded not only in recovering the illnesses, but also in resuscitating the dead. Hyginus tells that one day Aesculapius killed a snake by striking it with his stick: then he saw another snake, which deposed a grass on the dead body, that immediately came back to life. In this way Aesculapius knew the secret of resurrection: therefore in the sky he is represented while he is holding a snake (that is the constellation of Serpens). The god of the hereafter, Hades, complained with Zeus that Aesculapius subtracted, against nature, the dead souls from his kingdom: Zeus then killed Aesculapius with his thunderbolt and he indemnified him by giving him a place among the stars.

Ophiuchus

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