Menu

Ophiuchus

Genitive: Ophiuchi

Equatorial 948 sq° Oph

Brightest star: Rasalhague

Open in Star Map Browse Catalog

Mythology

The Serpent Bearer, identified with Asclepius, the healer so skilled he could raise the dead. Zeus struck him down but placed him in the sky. He holds the serpent Serpens.

Observing Highlights

A large constellation straddling the celestial equator with many globular clusters: M9, M10, M12, M14, M19, M62, M107. Also contains Barnard's Star, the second-closest star system to the Sun.

Main Stars

20
Rasalhague

HIP 86032; Alpha Oph; 55 Oph

2.08 mag 0.7″ B: 5.0 A5IVnn
Sabik

HIP 84012; Eta Oph; 35 Oph

2.43 mag 0.3″ B: 3.3 A2IV-V
Zeta Oph

HIP 81377; Zeta Oph; 13 Oph

2.56 mag B0.5Ve
Yed Prior

HIP 79593; Delta Oph; 1 Oph

2.74 mag M0.5III
Cebalrai

HIP 86742; Beta Oph; 60 Oph

2.77 mag K2III
Kappa Oph

HIP 83000; Kappa Oph; 27 Oph

3.20 mag K2III
Yed Posterior

HIP 79882; Epsilon Oph; 2 Oph

3.24 mag G9.5IIIb Fe-0.5
Theta Oph

HIP 84970; Theta Oph; 42 Oph

3.27 mag 0.2″ B: 6.2 B2 IV
Nu Oph

HIP 88048; Nu Oph; 64 Oph

3.34 mag K1 III
72 Oph

HIP 88771; 72 Oph

3.73 mag A5V
Gamma Oph

HIP 87108; Gamma Oph; 62 Oph

3.75 mag A1VnkA0mA0
Marfik

HIP 80883; Lambda Oph; 10 Oph

3.82 mag 1.3″ B: 5.2 B9/A0 III
67 Oph

HIP 88192; 67 Oph

3.97 mag B5Ib
70 Oph

HIP 88601; 70 Oph

4.03 mag 6.8″ B: 6.2 K0V
44 Oph

HIP 85340; 44 Oph

4.17 mag 0.1″ B: 5.1 A3m
Phi Oph

HIP 80894; Phi Oph; 8 Oph

4.28 mag G8+IIIa
45 Oph

HIP 85423; 45 Oph

4.29 mag F5IVDel Sct*
RS Oph

HR 9129

4.30 mag 4.3 - 12.5 NR+LB Peculiar
Sigma Oph

HIP 85355; Sigma Oph; 49 Oph

4.34 mag K2II
Iota Oph

HIP 82673; Iota Oph; 25 Oph

4.38 mag 0.4″ B: 8.7 B8V

Double Stars

15
Guniibuu

HIP 84405; 36 Oph

5.07 mag 5.1″ B: 5.1 K0V
39 Oph

HIP 84626; 39 Oph

5.20 mag 10.7″ B: 6.6 K0II-III
Rho Oph

HIP 80473; Rho Oph; 5 Oph

5.02 mag 3.2″ B: 5.7 B2IV
53 Oph

HIP 85998; 53 Oph

5.81 mag 40.8″ B: 7.5 A2V
HIP 88627
7.04 mag 7.1″ B: 7.4 A3IV
61 Oph

HIP 86831; 61 Oph

6.17 mag 20.6″ B: 6.5 A1IV-V
70 Oph

HIP 88601; 70 Oph

4.03 mag 6.8″ B: 6.2 K0V
Xi Oph

HIP 84893; Xi Oph; 40 Oph

4.39 mag 4.1″ B: 8.9 F1III-IV
HIP 82951
6.27 mag 4.4″ B: 7.6 B6V+B7V
HIP 85537
5.44 mag 46.8″ B: 9.8 A8V
19 Oph

HIP 82162; 19 Oph

6.10 mag 24.0″ B: 9.7 A3V
HIP 80719
6.48 mag 5.6″ B: 9.7 F2V
HIP 86391
6.26 mag 111.3″ B: 7.8 K0III+F4IV
HIP 90971
6.42 mag 37.8″ B: 10.3 B8IIIpSiSr:
30 Oph

HIP 83262; 30 Oph

4.82 mag 100.4″ B: 9.7 K4III

Variable Stars

5
RS Oph

HR 9129

4.30 mag 4.3 - 12.5 NR+LB Peculiar
X Oph

HIP 91389

6.40 mag 5.9 - 8.6 M M6IIIe+K1III
U Oph

HIP 84500

5.88 mag 5.84 - 6.56 EA/DM B5Vnn+B5V
Y Oph

HIP 87495

6.21 mag 5.87 - 6.34 DCEP F8Ib-G3Ib
V1010 Oph

HIP 82339

6.10 mag 6.10 - 7.00 EB/KE A5V

Deep Sky Objects

30
Open Cluster (2)
NGC 6633
4.6 mag 27.
IC 4665
4.2 mag 41.
Globular Cluster (18)
Messier 10

NGC 6254

6.6 mag 15.1
Messier 12

NGC 6218

6.7 mag 14.5
Messier 19

NGC 6273

6.8 mag 13.5
Messier 62

NGC 6266

6.5 mag 14.1
Messier 14

NGC 6402

7.6 mag 11.7
Messier 9

NGC 6333

7.7 mag 9.3
Messier 107

NGC 6171

7.9 mag 10.0
NGC 6293
8.2 mag 7.9
NGC 6304
8.4 mag 6.8
NGC 6356
8.4 mag 7.2
NGC 6284
9.0 mag 5.6
NGC 6287
9.2 mag 5.1
NGC 6401
9.5 mag 5.6
NGC 6366
10.0 mag 8.3
NGC 6355
9.6 mag 5.0
NGC 6235
10.2 mag 5.0
NGC 6342
9.9 mag 3.0
NGC 6316
9.0 mag 4.9
Galaxy (5)
NGC 6384
10.6 mag 6.0 Sbc
NGC 6368
13.0 mag 4.0 Sb
NGC 6296
14.0 mag 1.1 SABb
NGC 6509
13.0 mag 2.3 SABc
NGC 6570
13.0 mag 1.8 SBm
Planetary Nebula (3)
Box nebula

NGC 6309

11.0 mag 1.1
NGC 6572
9.0 mag 0.1
NGC 6369
13.0 mag 1.1
Reflection Nebula (2)
IC 4603
— mag 20.
IC 4604

rho Oph nebula

— mag 60.