Ophiuchus, the Snake Charmer
is the thirteenth of the twelve constellations of the Zodiac. It is the forgotten constellation, perhaps, for the Sun actually spends more time before the stars of Ophiuchus (19 days) than it does in neighboring Scorpius (6 days). Also, the stars in this area of the sky are less than magnificent. There are only four stars that exceed a rating of magnitude three. Alpha, Ras Alhague, is a magnitude 2.1 star somewhat less than midway on the line from Vega toward Antares. Eta Ophiuchi, Zeta, and Beta follow at 2.6, 2.7 and 2.9 magnitude. These stars can be found above Scorpius and below the stars of Hercules. Aquila is to the east. The center of the constellation crosses the meridian at about eleven p.m. in early July. For binocular viewing there are six star clusters in this area of the sky, all with Messier numbers: 9, 10, 12, 14, 19 and 62. Another, M107, is dimmer and would require a telescope for study. Still other globular clusters exist in this region, making 22 in all. A number of double stars are here, too, including Sabik (Eta-Ophiuchi), a pair of third-magnitude stars separated by one second. 70-Ophiuchi is another interesting multiple star, which José Olivarez has considered in his Observations column. The colors of the stars are said to be yellow and purple. This star system was discovered in 1779 by Sir William Herschel. It is part of an olden asterism made up with other stars in this region of Ophiuchus. The stars form the letter V that suggests the Hyades in Taurus, the Bull. In 1777, a Polish astronomer, Abbé Poczobut of Wilna, asked the French Academy to honor the last Polish king, King Stanislaus Poniatowski, with a constellation. The designation did not last, however, although “Poniatowski's Bull” may still be found on some star charts. Æsculapius was an immortal man who had been schooled by the centaur Chiron in the arts of botany and medicine. So he was knowledgeable of the various herbs and plants and a student of nature. One day, it is said, he was in the house of a friend when he killed a snake. He watched in astonishment when another snake slithered into the room with a particular herb in its mouth and with it restored the slain reptile to life. Recognizing the plant, Æsculapius soon had learned to use its mystical powers to heal the sick and resurrect the dead. It is from this history and from the ability of a snake to cast off its skin and assume a new revitalization that serpents have become symbols for healing. The staff of Æsculapius, with a snake coiling about the rod, is well known in today's medicine. Unfortunately, this symbol is often confused with the caduceus of Mercury, which is a doubly-winged wand entwined by two snakes. Truly, however, the symbol of Mercury is the symbol of messengers.
Æsculapius, the first doctor, sailed on the famous voyage of the Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece. Following the journey, he continued to heal the sick and to advance the practice of medicine. On the death of Orion, he was about to attempt to restore the life of this great hero when Pluto, lord of the underworld, intervened. Pluto reasoned that his realm would decline if Æsculapius were allowed to revive the dead. He appealed to his brother Jupiter to agree that death should be the ultimate end of mortal man, not to be trifled with even by the most skilled of physicians. Jupiter, king of the gods, struck Æsculapius with a thunderbolt and ended his life on Earth. But in tribute to the accomplishments and skill of the great physician, Jupiter placed him among the stars, where today he is known as Ophiuchus, the Serpent Bearer. Antiquated star maps show a larger constellation, depicting the physician clutching the serpent that wraps about his body or shoulders. Now, however, the serpent itself is represented and is given two identities. Stars to the west are those of the head, Serpens Caput, while the tail section, Serpens Cauda, writhes eastward toward Aquila, above the shield of Scutum. One of the most interesting objects that you can't see in Ophiuchus is the Pipe nebula. On dark, clear nights you won't see it because this absorption nebula lies in front of the spectacular Milky Way. It is one of the largest dark-cloud formations that can (cannot?) be seen from the Northern Hemisphere.
The Constellation Ophiuchus
Name: Genitive: Short form: Area: 3 Co-ordinates : Zodiac: Origin: Ophiuchus (Greek: 'Serpent Bearer') Ophiuchi Oph 948 sq deg h Right Ascension 17 , Declination 0° Yes Ancient
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The name Ophiuchus is derived from the Greek for 'man holding snake'. Ophiuchus the 5 constellation most probably depicts Asclepius , the demigod of healing (see 'Mythology' section). Ophiuchus is situated between Serpens Caput and Serpens Cauda, two parts of the same constellation, namely Serpens, the serpent (or snake). Serpens Caput represents the head of a large snake, the middle of which is draped around the shoulders of the serpent bearer, Ophiuchus, who divides the snake with his own body. Serpens Cauda is the tail of the snake. The other constellations which share borders with Ophiuchus are: Aquila, Hercules, Libra, Scorpius and Sagittarius. An alternative name for Ophiuchus during the Middle Ages was 'Moses and the Brazen Serpent'.
Astrology
Ophiuchus is one of the 13 members of the zodiac, but isn't regarded as a zodiacal sign by 7 modern astrologers , who still prefer the old system, which is more than 2,000 years out of date. If the horoscopes were to be redrawn with accurate information, the 'star sign' Ophiuchus would be between Scorpius (Scorpio) and Sagittarius. For the curious, the Sun passes through Ophiuchus between 30 November and 18 December.
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Mythology
It is thought the constellation Ophiuchus honours the demigod Asclepius the healer, who had been trained by Chiron the centaur. Asclepius, a son of Apollo, had learned how to keep death at bay by observing how nature worked, including snake behaviour. The gods could not allow the
human race, under the care of Asclepius, to live forever, so Asclepius was struck dead by the great god Jupiter. His image was then placed in the heavens as the constellation Ophiuchus. The Babylonians considered him Marduk (the Sun god) in battle with Tiamat (the Bitter Ocean – Chaos). The mythological goddess Angitia is usually pictured with snakes draped around her shoulders. Angitia was renowned for her knowledge of healing herbs that cured snake bites, and she used to have her own temple and treasury on the shore of Lake Fucinus (which was drained in the 19th Century) of the Abruzzi region, central Italy.
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Snake Charmers
The image of a beautiful woman draping a large snake around her body is quite evocative, and guaranteed to draw attention. Elizabeth Hurley is one sassy actress who harnessed the power of shock-tactic publicity to promote her 2000 film Bedazzled. It ensured box-office success for an inferior remake worthy of a Golden Raspberry Award. Some snakes are harmless , but the fear of snakes is quite a common phobia. Ophiophobia (or Ophidiophobia) is the name given to this fear. Some people who have no contact with snakes in their daily life are frightened of them, which is known as 'irrational fear'. Others fear the snake's ability to inflict harm or kill in their home environment. A true ophiophobic would dread even the image of a snake in a book or on a TV screen.
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History
The Hippocratic Oath
Hippocrates of Cos was a member of a guild of physicians known as Asclepiads, whose origins can be traced back to Asclepius. The Hippocratic Oath is a guideline for the medical ethics of doctors, and graduating medical students swear on the oath before they begin practising medicine and treating patients. The staff of Asclepius with two snakes entwined around it is the widely accepted symbol of medicine.
Kepler's Supernova
In the early 17th Century, a star was seen to explode in the Ophiuchus constellation. The German astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571 – 1630) studied this phenomenon, now known as SN 1604, with great fascination. He eventually published his findings in De Stella Nova in Pede Serpentarii which means 'On the New Star in Ophiuchus' Foot'. At the time of this phenomenon’s discovery in 1604 most people had a geocentric world-view (in which the Earth was at the centre of the universe and every other heavenly body revolved around it). To voice a different theory was considered heresy and many people died for their beliefs. The study of the supernova, which occurred near theta Ophiuchi, added to the weight of evidence 10 which eventually led towards the scientifically accepted heliocentrism .
First Suspected Extrasolar Planet
There is an interesting history to 70 Ophiuchi, a binary system comprising two orange dwarf stars. Captain WS Jacob of the Chennai Observatory, Tamil Nadu, Bay of Bengal, India, reported in 1855 that he had logged a discrepancy which suggested a 'planetary body in connection with this system'. To place this in historical perspective, back in the UK a young Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were creating their own tartan. Albert was also overseeing the instalment of flushing toilets in Buckingham Palace.
In 1895, US astronomer Thomas Jefferson Jackson See (1866 – 1962) also suspected an unseen companion, and his results were published in the astronomical journal of the day. At the time, See worked at the Lowell Observatory; he was dismissed from his post in 1898. The Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada debunked both theories in an article written by WD Heintz and published in June 1988. However, Captain WS Jacob's report is historically the first 'suspected extrasolar planet' based on scientific study by a professional astronomer.
Stars
The scientific star names are easy to understand (if you know your Greek alphabet). To make star classification simple, they were given Greek letters. For example, 'alpha Ophiuchi' means it is the brightest star in the constellation Ophiuchus. Combined with the genitive name, this is known as the 'Bayer designation'. Some stars have proper names as well, for example, alpha Ophiuchi is Rasalhague. Others are known by their catalogue number. Sometimes the cataloguing is a little off, or the stars are variable. In this case, the second-brightest star (instead of being the 'beta') is the designated eta, followed by zeta, delta, then beta! Rho Ophiuchi is surrounded by a blue reflection nebula, IC 4603, which together with nearby emissions and bright nebulosities over a six-degree span form a stunning vista worthy of any impressionist painter. Barnard's Star, aka V2500 Ophiuchi, is a red dwarf of 10th magnitude that is just six light years away. The triple star system 36 Ophiuchi is also a close neighbour to us, at 20 light years distance.
Star Table
Name or catalogue number Rasalhague Sabik Han Yed Prior Cebalrai Helkath Yed Posterior Imad Sinistra Al Durajah Marfik unnamed unnamed 25 Ophiuchi Distance (light years) 47 84 458 170 82 86 107 563 153 95 166 16.6 20 230 Spectral classification and/or comments White giant Binary star system Blue giant Red giant Orange giant White giant Yellow giant Blue-white sub-giant Orange giant White giant White giant Binary star system Triple star system Blue-white giant
Star α Oph ε Oph δ Oph δ Oph β Oph θ Oph ε Oph ζ Oph λ Oph γ Oph ι Oph 70 Ophiuchi 36 Ophiuchi η Oph
Designation alpha Ophiuchi eta Ophiuchi zeta Ophiuchi delta Ophiuchi beta Ophiuchi kappa Ophiuchi epsilon Ophiuchi theta Ophiuchi nu Ophiuchi gamma Ophiuchi lambda Ophiuchi HD 165341 HD 155885 iota Ophiuchi
Magnitude +2.08 +2.4 var +2.5 var +2.7 +2.7 var +3.2 var +3.2 +3.3 var +3.3 var +3.7 +3.8 +4.02 var +4.3 +4.4
κ Oph ρ Oph
mu Ophiuchi rho Ophiuchi
57 Ophiuchi 5 Ophiuchi Barnard's Star
+4.5 +4.5 +9.5
550 390 6
Blue-white giant Blue-white giant Red dwarf
HIP 87937 V2500 Ophiuchi
Deep Sky Objects
New General Catalogue (NGC)
The NGC was compiled by John Louis Emil Dreyer (director of the Armagh Observatory from 1882 - 1916). NGC 6240 is really special: it is butterfly shaped as the result of a collision between two previously separate galaxies. This merger happened so long ago that we are only able to see the aftermath. We have no way of knowing what the original galaxies looked like. A Chandra image of NGC 6240 has enabled astronomers to detect two supermassive black holes from the two distinct nuclei. The black holes are separated by about 3,000 light years, but they are drifting towards each other and will eventually merge. Due to the distance involved, 400 million light years, our snapshot of this binary black hole galaxy is like a postcard from the past. What we see no longer exists in the form that we see it. Maybe all that is there now is one extrasupermassive black hole! NGC 6633 is a bright open cluster containing about 30 stars, possibly 660 million years of age. It was discovered in 1746 by the Swiss astronomer Philippe Loys de Cheseaux (1718 – 1751). There are seven Messier objects in Ophiuchus. All of them are globular clusters.
NGC Table
Catalogue NGC 6333 NGC 6254 NGC 6218 NGC 6402 NGC 6273 NGC 6266 NGC 6171 NGC 6240 Name M9 M10 M12 M14 M19 M62 M107 NGC 6240 Type Globular cluster Globular cluster Globular cluster Globular cluster Globular cluster Globular cluster Globular cluster Magnitude +8.4 +6.4 +7.7 +8.3 +7.5 +7.4 +8.8 +4.6 Distance (light years) 25,800 14,300 16,300 30,300 28,000 22,500 21,000 400 million 1,040
Post-merger galaxy +12.8 var
NGC 6633 De Cheseaux No 3 Open star cluster
M2-9
M2-9, also known as 'Minkowski's Butterfly', and 'Wings of a Butterfly Nebula', is a planetary nebula which was discovered in 1947 by German-American astronomer Rudolph Minkowski (1895 - 1976). The Hubble image taken in 1997 shows the nebula in remarkable detail. What we are witnessing is the spectacularly beautiful death of a binary star system; this is why there are twin jets, if it was just one star the nebula would be circular.
Meteor Showers
The space debris which creates a meteor shower comes from the tail of a comet as the Earth crosses where the comet passed previously on its own orbit. Imagine a trail of breadcrumbs or sawdust like that is used in hashing. The meteor shower connected with this constellation is called the Ophiuchids. It was first reported by WF Denning in 1887. Since then, these showers have been reported annually, occurring between 13 May and 4 July. Although the ZHR (Zenithal Hourly Rate) is very low, the display produces a number of bright meteors and fireballs.
Extrasolar Planets in Ophiuchus
More than 2,000 years ago, the Greek philosophers Aristotle and Epicurus argued about whether there were other Earth-like planets orbiting distant suns. Four extrasolar planetary systems have been found in the constellation Ophiuchus, up to 2007. The first was discovered in 2005. The figures in the table below are the length of the planet's orbital period around its parent star, which we know of as a year. The mass of the extrasolar planet is compared with that of Jupiter, our solar system's largest planet, known to astronomers as the 'Jovian scale'. The star HD 156846 comprises a binary system: a yellow star similar to our Sun, HD 156846 A, and a companion, a red dwarf, HD 156846 B. HD 156846 A has a planet, HD 156846 A b, which is ten times the mass of Jupiter. HD 156846 A b orbits its star in the habitable zone, but the orbit is highly eccentric, possibly due to gravitational interference from the red dwarf companion. The planet is a gas giant and not a candidate for the search for extra-terrestrial life. However, any rocky moons with enough gravity to retain an atmosphere would be a possibility.
Extrasolar Planets Table
Star name or catalogue number HD 149143 HD 170469 HD 171028 HD 156846 A Planet catalogue number HD 149143 b HD 170469 b HD 171028 b HD 156846 A b Planet mass (Jovian scale) 1.33 0.67 1.8 10.5 Orbital period (Earth days) 4 1,143 538 360
Year of discovery 2005 2007 2007 2007
Comments Hot gas giant Eccentric subjovian Eccentric gas giant Superjovian, high eccentric orbit, habitable zone
Ophelia
Ophelia is possibly the female derivative of Ophiuchus. As a Shakespearean character she has almost legendary status. The image of the manner of the daughter of Polonius' death in Hamlet has been recreated many times in different art forms since Shakespeare's day. Ophelia is a famous painting by the British artist Sir John Everett Millais that now hangs in the Tate Gallery. She is clutching a red poppy, said in Victorian flower-meaning literature to represent sleep and death. Every viewer of art has a different interpretation, the mystery being part of its beauty. Her eyes and mouth are open and her arms lifted as if in praise. Is the drowning girl seeing her deceased father or the gates of Heaven? Ophelia's pose in the painting was recreated by Kylie Minogue for the promotional image in her collaboration with Nick Cave on the single 'Where the Wild Roses Grow'.
One of the moons (the second innermost) of Uranus is named after Ophelia. Asteroid 171 Ophelia, a possible binary member of the Asteroid Belt, was discovered on 13 January, 1877 by A Borrelly.
Health Warning
Care should be taken when handling snakes, especially the poisonous type. The Rev George Went 'Little George' Hensley started a religious doctrine for snake-handling in 1910, basing his stance on something he interpreted from the Gospel according to Mark: They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. In case you are wondering what happened to him, he died in 1955 after a snake bit him, but still his followers continue the trend.
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Also known as V2500 Ophiuchi and Proxima Ophiuchi. A light year is the distance light travels in one year, roughly 5.88 trillion miles or 9.46 trillion km. 3 Current IAU guidelines use a plus sign (+) for northern constellations and a minus sign (−) for southern ones. 4 Pronounced oh-fee-U-cuss. 5 Some various other spellings include Aesculapius and Asklepios. 6 This is a good question for pub quiz setters, and knowing that Ophiuchus is the extra 'sign' would probably earn you a QI bonus. 7 Possibly because some people are triskaidekaphobic. 8 Probably from the Latin word anguis, meaning 'snake' or 'serpent'. 9 But not all. You would need to be careful when visiting Australia. 10 Meaning that the Sun (Helios) is at the centre.
Ophiuchus, the snake charmer, is the thirteenth of the twelve constellations of the Zodiac. It is the forgotten constellation, perhaps, for the Sun actually spends more time before the stars of Ophiuchus (19 days) than it does in neighboring Scorpius (6 days). It has eight Messier objects and nebulae, including globular clusters. Ophiuchus, not so well known as neighboring Scorpius or Sagittarius of the Zodiac constellations, has much to draw your attention during summer evenings. Notable stars: Barnard's star More famous than any of these is Barnard's Star, which lies just under six light years from Earth, and is one of the Sun's closest neighbours. It is a very small and faint red star of the type known as sub dwarfs, so that despite being so nearby, it is invisible to the naked eye. Magnitude is 9.55 and distance from earth is 5.99 light years Alpha Ophiuchi The brightest star, alpha Ophiuchi, is better known as Rasalhague, meaning "Head of the Snake Charmer". This is a rather close star, at 54 light years away, and a celestial neighbour of Ras Algethi (alpha Herculis), which lies to the WNW five degrees. Magnitude of alpha Ophiuchi is 2.08 Rio Ophiuchi a and Rio Ophiuchi b This is a pair of two very blue stars. Both are at the end of their main sequence phase and will soon start to expand to red giants. a's magnitude is 5.0 and b's is 5.9. Distance from earth is 395 light years. 70 Ophiuchi a and 70 Ophiuchi b
This pair are located about 16.6 light-years away in the north - eastern part of the constellation. Both are main sequence orange red dwarfs. a with a magnitude of 4.22, and b with a magnitude of 5.9 Notable objects:
Kepler's remnant The explosion of the star that created the Kepler remnant blasted the stellar remains into space, heating the gases to millions of degrees and generating highly energized particles. Copious X-ray light, like that shining from many supernova remnants, was produced. The presence of large amounts of iron and the absence of a detectable neutron star points toward a so-called Type Ia supernova thermonuclear explosion. Magnitude is - 2.5 and distance from Earth is 13,000 light years.
NGC 6240 The extraordinarily bright galaxy NGC 6240 is roughly 400 million light years away from earth and is a prime example of the collision and subsequent merging of two galaxies causing "fireworks" as new stars are created. Over the next few hundred million years, the two black holes in NGC 6240, which are roughly 3000 light years apart, will drift toward each other and eventually merge to form an even larger, supermassive black hole. Magnitude is 12.8.
NGC 6369 This pretty planetary nebula, cataloged as NGC 6369, was discovered by 18th century astronomer William Herschel as he used a telescope to explore the constellation Ophiuchus. Round and planet-shaped, the nebula is also relatively faint and has acquired the popular moniker of Little Ghost Nebula. The nebula's main ring structure is about a light-year across and the glow from ionized oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen atoms are colored blue, green, and red respectively. Magnitude is 12.9 and distance from earth is 2,000 light years.
Messier M 10
M10 was discovered by Charles Messier and added to his catalogue in 1764, describing it as a nebula without stars in the belt of Ophiuchus. This nebula is beautiful and round;and is easily visible in binoculars or small telescopes, but to resolve individual stars needs a telescope of at least 100mm or 4- inch aperture. Magnitude is 6.6 and distance from Earth is 14,300 light years.