Ophiuchus (Constellation)

Once known as Serpentarius, Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer, is a large constellation best viewed during spring.

Rasalhague (Alpha Ophiuchi / α Oph)

A class-A5 giant star 47 light years from Earth. It has a companion star which orbits with a radius of about 7 AU.

Cheleb or Cebalrai (Beta Ophiuchi / β Oph)

A slightly variable class-K giant about 82 light years from Earth.

Al Durajah (Gamma Ophiuchi / γ Oph)

A class-A4 star of the 4^th magnitude located about 95 light years from Earth.

Yed Prior (Delta Ophiuchi / δ Oph)

A class-M0.5 giant of the 3^rd magnitude.

Yed Post or Yed Posterior (Epsilon Ophiuchi / ε Oph)

A class-G9.5 3^rd magnitude giant located at a distance of 108 light years from Earth.

Han (Zeta Ophiuchi / ζ Oph)

A slightly variable blue-white class-O9.5 dwarf about 460 light years from Earth. Although ζ Oph is classified as a dwarf star it has a diameter 8 times that of the Sun.

Sabik (Eta Ophiuchi / η Oph)

Sabik at magnitude 2.43 is the second brightest star in Ophiuchus. It is a double star consisting of a class-A2 and class-A3 in a highly elliptical orbit.

Barnard's star (V2500 Ophiuchi / Proxima Ophiuchi)

At a distance of only 6 light years Barnard's star is the second closest star to Earth after the Alpha Centauri system. It has the greatest apparent angular motion (proper motion) across the sky than any other star, around 10.4 seconds or arc per year. Barnard's star is a cool, dim class-M4 dwarf of 9.54 apparent magnitude.

NGC 6633

An open cluster of around 30 stars with an apparent magnitude of 4.6

IC 4665

A loose cluster with an apparent magnitude of 4.2. It is located about 1400 light years from Earth.

Collinder 331 (Tr26)

M9 (or NGC 6333)

A globular cluster of apparent magnitude 7.7 and about 25800 light years from Earth.

M10 (or NGC 6254)

A globular cluster of apparent magnitude 6.6 and about 14300 light years from Earth.

M12 (or NGC 6218)

A globular cluster of apparent magnitude 6.7 and about 16000 light years from Earth.

M19 (or NGC 6273)

The most oblate of the globular clusters, M19 has an apparent magnitude 6.8 and about 28000 light years from Earth.

M62 (or NGC 6266)

An irregularly shaped cluster of apparent magnitude 6.5 and about 22500 light years from Earth. It is about 6100 light years from the galactic centre of the Milky Way.

M107 (or NGC 6171)

A globular cluster of apparent magnitude 7.9 and about 21000 light years from Earth.

NGC 6235

A globular cluster of apparent magnitude 9.97 and about 37200 light years from Earth.

NGC 6284

A globular cluster of apparent magnitude 8.83 and about 49900 light years from Earth.

NGC 6287

A globular cluster of apparent magnitude 9.35 and about 30300 light years from Earth.

NGC 6293

This cluster has an apparent magnitude of 8.22 and is about 28700 light years from Earth.

NGC 6304

This cluster has an apparent magnitude of 8.22 and is about 19600 light years from Earth.

NGC 6316

This cluster has an apparent magnitude of 8.43 and is about 35900 light years from Earth.

NGC 6325

This faint cluster of apparent magnitude 10.33 is about 26100 light years from Earth.

NGC 6342

This faint cluster of apparent magnitude 9.66 can be found in the sky close to M9.

NGC 6355

A globular cluster of apparent magnitude 9.14 and about 31000 light years from Earth.

NGC 6356

This cluster of apparent magnitude 8.25 can be found in the sky close to M9.

NGC 6366

A faint globular cluster of apparent magnitude 9.2 that can be found in the sky close to M14.

NGC 6401

A globular cluster of apparent magnitude 9.45 at a distance of about 34200 light years from Earth.

NGC 6426

A very faint globular cluster of apparent magnitude 11.2.

NGC 6517

A very faint globular cluster of apparent magnitude 10.23 about 32500 light years from Earth.

NGC 6384

NGC 6309 (or Box Nebula)

There are several meteor showers around May to June which radiate from the constellation Ophiuchus

Northern May Ophiuchids

Ophiuchus shares its borders with the following constellations - Hercules, Serpens Caput, Libra, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Serpens Cauda, and Aquila.