The Alpha star of Ophiuchus is “Ras Alhague”, in Arabic meaning the “head of the snake charmer”. Barnard’s star is the second closest star to our sun, a distance of only 6 light years. It is a 9 magnitude red dwarf star.
The constellation Ophiuchus The Serpant Bearer is identified as the son of Apollo. He was the first physician of human form and gained fame by accompanying Jason and the Argonauts.
Chiron the Centaur, having been given the care of Ophiuchus by Apollo, instructed the boy in the art of healing and restoring life to the dead. One tale about Ophiuchus tells how he learned the secrets of life quite accidentally. After killing a snake by strangulation, the snake’s mate appeared with an herb in its mouth. When the second snake gave some of this herb to the dead snake, life was restored. When Ophiuchus saw what had happened, he stole some of the medicinal herb and from that point on he was blessed with the ability to restore life.
The serpent in the hand of Ophiucus remains today as the symbol of medicine, called the “Caduceus”.
|
| Symbol | Oph |
| Right Ascension |
05:14
|
| Declination | -4 |
| Diameter (°) | 30 |
| Area (square °) | 948 |
| Opposition |
Jun 10
|
| Size Rank |
11st
|
| Brightness Rank |
20th
|
| Genitive | Ophiuchi |
|