Ophiuchus is a constellation located in the northern hemisphere. Its name is derived from the Greek word “” (phis), meaning “serpent”, and “” (oukhos), meaning “holder”. Ophiuchus is depicted as a man holding a serpent, and is often associated with the myth of Asclepius, the Greek god of healing.
Ophiuchus is the 13th largest constellation in the sky, and is bordered by the constellations of Serpens, Hercules, Lyra, Aquila, Sagittarius, and Scorpius. The constellation contains several notable stars, including Alpha Ophiuchi, which is a red giant star, and Beta Ophiuchi, which is a blue-white main sequence star. Ophiuchus also contains several deep-sky objects, including the globular cluster M9 and the planetary nebula NGC 6302.
