OPHIUCHUS AND SERPENS
Ophiuchus, the Serpent Bearer,
sprawls his way across the center of the picture, his
brightest star Rasalhague. (Greek letters
or Flamsteed numbers without the constellation name belong
to Ophiuchus.) Just down and to the
right of Rasalhague is Rasalgethi in Hercules.
Theta Oph can also be seen in the context of the Milky
Way west of Sagittarius.
Rho Oph is better seen in the context of Scorpius.
67 and 70 Oph are in the v-shaped asterism of "Poniatowski's Bull" up
and to the left of Cebalrai (as is invisible Barnard's Star).
Coming off the bottom and swinging up to both the right and left are two
streams of stars that make the divided figure of Serpens, the Serpent.
The stream to the left is Serpens Cauda, the Serpent's Tail, that to the
right Serpens Caput, the Serpent's Head, which contains Serpen's
brightest star, Unukalhai. Serpens Cauda continues upward off
the picture, and ends in Alya near Aquila.
See Serpens Cauda in place within the
wide field around Sagittarius.