Ophiuchus - Revision history

Sushoff at 12:36, 27 February 2026

2026-02-27T12:36:16Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:36, 27 February 2026
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	===Origin of Constellation===		===Origin of Constellation===
	For the Greeks, this male figure was Asclepios (Roman: Aesculapius), whose staff is still an international symbol of pharmacists today. This deity is probably based on a real person – but who that person was is questionable. Several great physicians from Greek and Egyptian history come into question. Perhaps it also varied from region to region, but the archetype of the highly skilled physician (or pharmacist) is certainly worthy of deification.		<ref>Hoffmann, Susanne M. Wie der Löwe an den Himmel kam. Franckh Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart 2021</ref>For the Greeks, this male figure was Asclepios (Roman: Aesculapius), whose staff is still an international symbol of pharmacists today. This deity is probably based on a real person – but who that person was is questionable. Several great physicians from Greek and Egyptian history come into question. Perhaps it also varied from region to region, but the archetype of the highly skilled physician (or pharmacist) is certainly worthy of deification.

	For the Babylonians, there was also a male figure at this point in the sky, namely the god Zababa ([[ZA.BA4.BA4\|<sup>d</sup>ZA.BA<sub>4</sub>.BA<sub>4</sub>]]). It is the name of an ancient god of war. No images of him have survived (only kings of the same name, which can be used here as a substitute to create a visualization). As with Aesculapius, his symbol is a staff – but a staff with an eagle's head and without a snake: it is not a walking stick, but a standard. For the Babylonians, therefore, the eastern part of the snake, which we call Serpens Cauda, was probably the standard of the god Zababa. It is located directly next to the constellation [[Aquila]] (the Eagle) and is related to it in meaning: both the Greeks and the Babylonians saw an eagle here. Next to the Babylonian eagle is a corpse, which has also been the case in Greco-Roman constellation culture since Ptolemy. In MUL.APIN, these three constellations belong together: Zababa, the eagle, and the corpse. In classical Greek culture, there was no corpse, but Ptolemy reintroduced it for political reasons (see [[Aquila]], Eagle).		For the Babylonians, there was also a male figure at this point in the sky, namely the god Zababa ([[ZA.BA4.BA4\|<sup>d</sup>ZA.BA<sub>4</sub>.BA<sub>4</sub>]]). It is the name of an ancient god of war. No images of him have survived (only kings of the same name, which can be used here as a substitute to create a visualization). As with Aesculapius, his symbol is a staff – but a staff with an eagle's head and without a snake: it is not a walking stick, but a standard. For the Babylonians, therefore, the eastern part of the snake, which we call Serpens Cauda, was probably the standard of the god Zababa. It is located directly next to the constellation [[Aquila]] (the Eagle) and is related to it in meaning: both the Greeks and the Babylonians saw an eagle here. Next to the Babylonian eagle is a corpse, which has also been the case in Greco-Roman constellation culture since Ptolemy. In MUL.APIN, these three constellations belong together: Zababa, the eagle, and the corpse. In classical Greek culture, there was no corpse, but Ptolemy reintroduced it for political reasons (see [[Aquila]], Eagle).

Sushoff: /* Origin of Constellation */

2026-02-26T10:27:53Z

Origin of Constellation

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:27, 26 February 2026
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	===Origin of Constellation===		===Origin of Constellation===
	For the Greeks, this male figure was ~~Asclepius~~ (Roman: Aesculapius), whose staff is still an international symbol of pharmacists today. This deity is probably based on a real person – but who that person was is questionable. Several great physicians from Greek and Egyptian history come into question. Perhaps it also varied from region to region, but the archetype of the highly skilled physician (or pharmacist) is certainly worthy of deification.		For the Greeks, this male figure was Asclepios (Roman: Aesculapius), whose staff is still an international symbol of pharmacists today. This deity is probably based on a real person – but who that person was is questionable. Several great physicians from Greek and Egyptian history come into question. Perhaps it also varied from region to region, but the archetype of the highly skilled physician (or pharmacist) is certainly worthy of deification.

	For the Babylonians, there was also a male figure at this point in the sky, namely the god Zababa ([[ZA.BA4.BA4\|<sup>d</sup>ZA.BA<sub>4</sub>.BA<sub>4</sub>]]). It is the name of an ancient god of war. No images of him have survived (only kings of the same name, which can be used here as a substitute to create a visualization). As with Aesculapius, his symbol is a staff – but a staff with an eagle's head and without a snake: it is not a walking stick, but a standard. For the Babylonians, therefore, the eastern part of the snake, which we call Serpens Cauda, was probably the standard of the god Zababa. It is located directly next to the constellation [[Aquila]] (the Eagle) and is related to it in meaning: both the Greeks and the Babylonians saw an eagle here. Next to the Babylonian eagle is a corpse, which has also been the case in Greco-Roman constellation culture since Ptolemy. In MUL.APIN, these three constellations belong together: Zababa, the eagle, and the corpse. In classical Greek culture, there was no corpse, but Ptolemy reintroduced it for political reasons (see [[Aquila]], Eagle).		For the Babylonians, there was also a male figure at this point in the sky, namely the god Zababa ([[ZA.BA4.BA4\|<sup>d</sup>ZA.BA<sub>4</sub>.BA<sub>4</sub>]]). It is the name of an ancient god of war. No images of him have survived (only kings of the same name, which can be used here as a substitute to create a visualization). As with Aesculapius, his symbol is a staff – but a staff with an eagle's head and without a snake: it is not a walking stick, but a standard. For the Babylonians, therefore, the eastern part of the snake, which we call Serpens Cauda, was probably the standard of the god Zababa. It is located directly next to the constellation [[Aquila]] (the Eagle) and is related to it in meaning: both the Greeks and the Babylonians saw an eagle here. Next to the Babylonian eagle is a corpse, which has also been the case in Greco-Roman constellation culture since Ptolemy. In MUL.APIN, these three constellations belong together: Zababa, the eagle, and the corpse. In classical Greek culture, there was no corpse, but Ptolemy reintroduced it for political reasons (see [[Aquila]], Eagle).
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	So here we see a reinterpretation from death to life: this male figure was first a god of war who produced corpses and later a god of medicine who could bring the newly deceased back to life. Both meanings of the figure were lost over the centuries in mathematical astronomy, and Kepler, who observed a supernova in this constellation in 1604, named the constellation purely descriptively Serpentarius: the man who holds the snake (Latin: Serpens). The standard name Ophiuchus, on the other hand, is the Latin form of “he who holds Ophis,” and Ophis (ὄφις) is the Greek word for snake. Here, the word was apparently interpreted as a proper name.		So here we see a reinterpretation from death to life: this male figure was first a god of war who produced corpses and later a god of medicine who could bring the newly deceased back to life. Both meanings of the figure were lost over the centuries in mathematical astronomy, and Kepler, who observed a supernova in this constellation in 1604, named the constellation purely descriptively Serpentarius: the man who holds the snake (Latin: Serpens). The standard name Ophiuchus, on the other hand, is the Latin form of “he who holds Ophis,” and Ophis (ὄφις) is the Greek word for snake. Here, the word was apparently interpreted as a proper name.

	It is worth mentioning that this constellation is the legendary 13th sign of the zodiac, because the sun is only in the figure of the scorpion for about a week and then in the serpent bearer for about three weeks. It may therefore come as a surprise that in Roman times, the figure of Libra was squeezed back into the zodiac instead of leaving the giant scorpion: Instead of Virgo – Libra – ~~Scorpio~~ – Sagittarius, the order of the constellations Virgo – ~~Scorpio~~ – Ophiuchus – Sagittarius would have made more astronomical sense for the zodiac signs. Manilius suggests that the mnemonic device of Libra as a symbol of the balance between day and night is responsible for this convention.		It is worth mentioning that this constellation is the legendary 13th sign of the zodiac, because the sun is only in the figure of the scorpion for about a week and then in the serpent bearer for about three weeks. It may therefore come as a surprise that in Roman times, the figure of Libra was squeezed back into the zodiac instead of leaving the giant scorpion: Instead of [[Virgo]] – [[Libra]] – [[Scorpius]] – [[Sagittarius]], the order of the constellations [[Virgo]] – [[Scorpius]] – Ophiuchus – [[Sagittarius]] would have made more astronomical sense for the zodiac signs. Manilius suggests that the mnemonic device of Libra as a symbol of the balance between day and night is responsible for this convention.

	==== Babylonian ====		==== Babylonian ====

Sushoff at 10:25, 26 February 2026

2026-02-26T10:25:30Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:25, 26 February 2026
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	----		----
	[[File:Ophiuchus (oph).tiff\|alt=star chart\|thumb\|Oph star chart (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg).]]		[[File:Ophiuchus (oph).tiff\|alt=star chart\|thumb\|Oph star chart (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg).]]
	One of the [[:Category:88_IAU-Constellations\|88 IAU constellations]]; it is actually a [[:Category:Super-Constellation\|super-constellation]] consisting of the IAU-constellations Ophiuchus and [[Serpens]].		One of the [[:Category:88_IAU-Constellations\|88 IAU constellations]]; it is actually a [[:Category:Super-Constellation\|super-constellation]] consisting of the IAU-constellations Ophiuchus and [[Serpens]]. For the Ancient Greeks, this heavy object was a rather stately snake wrapped around the figure's hips. With his left hand, he holds the snake's head and turns it away from him: the snake's tongue flickers toward the west, in the direction of Bootes.

			The constellation Serpens is somewhat curious because it consists of two parts that are not connected to each other. Between the tail of the snake (Serpens Cauda) and the head of the snake (Serpens Caput) stands the snake bearer (Ophiuchus).

			The snake's head is formed by a triangle of stars, making it look like an open mouth. Since snake venom can have healing properties in small doses and the snake bearer is associated with the god of medicine, in this image a doctor or pharmacist wrestles with the snake over whether the patient should live or die.

	==Etymology and History==		==Etymology and History==
	~~===Origin of Constellation===~~
	The large double constellation of Ophiuchus and his snake lies in an area with relatively few bright stars directly above the bright Milky Way clouds at the center of the galaxy. The contrast makes this area appear quite sparse, and the few stars of second and third magnitude stand out clearly. It is easy to imagine them as the figure of a standing man, standing on the scorpion, as it were. The shoulders and head are marked by brighter stars, and south of both shoulders there is a pair of stars that can be imagined as hands. At the level of the hips or thighs, there are two more bright stars. Since the arms are stretched down relatively straight, he seems to be carrying something heavy.		The large double constellation of Ophiuchus and his snake lies in an area with relatively few bright stars directly above the bright Milky Way clouds at the center of the galaxy. The contrast makes this area appear quite sparse, and the few stars of second and third magnitude stand out clearly. It is easy to imagine them as the figure of a standing man, standing on the scorpion, as it were. The shoulders and head are marked by brighter stars, and south of both shoulders there is a pair of stars that can be imagined as hands. At the level of the hips or thighs, there are two more bright stars. Since the arms are stretched down relatively straight, he seems to be carrying something heavy.

	~~For the Greeks, this heavy object was a rather stately snake wrapped around the figure~~'~~s hips. With his left hand, he holds the snake~~'~~s head and turns it away from him: the snake~~'~~s tongue flickers toward the west, in the direction of Bootes.~~		'''Name Variants'''

	The constellation Serpens is somewhat curious because it consists of two parts that are not connected to each other. Between the tail of the snake (Serpens Cauda) and the head of the snake (Serpens Caput) stands the snake bearer (Ophiuchus).		* Serpentarius

	The snake's head is formed by a triangle of stars, making it look like an open mouth. Since snake venom can have healing properties in small doses and the snake bearer is associated with the god of medicine, in this image a doctor or pharmacist wrestles with the snake over whether the patient should live or die.

			===Origin of Constellation===
	For the Greeks, this male figure was Asclepius (Roman: Aesculapius), whose staff is still an international symbol of pharmacists today. This deity is probably based on a real person – but who that person was is questionable. Several great physicians from Greek and Egyptian history come into question. Perhaps it also varied from region to region, but the archetype of the highly skilled physician (or pharmacist) is certainly worthy of deification.		For the Greeks, this male figure was Asclepius (Roman: Aesculapius), whose staff is still an international symbol of pharmacists today. This deity is probably based on a real person – but who that person was is questionable. Several great physicians from Greek and Egyptian history come into question. Perhaps it also varied from region to region, but the archetype of the highly skilled physician (or pharmacist) is certainly worthy of deification.

	For the Babylonians, there was also a male figure at this point in the sky, namely the god Zababa. It is the name of an ancient god of war. No images of him have survived (only kings of the same name, which can be used here as a substitute to create a visualization). As with Aesculapius, his symbol is a staff – but a staff with an eagle's head and without a snake: it is not a walking stick, but a standard. For the Babylonians, therefore, the eastern part of the snake, which we call Serpens Cauda, was probably the standard of the god Zababa. It is located directly next to the constellation Aquila (the Eagle) and is related to it in meaning: both the Greeks and the Babylonians saw an eagle here. Next to the Babylonian eagle is a corpse, which has also been the case in Greco-Roman constellation culture since Ptolemy. In MUL.APIN, these three constellations belong together: Zababa, the eagle, and the corpse. In classical Greek culture, there was no corpse, but Ptolemy reintroduced it for political reasons (see Aquila, ~~eagle~~).		For the Babylonians, there was also a male figure at this point in the sky, namely the god Zababa ([[ZA.BA4.BA4\|<sup>d</sup>ZA.BA<sub>4</sub>.BA<sub>4</sub>]]). It is the name of an ancient god of war. No images of him have survived (only kings of the same name, which can be used here as a substitute to create a visualization). As with Aesculapius, his symbol is a staff – but a staff with an eagle's head and without a snake: it is not a walking stick, but a standard. For the Babylonians, therefore, the eastern part of the snake, which we call Serpens Cauda, was probably the standard of the god Zababa. It is located directly next to the constellation [[Aquila]] (the Eagle) and is related to it in meaning: both the Greeks and the Babylonians saw an eagle here. Next to the Babylonian eagle is a corpse, which has also been the case in Greco-Roman constellation culture since Ptolemy. In MUL.APIN, these three constellations belong together: Zababa, the eagle, and the corpse. In classical Greek culture, there was no corpse, but Ptolemy reintroduced it for political reasons (see [[Aquila]], Eagle).

	So here we see a reinterpretation from death to life: this male figure was first a god of war who produced corpses and later a god of medicine who could bring the newly deceased back to life. Both meanings of the figure were lost over the centuries in mathematical astronomy, and Kepler, who observed a supernova in this constellation in 1604, named the constellation purely descriptively Serpentarius: the man who holds the snake (Latin: Serpens). The standard name Ophiuchus, on the other hand, is the Latin form of “he who holds Ophis,” and Ophis (ὄφις) is the Greek word for snake. Here, the word was apparently interpreted as a proper name.		So here we see a reinterpretation from death to life: this male figure was first a god of war who produced corpses and later a god of medicine who could bring the newly deceased back to life. Both meanings of the figure were lost over the centuries in mathematical astronomy, and Kepler, who observed a supernova in this constellation in 1604, named the constellation purely descriptively Serpentarius: the man who holds the snake (Latin: Serpens). The standard name Ophiuchus, on the other hand, is the Latin form of “he who holds Ophis,” and Ophis (ὄφις) is the Greek word for snake. Here, the word was apparently interpreted as a proper name.
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	==== Babylonian ====		==== Babylonian ====
			see

			* [[ZA.BA4.BA4\|<sup>d</sup>ZA.BA<sub>4</sub>.BA<sub>4</sub>]]
			* [[AD6\|AD<sub>6</sub>]]
			* TE<sub>8</sub>[[TE8.mušen\|<sup>mušen</sup>]] / [[TE8.mušen\|A<sub>2</sub><sup>mušen</sup>]]

	==== Greco-Roman ====		==== Greco-Roman ====

Sushoff at 19:38, 24 February 2026

2026-02-24T19:38:55Z

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 ==Etymology and History==
-The Greek constellation ...
+===Origin of Constellation===
-===Origin of Constellation===
+For the Greeks, this male figure was Asclepius (Roman: Aesculapius), whose staff is still an international symbol of pharmacists today. This deity is probably based on a real person – but who that person was is questionable. Several great physicians from Greek and Egyptian history come into question. Perhaps it also varied from region to region, but the archetype of the highly skilled physician (or pharmacist) is certainly worthy of deification.
 ==== Babylonian ====
@@ Line 1,202: / Line 1,214: @@
 ==Mythology==
 ==Weblinks==

Sushoff: /* Hipparchus */

2026-02-23T16:52:15Z

Hipparchus

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:52, 23 February 2026
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	\|-		\|-
	\|		\|
	\|		\|Lib 29
	\|		\|Sco 23
	\|		\|Leo 3
	\|		\|Vir 3
	\|-		\|-
	\|		\|
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	\|-		\|-
	\|star		\|star
	\|		\|those in the left hand which also lay in the snake
	\|		\|of the four in the right foot the second from the west
	\|		\|
	\|		\|
	\|-		\|-
	\|duration		\|duration
	\| colspan="4" \|~~2 1/8~~ hours = 127.5 min = 31 7/8 degree		\| colspan="4" \|3 hours = 127.5 min = 31 7/8 degree
	\|}		\|}

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	\|-		\|-
	\|		\|
	\|		\|Sco 11
	\|		\|Cap 2
	\|		\|Cap 25
	\|		\|Psc 10 1/2
	\|-		\|-
	\|		\|
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	\|-		\|-
	\|star		\|star
	\|		\|the left one in the foot
	\|		\|the one in the head
	\|		\|
	\|		\|
	\|-		\|-
	\|duration		\|duration
	\| colspan="4" \|~~2 2/~~3 hours = ~~160~~ min = ~~40°~~		\| colspan="4" \|3 hours = 180 min = 45°
	\|}		\|}

Sushoff: /* Hipparchus */

2026-02-22T17:50:39Z

Hipparchus

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 <blockquote>'''Var. 1:''' This is the figure standing on Scorpius, with the snake in his hands. It is said that this is Asclepius, and that Zeus raised him among the constellations to please Apollo. Asclepius practised the medical art so well that he even brought the dead back to life, and the last person he resuscitated was Hippolytus [the son of Theseus]. As the gods were worried that the prodigies performed by Asclepius might lead to an end to the honours paid to them by men, it is said that Zeus, in a fit of anger, brought Asclepius back to life. Zeus, in anger, is said to have hurled his thunderbolt against the home of Asclepius; later, out of respect for Apollo, he raised Asclepius among the constellations. He is easily identified by his position, above the largest of the constellations, Scorpius, and his image is easily recognisable. The Snake Bearerhas a shining star on its head, one on each shoulder, three on the left arm, four on the right arm, one on each hip, one on each knee, one on the right calf and one on each foot, the brightest being the one on the right foot. Seventeen in all. The Snake has two stars on the tip of its head... </blockquote><blockquote>'''Var. 2:''' This is the figure standing on the Scorpion with a snake in his hands. Some astronomers claim that this is Asclepius and that Zeus, because he had struck him with lightning, decided to grant him this honour to please Apollo (because in the midst of men he used his medical knowledge to bring the dead back to life). Zeus, therefore, was angry and hurled his thunderbolt against his home; but, out of respect for Apollo, he raised Asclepius among the constellations. The Serpentarian has a shining star on his head, a shining one on each shoulder, three on the left arm, four on the right arm four on the right arm, one on each hip, one on each knee, one on the right calf, one on each foot. In all seventeen. (Pamias and Zucker 2013)</blockquote>
 ===== Hipparchus =====
 ===== Hyginus, Astronomica =====

YoulaAzkarrula: /* Almagest Ὀφιοῦχος. */

2026-02-06T10:46:45Z

Almagest Ὀφιοῦχος.

Show changes

Sushoff at 13:29, 20 January 2026

2026-01-20T13:29:40Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:29, 20 January 2026
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			Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}
			----
	[[File:Ophiuchus (oph).tiff\|alt=star chart\|thumb\|Oph star chart (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg).]]		[[File:Ophiuchus (oph).tiff\|alt=star chart\|thumb\|Oph star chart (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg).]]
	One of the [[:Category:88_IAU-Constellations\|88 IAU constellations]]; it is actually a [[:Category:Super-Constellation\|super-constellation]] consisting of the IAU-constellations Ophiuchus and [[Serpens]].		One of the [[:Category:88_IAU-Constellations\|88 IAU constellations]]; it is actually a [[:Category:Super-Constellation\|super-constellation]] consisting of the IAU-constellations Ophiuchus and [[Serpens]].

Sushoff at 13:28, 5 September 2025

2025-09-05T13:28:05Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:28, 5 September 2025
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	[[Category:Modern]]		[[Category:Modern]]
	[[Category:88 IAU-Constellations]]		[[Category:88 IAU-Constellations]]
	[[Category:European]]		[[Category:European]][[Category:Zodiac]]
	[[Category:4work]]		[[Category:4work]]

Sushoff at 10:13, 10 August 2025

2025-08-10T10:13:32Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:13, 10 August 2025
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	[[File:Ophiuchus (oph).tiff\|alt=star chart\|thumb\|Oph star chart (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg).]]		[[File:Ophiuchus (oph).tiff\|alt=star chart\|thumb\|Oph star chart (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg).]]
	One of the [[:Category:88_IAU-Constellations\|88 IAU constellations]].		One of the [[:Category:88_IAU-Constellations\|88 IAU constellations]]; it is actually a [[:Category:Super-Constellation\|super-constellation]] consisting of the IAU-constellations Ophiuchus and [[Serpens]].

	==Etymology and History==		==Etymology and History==