Ophiucus Constellation

9.00 pm last thursday west sky, captured this then controversial, 13th zodiac constellation Ophiuchus. However, the findings have been irrelevant to Vedic Astrology.

Ophiuchus lies between Aquila, Serpens, Scorpius, Sagittarius, and Hercules, northwest of the center of the Milky Way. In the northern hemisphere, it is best visible in summer. Ophiuchus is depicted as a man grasping a serpent; the interposition of his body divides the snake constellation Serpens into two parts, Serpens Caput and Serpens Cauda (wikipedia courtesy). I could not capture both side of the serpents. Next time, more exposure time in astro mode I might get lucky to figure out the full constellation.

Ophiuchus is one of the constellations that cross the ecliptic. 

What is ecliptic in astronomy?

Ecliptic, in astronomy, the great circle that is the apparent path of the Sun among the constellations in the course of a year; from another viewpoint, the projection on the celestial sphere of the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. The constellations of the zodiac are arranged along the ecliptic.

The head of Ophiuchus is marked by the star Rasalhague. I try locating this constellation from the Scorpius star, Antares.

There are four meteor showers associated with the constellation: the Ophiuchids, the Northern May Ophiuchids, the Southern May Ophiuchids and the Theta Ophiuchids. Its visibility from India is something we have to verify during that specific time of occurence.