Ophiuchus – Astronomy Now

Messier 14: An Ophiuchus globular

24 July 2023 Mark Armstrong

Messier 14 (NGC 6402) is one of Ophiuchus’ seven Messier-tagged globular clusters, which are incredibly dense balls of stars that can provide striking viewing.

Observe the best of Ophiuchus’ splendid bunch of Messier globular clusters

21 June 2022 Mark Armstrong

It’s exciting to observing the multitude of bright globular clusters, incredibly dense balls of stars that provide striking viewing with even a modest optical aid, that are on show at this time of the year.

Further Jupiter events for UK observers in July 2019

28 June 2019 Ade Ashford

July opens with Jupiter three weeks after opposition, but the largest planet is still putting on a fine show as an unmistakable magnitude -2.6 object low in the south before midnight in the constellation of Ophiuchus (the Serpent Bearer). With ongoing developments in the Jupiter’s Great Red Spot and plenty of phenomena occurring with the planet’s large Galilean moons, here’s our Jovian observing guide for July 2019.

See dwarf planet Ceres at its best for 2019

28 May 2019 Ade Ashford

Have you ever seen a dwarf planet? Of the five within our solar system recognised by the International Astronomical Union – Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake and Eris – only Ceres can be considered bright and easy to locate. It reaches opposition in the constellation of Scorpius on 29 May at magnitude +7, an easy binocular object if you follow our guide.

See the Moon and Jupiter get close in the small hours of 21 May

19 May 2019 Ade Ashford

Observers in the UK with clear skies around 1am BST on Tuesday, 21 May can see Jupiter, the solar system’s largest planet, just 4 degrees from the waning gibbous Moon low in the south-southeast. At this time both the Moon and Jupiter fit within the same field of view of binoculars magnifying less than 10×, while telescope users can also view Jupiter’s Great Red Spot.

See the waning Moon meet Jupiter and Saturn at dawn, 27–29 March

25 March 2019 Ade Ashford

For lunar and planetary enthusiasts, the only naked-eye planet of the evening sky is distant and tiny Mars in the constellation of Taurus. But if you’re prepared to be an early riser, the dawn sky is where you’ll find two of the solar system’s heavyweights, Jupiter and Saturn, getting up close with the Moon on 27 and 29 March, respectively.

See a dawn triple conjunction and a lunar occultation on 31 January

22 January 2019 Ade Ashford

Skywatchers in the UK and Western Europe should look low to the south-southeast an hour before sunrise on 31 January to see a beautiful naked-eye conjunction of Venus, the old crescent Moon and Jupiter, all within a span of 8½ degrees. But if you have a telescope and live in just the right place, you can also see the Moon hide a double star.

Watch Venus and Jupiter get close in the dawn sky on 22 January

21 January 2019 Ade Ashford

Observers in Western Europe with a clear view to the south-southeast at nautical dawn can watch the changing configuration two prominent naked-eye planets over the next few mornings, culminating in a beautiful close conjunction of Venus and Jupiter on 22 January 2019.

See the old Moon close to Venus then Jupiter in the dawn sky

28 December 2018 Ade Ashford

Early risers in the UK with an unobstructed horizon from southeast through south can see the old crescent Moon close to dazzling Venus in Libra then Jupiter in Ophiuchus over three consecutive mornings starting New Year’s Day around 7am GMT. The brightest and largest planets lie little more than the span of an outstretched hand at arm’s length apart at this time.

Find Barnard’s Star, the Sun’s closest stellar neighbour visible from the UK

17 August 2018 Ade Ashford

Barnard’s Star is a familiar name in both the history of astronomy and popular culture, but did you realise that it’s the closest stellar body to the Sun that you can see from the British Isles and similar latitudes? We tell you some fascinating facts about this famous runaway star and show you how to locate it.