Sagittarius () (Greek: Toxts, Latin: Sagittarius) is the ninth astrological sign, spanning the 240270th degree of the zodiac and connected with the constellation Sagittarius. The sun transits this sign in the tropical zodiac between November 22 and December 21, and in the sidereal zodiac between December 18 and January 15. Sagittarius is associated with the centaur Chiron, who taught archery to Achilles, a Greek hero of the Trojan War.
Sagittarius, the mythical centaur, is a half-human, half-horse creature whose higher mind acts as a link between Earth and Heaven. Sagittarius is also known as the Archer and is symbolized by a bow and arrow.
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Is the 18th of December a Sagittarius or an Ophiuchus?
Were you born between the 30th of November and the 18th of December?
On your birthday, the sun will most likely pass in front of the constellation Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer.
I’m almost expecting to hear someone say:
You’re entirely correct. Because Ophiuchus is a constellation rather than a zodiac sign, this is the case. Continue reading to learn more about the differences between astrological signs and astronomical constellations, when and where to look for Ophiuchus, the deep-sky gems it holds, its mythology, science, and more.
Signs versus constellations
On August and September evenings, the Serpent Bearer stands tall in the south to southwest sky from Northern Hemisphere latitudes. Ophiuchus is closer to above from the Southern Hemisphere. Antares, the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius the Scorpionis, is also close by.
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) drew up the official boundary lines for all 88 constellations in the 1930s. Rasalhague, Ophiuchus’ brightest star, and Antares, Scorpius’ brightest star, are labeled in the photo below of the constellation Ophiuchus. Rasalhague is a bright star that marks Ophiuchus’ head, although it pales in comparison to Antares, the star that depicts the Scorpion’s beating heart.
Ophiuchus is in a bad way. Despite the fact that the ecliptic passes through him, no one ever claims him as a birth sign. After all, the zodiac band stretches 8 degrees north and south of the ecliptic, with a total width of 16 degrees. The constellations aren’t evenly distributed along this area in our sky, either. Everyone who reads astrological advice online is familiar with the zodiac signs. There are 12 zodiac signs: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, and so forth. However, there is no Ophiuchus.
However, the moon and planets pass through Ophiuchus on a regular basis. Likewise, the sun. From roughly November 30 to December 18, the sun is in front of Ophiuchus.
Around November 21, or anytime the sun is exactly 30 degrees west of the December solstice point, the sun is said to enter the sign of Sagittarius. On the December 21 solstice, the sun enters the sign of Capricorn. So, regardless of the sun shining in front of the constellation Ophiuchus from November 30 to December 18, the sun passes through the sign Sagittarius for the month leading up to the December solstice.
By the way, in around 72 years, the December solstice point advances one degree westward in front of the zodiacal constellationsor backdrop stars. By the year 2269, the December solstice point will have finally moved into the constellation Ophiuchus.
When and where to locate Ophiuchus
Summer in the Northern Hemisphere is the ideal time to see Ophiuchus (Southern Hemisphere winter). Late July and early August in the Northern Hemisphere show this constellation high in the southern sky during twilight and early evening. On fall evenings in the Northern Hemisphere, it can be visible in the southwest sky.
This relatively large constellation lies to the north of Scorpius the Scorpion and to the south of Hercules the Hero in the sky. If you’re familiar with the brightest star in Scorpius, Antares, try star-hopping to Ophiuchus from this crimson beauty. The star Rasalhague appears on Ophiuchus’ skull (Alpha Ophiuchi).
In tradition and in the sky, Ophiuchus is associated with the Serpent constellation.
If you have a dark sky, you might notice that this is one constellation that looks exactly how it should: a large man holding a snake.
Ophiuchus is derived from two Greek words that signify serpent and holding.
Deep-sky objects in Ophiuchus
Take your binoculars and scan Ophiuchus, which lies in the Milky Way band and has numerous deep-sky wonders, on a night when the moon isn’t visible. For example, Ophiuchus has a lot of globular clusters. M10 and M12 are the two simplest globular clusters to see with conventional binoculars, as seen in the chart above. They seem as weak puffs of light via binoculars, but with a telescope, you can see these globular clusters for what they are. They’re massive stellar metropolis with hundreds of thousands of stars that span a hundred to a few hundred light-years in diameter.
The Pipe Nebula, a massive interstellar cloud of gas and dust spreading across nearly 7 degrees of sky, is another big deep-sky favorite. That’s about the width of three to four fingers at arm’s length. This dark nebula is located in southern Ophiuchus at a distance of 600 to 700 light-years and can be viewed with the naked eye in a dark, transparent sky. The Pipe Nebula is located to the east of Antares and to the north of Shaula and Lesath. The above chart shows these two stars (but not the Pipe Nebula).
Ophiuchus in myth and star lore
Ophiuchus represents Asclepius, the Greek deity of medicine and doctors, in Greek mythology. He is always shown with a large serpent or snake in his hand. A snake’s venom can either kill or cure, depending on how it’s utilized. Asclepius is claimed to have manufactured a healing elixir from Serpens the Serpent’s venom, Gorgon’s blood, and an unknown herb. Until the god of the underworld, Pluto, appealed to the king of the gods, this potion granted humanity immortality. Pluto urged Zeus to rethink the consequences of death’s death.
We have no idea how Pluto made his case. Maybe he just said that what never lives never dies, and that no mortal can have one without the other. Sophocles may have summed up the myth’s core theme when he said:
It is preferable to die and sleep the never-waking slumber than to live after the soul’s life has passed.
In his Four Quartets, poet T.S. Eliot may have mirrored the notion of the ever-living story:
We perish in the company of the dying:
We are born with the dead in our midst:
In any case, according to legend, Zeus seized the elixir, exiled Asclepius from Earth, and enshrined the great physician in the celestial realms. Today, the Staff of Asclepius, a symbol of the World Health Organization and other medical organizations, pays homage to this myth and mirrors the magnificent celestial shape of Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer constellation.
Ophiuchus in history and science
A supernova explosion of a star within our own Milky Way galaxy hasn’t been seen in almost 400 years. However, in the year 1604, a supernova known as Kepler’s Supernova blasted into the scene, allowing for 18 months of naked-eye sight. It sparkled in the southern hemisphere of Ophiuchus, not far from the Pipe Nebula.
Tycho’s Supernova, which lighted up Cassiopeia in 1572, was followed by Kepler’s Supernova in 1604. The Aristotelian notion of an unchangeable world outside the orbit of the moon was shattered by these supernovae, which sent shock waves through Europe’s elite. Tycho Brahe measured the 1572 supernova’s parallax, proving that it was not an atmospheric phenomenon. In reality, the supernova flashed well beyond the orbit of the moon. Shortly after, in 1604, Kepler’s Supernova seemed to hammer home the point once more.
Furthermore, in 1577, Tycho Brahe estimated the distance of a comet and discovered that it was also farther away than the moon. Aristotelians wanted to believe comets were gases burning in the atmosphere, but Tycho disproved Aristotle’s unchanging universe theory once more.
Bottom line: For nearly two weeks each year, the sun passes through the constellation Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer, making Ophiuchus an unofficial member of the zodiac. Learn the difference between astrological signs and astronomy constellations, as well as how to find Ophiuchus.
Is Ophiuchus a rare astrological sign?
Aries is the second rarest zodiac sign, followed by Sagittarius, both of which are fire signs, according to Stardust.
According to Stardust, the first sign of the zodiac is Aries, which has a spark of creativity that “gets everyone going and moving.” According to Stardust, Sagittarius, the third rarest zodiac sign, “falls during the autumn season and are renowned to be adventurous and free-spirited.”
Is the constellation Ophiuchus a fire sign?
Although neither astrology system recognizes Ophiuchus as a sign, some sidereal astrologers may use it in their profession. The serpent-bearer constellation is located between the late degrees of the fixed water sign Scorpio and the early degrees of the mutable fire sign Sagittarius.
What are the three Sagittarius types?
A decan connected with the moon, Goddess of mystery and fluidity, begins around December 1 and spans 10-20 degrees of Sagittarius. Because the moon is associated with feminine nocturnal elements, it is not usually regarded as particularly lucky or powerful in masculine fire/air signs. Sagittarius, on the other hand, is a mutable sign, and its fluctuating environment corresponds to the moon’s continual light oscillations. This decan also happens to be opposite the midpoint of the moon’s two most powerful signs, Taurus and Cancer. The moon gently ushers us into the oncoming night here.
The number nine of that element, in this case the Nine of Wands, is associated with the second decan of a mutable sign. The Rider-Waite version of this card, known as “the Lord of Great Strength” in Book T of the Golden Dawn, depicts a battle-scarred warrior who appears to be on alert and ready at all times. At first glance, this does not appear to be a reflection of the moon’s energy, but it is a defensive rather than aggressive posture. Nines depict the suit’s energy being fully realized, as well as the cost of achieving it. It is now necessary to defend what has been gained through a series of wars.
Is the 21st of December a Capricorn or a Sagittarius?
- Aries is the first sign of the zodiac (March 21April 19)
- Taurus is the sign of the bull (April 20May 20)
- Gemini is a sign of the zodiac (May 21June 20)
- Cancer is a disease that affects people (June 21July 22)
- Leo is a sign of the zodiac (July 23August 22)
- Virgo is the sign of the Virgin (August 23September 22)
- Libra is a sign of the zodia (September 23October 22)
- Scorpio is a zodiac sign that (October 23November 21)
- Sagittarius is the sign of the eagle (November 22December 21)
- Capricorn is a sign in the zodiac that (December 22January 19)
- Aquarius is the sign of the water bearer (January 20February 18)
- Pisces is a water sign (February 19March 20)
Is Ophiuchus a divine being?
The Serpent Bearer is the constellation Ophiuchus. From June to October, this enormous constellation can be viewed in the night sky. Despite the fact that the majority of the stars are faint, Ophiuchus’ teapot form makes it easier to locate.
The constellation is made up of three separate figures. Serpens Caput is in Ophiuchus’ left hand, and Serpens Cauda is in his right. He is north of Scorpius and south of Hercules.
In Greek mythology, Ophiuchus represents Asclepius, the god of medicine. Asclepius was Apollo’s son and was tutored by the Centaur Chiron. He discovered how to resurrect the dead, which alarmed Hades. The underworld god asked his brother Zeus to assassinate the medicine god. To commemorate him, Zeus struck him dead and then placed the figure of Asclepius in the sky.
In this constellation, there aren’t many bright stars, yet one stands out. A recurrent nova is a type of star like RS Ophiuchi. These weird things are dark for a long time before suddenly brightening. The brightest star is Ras Alhague, which is the serpent bearer’s head.
There are several celestial objects in Ophiuchus. The constellation has multiple clusters and one nebula.
What is the difference between Sagittarius and Ophiuchus?
It all started with a story that had been resurfaced. Ophiuchus, or the serpent-bearer, is the 13th zodiac sign found by NASA. Anyone born between November 29 and December 17 is an Ophiuchus, not a Scorpio or a Sagittarius. Scorpio’s window would be reduced to just seven days, and the entire astrology chart would alter, resulting in different star signs for some Pisces, Leos, and Libras. As astrology fans on the internet began to panic, NASA stepped in to gently correct the record.
Is the 22nd of November a Scorpio or a Sagittarius?
Sagittarius is the zodiac sign of people born between November 22nd and December 21st. Sagittarius is the ninth zodiac sign, and their zodiac element is ‘Fire.’
What are the three zodiac signs that are extremely rare?
Some may consider this sign to be the rarest because it is rarely utilized, but when most people ask which signs are the most and least common, they truly mean within the range of the 12 zodiac signs we are most familiar with.
Despite the fact that Aquarius is the least common zodiac sign, there are many renowned Aquarians.
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