Serpens

English name Snake

Major
stars alpha Serpentis Unukalhai magn. 2,7 RA: 15h 44m 16.07s Dec: +06° 25' 32.2"
eta Serpentis magn. 3,4 RA: 18h 21m 18.67s Dec: -02° 53' 54.1"

Description Serpens has a peculiarity that distinguishes it from all the other constellation: even if it is only one constellation, it is divided into two distinct portions, separated by Ophiuchus: in the west there is the snake's head, Serpens Caput, the greatest and most evident part; in the east the there is the tail, Serpens Cauda.
M16 There are some interesting double stars, all separable with small telescopes: they are, in particular, beta, delta, theta and ny Serpentis. Remarkable is also a stellar cluster, M16 (on the left), near the border with Scutum: it is composed by about fifty stars, surrounded by a weak nebulosity known as Eagle Nebula.
Next to the border with Virgo, besides, there is a very beautiful globular cluster, M5 (on the right), visible with modest instruments (but to distinguish the single stars you need a rahter powerful telescope).

Mythology
and history The constellation represents the snake that Ophiuchus holds in its hands.

English name	Snake

Major stars	alpha Serpentis	Unukalhai	magn. 2,7	RA: 15h 44m 16.07s	Dec: +06° 25' 32.2"
Major stars	eta Serpentis		magn. 3,4	RA: 18h 21m 18.67s	Dec: -02° 53' 54.1"

Description	Serpens has a peculiarity that distinguishes it from all the other constellation: even if it is only one constellation, it is divided into two distinct portions, separated by Ophiuchus: in the west there is the snake's head, Serpens Caput, the greatest and most evident part; in the east the there is the tail, Serpens Cauda. There are some interesting double stars, all separable with small telescopes: they are, in particular, beta, delta, theta and ny Serpentis. Remarkable is also a stellar cluster, M16 (on the left), near the border with Scutum: it is composed by about fifty stars, surrounded by a weak nebulosity known as Eagle Nebula. Next to the border with Virgo, besides, there is a very beautiful globular cluster, M5 (on the right), visible with modest instruments (but to distinguish the single stars you need a rahter powerful telescope).

Mythology and history	The constellation represents the snake that Ophiuchus holds in its hands.

Serpens

Back to constellations page.