ζ Ophiuchi (zeta Ophiuchi)

Altitude: 4.6° Azimuth: 246.6° Direction: West-South-West

ζ Ophiuchi is a variable main-sequence star in the constellation of Ophiuchus.

ζ Ophiuchi visual magnitude is 2.56. Thanks to its high brightness, ζ Ophiuchi is clearly visible when observed from locations with dark skyes, and should be also quite easily visible from light polluted areas.

The table below summarizes the key facts about ζ Ophiuchi:

Color of ζ Ophiuchi ⬤

Magnitude of ζ Ophiuchi 2.56

Class Main-sequence

VISIBILITY RIGHT NOW

ζ Ophiuchi (zeta Ophiuchi) is above the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt.

Altitude: 4.6°
Azimuth: 246.6°
Direction: West-South-West

Celestial coordinates and finder chart of ζ Ophiuchi

ζ Ophiuchi is situated close to the celestial equator, as such, it is at least partly visible from both hemispheres in certain times of the year. Celestial coordinates for the J2000 equinox as well as galactic coordinates of ζ Ophiuchi are provided in the following table:

Right Ascension J2000 16h 37m 09s

Declination J2000 -10° 34’ 01”

Galactic Longitude 6.28°

Galactic Latitude 23.59°

Constellation Ophiuchus

The simplified sky map below shows the position of ζ Ophiuchi in the sky:

Finder chart ζ Ophiuchi (zeta Ophiuchi) star

Simplified finder chart for ζ Ophiuchi (zeta Ophiuchi).

Visibility of ζ Ophiuchi from your location

Location: Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London

Today's ζ Ophiuchi (zeta Ophiuchi) rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):

Azimuth: 100.6° RISE 11:48

Max altitude: 28.0° TRANSIT 16:52

Azimuth: 259.4° SET 21:56

Digitized Sky Survey image of ζ Ophiuchi

The image below is a photograph of ζ Ophiuchi from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2 - see the credits section) taken in the red channel. The area of sky represented in the image is 0.5x0.5 degrees (30x30 arcmins). The proper motion of ζ Ophiuchi is 0.014 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and 0.026 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 10000 years is represented with the red arrow.

Image of ζ Ophiuchi (zeta Ophiuchi) star

DSS2 image of ζ Ophiuchi. The red arrow shows the motion of ζ Ophiuchi during the next 10000 years (2.33 arcmin in Right Ascension and 4.33 arcmin in declination);

Distance of ζ Ophiuchi from the Sun and relative movement

ζ Ophiuchi is distant 457.87 light years from the Sun and it is moving towards the Sun at the speed of 15 kilometers per second.

Distance (parsec) 140.45 pc

Distance (light year) 457.87 ly

Heliocentric radial velocity -15 km/s

Proper Motion RA 0.014 arcsec/year

Proper Motion Dec 0.026 arcsec/year

Spectral properties of ζ Ophiuchi

ζ Ophiuchi belongs to spectral class O9 and has a luminosity class of V corresponding to a main-sequence star.

Absolute magnitude -3.18

Spectral Type O9V

Color Index (B-V) 0.02

Temperature of ζ Ophiuchi 9882K

The red dot in the diagram below shows where ζ Ophiuchi is situated in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.

H-R diagram showing the position of ζ Ophiuchi. Attribution: Richard Powell / CC BY-SA

Alternative designations of ζ Ophiuchi

Bayer designation ζ Ophiuchi
(zeta Ophiuchi)

Flamsteed designation 13 Ophiuchi

Henry Draper Catalogue HD149757

SAO Catalogue SAO160006

Hipparcos Catalogue HIP81377

Durchmusterung Catalogue BD-10 4350

FK5 Catalogue 622

General Catalogue of Variable Stars Zet Oph

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