Star profile
Tau Ophiuchi
What is Tau Ophiuchi
Tau Ophiuchi is a white A-type star in the region of Ophiuchus, the serpent-bearer, a constellation the Sun crosses for a few days in November and December —ignored by traditional astrology but recognised by modern astronomy. Its light has been travelling for nearly 170 years before reaching us. It inhabits an area of sky deeply tied to the summer Milky Way, dense with globular clusters and dark nebulae.
Where it is and when to see it
Tau Ophiuchi lies in the southern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is June, when it culminates around midnight.
- From London it culminates about 30° above the horizon.
- From New York it culminates about 41° above the horizon.
- From Sydney it culminates about 64° above the horizon.
It can be seen from anywhere south of 82° N.
It ranks no. 46 in brightness among the 88 stars of Ophiuchus in our catalogue. To find it, start from Rasalhague, the brightest: it lies about 22° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).
The light you see today left it about 170 years ago.
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Astronomical data for Tau Ophiuchi
- Constellation
- Ophiuchus
- Apparent magnitude
- 5.24
- Distance
- 169.7 light years
- Coordinates (J2000)
- RA 270.768° · Dec -8.182°
- Catalogue
- HYG 119195 · HD 164765
A symbolic commemorative gift: neither the signature nor the chosen name implies ownership of the star or recognition by the IAU.
Other stars in Ophiuchus
Ophiuchus has 88 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.
- RasalhagueAlpha Ophiuchi2.08
- SabikEta Ophiuchi2.43
- Zeta Ophiuchi2.54
- Guniibuu B5.07
- Omicron Ophiuchi5.14
- 23 Ophiuchi5.23
- HIP 806205.24
- 43 Ophiuchi5.30