STARS AND CONSTELLATIONS

The constellation of Ophiuchus is represented by an asterism of faint stars, ‘the coffin’, framing a dark area of the Milky Way caused by obscuring galactic dust. He is depicted as holding a snake curved around his waist. This is Serpens, the only constellation divided in two – Serpens Caput for the head and Serpens Cauda for the tail. Ophiuchus was seen as the god of medicine by the Greeks, with unequalled powers. The snake taught him to raise the dead by using a magical herb.