Images Dated 15th October 1999

Optical image of the constellation Ophiuchus

Constellation Ophiuchus. Optical image of the constellation Ophiuchus, the snake-bearer. North is at top. The body of the snake-bearer is formed of a loose oval of stars. The head is the bright star at upper left, with his lower body formed of the row of three stars stretching from lower left to upper right. At lower right, the bright red star Antares (Alpha Scorpii) is seen, in the neighbouring constellation Scorpius. At bottom left, part of the dense star clouds of the central Milky Way can be seen in the constellation Sagittarius. Ophiuchus represents Asclepius, the ancient Greek god of medicine, who held a snake as a symbol of healing

© JOHN SANFORD/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY