Which constellation is the serpent bearer?

Which constellation is the serpent bearer? Ophiuchus is the constellation traditionally depicted as a man holding a serpent.

The name Ophiuchus comes from the Ancient Greek word for “serpent-bearer.” In star maps, the figure appears to grasp the snake represented by the neighboring constellation Serpens. Ophiuchus's body visually divides Serpens into two officially recognized sections: Serpens Caput, the serpent's head, and Serpens Cauda, its tail.

Ancient stories gave the figure several identities. Greek tradition sometimes associated him with Asclepius, the legendary healer who learned how to restore life. Other accounts connect him with Apollo, Laocoön, or a Babylonian serpent figure. These differing myths explain why the constellation's identity is more varied than its standard nickname suggests.

Ophiuchus was included among the 48 constellations catalogued by the second-century astronomer Ptolemy and remains one of the 88 modern constellations. It straddles the celestial equator and contains Barnard's Star, one of the closest stars to the Sun. Although the Sun's apparent path crosses Ophiuchus, it is not one of the 12 traditional zodiac constellations used in Western astrology, a distinction that often causes confusion.