Zeta Ophiuchi
Encyclopedia
Zeta Ophiuchi is a star
located in the constellation
of Ophiuchus
. It was a member of indigenous Arabic asterism
al-Nasaq al-Yamānī, "the Southern Line" of al-Nasaqān "the Two Lines"., along with α Ser
(Unukalhai), δ Ser
(Qin, Tsin), ε Ser
(Ba, Pa), δ Oph
(Yed Prior), ε Ser
(Yed Posterior) and γ Oph
(Tsung Ching).
According to the catalogue of stars in the Technical Memorandum 33-507 - A Reduced Star Catalog Containing 537 Named Stars, al-Nasaq al-Yamānī or Nasak Yamani were the title for two stars :δ Ser
as Nasak Yamani I and ε Ser
as Nasak Yamani II (exclude this star, α Ser
, δ Oph
, ε Oph
and γ Oph
)
In Chinese
, , meaning Right Wall of Heavenly Market Enclosure
, refers to an asterism which is represent eleven old states in China which is marking the right borderline of the enclosure, consisting of ζ Ophiuchi, β Herculis
, γ Herculis
, κ Herculis
, γ Serpentis, β Serpentis
, α Serpentis
, δ Serpentis
, ε Serpentis
, δ Ophiuchi
and ε Ophiuchi
. Consequently, ζ Ophiuchi itself is known as , represent the state Han
(韓), together with 35 Capricorni in Twelve States
(asterism).
star it appears reddish due to interstellar dust that absorbs much of blue light. In fact, were it not for this dust, ζ Ophiuchi would shine several times brighter and be among the very brightest visible. ζ Ophiuchi is roughly half way through the initial phase of its stellar evolution
and will within the next few million years expand into a supergiant
star before ending its life in a spectacular supernova
.
Discoveries announced in early 2011 show that ζ Ophiuchi is moving through space at 87000 kilometre per hour, having likely been ejected from orbit around a more massive star that was destroyed in its own supernova blast. Due to this high proper motion in combination with high intrinsic brightness and its current location in a dust-rich area of the galaxy, the star is creating a bow-shock in the direction of motion. This shock has been made visible via NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer
.
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
located in the constellation
Constellation
In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
of Ophiuchus
Ophiuchus
Ophiuchus is a large constellation located around the celestial equator. Its name is from the Greek "serpent-bearer", and it is commonly represented as a man grasping the snake that is represented by the constellation Serpens. Ophiuchus was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century...
. It was a member of indigenous Arabic asterism
Asterism (astronomy)
In astronomy, an asterism is a pattern of stars recognized on Earth's night sky. It may form part of an official constellation, or be composed of stars from more than one. Like constellations, asterisms are in most cases composed of stars which, while they are visible in the same general direction,...
al-Nasaq al-Yamānī, "the Southern Line" of al-Nasaqān "the Two Lines"., along with α Ser
Alpha Serpentis
Alpha Serpentis is a triple star system in the constellation Serpens, in its head . Alpha Serpentis has the proper names Unukalhai, from the Arabic عنق الحية ‘Unuq al-Ħayyah "the Serpent's Neck", and Cor Serpentis from the Latin "the Heart of the Serpent"...
(Unukalhai), δ Ser
Delta Serpentis
Delta Serpentis is a star system in the constellation Serpens, in its head . It was a member of indigenous Arabic asterism al-Nasaq al-Yamānī, "the Southern Line" of al-Nasaqān "the Two Lines"., along with α Ser , ε Ser , δ Oph , ε Oph , ζ Oph and γ Oph .According to the...
(Qin, Tsin), ε Ser
Epsilon Serpentis
Epsilon Serpentis is a star in the constellation Serpens, in its head .It was a member of indigenous Arabic asterism al-Nasaq al-Yamānī, "the Southern Line" of al-Nasaqān "the Two Lines"., along with α Ser , δ Ser , δ Oph , ε Oph , ζ Oph and γ Oph .According to the...
(Ba, Pa), δ Oph
Delta Ophiuchi
Delta Ophiuchi is a star in the constellation Ophiuchus. It has the traditional name Yed Prior ....
(Yed Prior), ε Ser
Epsilon Serpentis
Epsilon Serpentis is a star in the constellation Serpens, in its head .It was a member of indigenous Arabic asterism al-Nasaq al-Yamānī, "the Southern Line" of al-Nasaqān "the Two Lines"., along with α Ser , δ Ser , δ Oph , ε Oph , ζ Oph and γ Oph .According to the...
(Yed Posterior) and γ Oph
Gamma Ophiuchi
Gamma Ophiuchi is a Class A4, fourth-magnitude star in the constellation Ophiuchus. Gamma Ophiuchi is a stellar system located about 95 light-years from Earth....
(Tsung Ching).
According to the catalogue of stars in the Technical Memorandum 33-507 - A Reduced Star Catalog Containing 537 Named Stars, al-Nasaq al-Yamānī or Nasak Yamani were the title for two stars :δ Ser
Delta Serpentis
Delta Serpentis is a star system in the constellation Serpens, in its head . It was a member of indigenous Arabic asterism al-Nasaq al-Yamānī, "the Southern Line" of al-Nasaqān "the Two Lines"., along with α Ser , ε Ser , δ Oph , ε Oph , ζ Oph and γ Oph .According to the...
as Nasak Yamani I and ε Ser
Epsilon Serpentis
Epsilon Serpentis is a star in the constellation Serpens, in its head .It was a member of indigenous Arabic asterism al-Nasaq al-Yamānī, "the Southern Line" of al-Nasaqān "the Two Lines"., along with α Ser , δ Ser , δ Oph , ε Oph , ζ Oph and γ Oph .According to the...
as Nasak Yamani II (exclude this star, α Ser
Alpha Serpentis
Alpha Serpentis is a triple star system in the constellation Serpens, in its head . Alpha Serpentis has the proper names Unukalhai, from the Arabic عنق الحية ‘Unuq al-Ħayyah "the Serpent's Neck", and Cor Serpentis from the Latin "the Heart of the Serpent"...
, δ Oph
Delta Ophiuchi
Delta Ophiuchi is a star in the constellation Ophiuchus. It has the traditional name Yed Prior ....
, ε Oph
Epsilon Ophiuchi
Epsilon Ophiuchi is a star in the constellation Ophiuchus. It has the traditional name Yed Posterior ....
and γ Oph
Gamma Ophiuchi
Gamma Ophiuchi is a Class A4, fourth-magnitude star in the constellation Ophiuchus. Gamma Ophiuchi is a stellar system located about 95 light-years from Earth....
)
In Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
, , meaning Right Wall of Heavenly Market Enclosure
Heavenly Market enclosure
Tian Shi Yuan, the Heavenly Market Enclosure , is one of the San Yuan or Three enclosures. Stars and constellations of this group are visible during late summer and early autumn in the Northern Hemisphere . The summer triangle lies directly to the northwest.-Asterisms:The asterisms are :...
, refers to an asterism which is represent eleven old states in China which is marking the right borderline of the enclosure, consisting of ζ Ophiuchi, β Herculis
Beta Herculis
Beta Herculis , which also has the name Kornephoros, is the brightest star in the constellation of Hercules. It has an apparent visual magnitude which varies between 2.76 and 2.81.Although β Herculis appears to the naked eye to be a single star, W. W...
, γ Herculis
Gamma Herculis
Gamma Herculis is a magnitude 3.74 binary star in the constellation Hercules. It is a giant star with a stellar classification of A9III that is located at a distance of about 195 light years from the Earth.-Name:...
, κ Herculis
Kappa Herculis
Kappa Herculis is a double star in the constellation Hercules. Traditional names that have been attributed to the star are "Marfik", "Marfak" or "Marsic", all of which come from the Arabic لمرفق Al-Mirfaq meaning "the elbow", a name it shares with Lambda Ophiuchi.- Properties :Kappa Herculis is a...
, γ Serpentis, β Serpentis
Beta Serpentis
Beta Serpentis is a star system in the constellation Serpens, in its head . It was a member of indigenous Arabic asterism al-Nasaq al-Sha'āmī, "the Northern Line" of al-Nasaqān "the Two Lines", along with β Her , γ Her and γ Ser .According to the catalogue of stars in the Technical Memorandum...
, α Serpentis
Alpha Serpentis
Alpha Serpentis is a triple star system in the constellation Serpens, in its head . Alpha Serpentis has the proper names Unukalhai, from the Arabic عنق الحية ‘Unuq al-Ħayyah "the Serpent's Neck", and Cor Serpentis from the Latin "the Heart of the Serpent"...
, δ Serpentis
Delta Serpentis
Delta Serpentis is a star system in the constellation Serpens, in its head . It was a member of indigenous Arabic asterism al-Nasaq al-Yamānī, "the Southern Line" of al-Nasaqān "the Two Lines"., along with α Ser , ε Ser , δ Oph , ε Oph , ζ Oph and γ Oph .According to the...
, ε Serpentis
Epsilon Serpentis
Epsilon Serpentis is a star in the constellation Serpens, in its head .It was a member of indigenous Arabic asterism al-Nasaq al-Yamānī, "the Southern Line" of al-Nasaqān "the Two Lines"., along with α Ser , δ Ser , δ Oph , ε Oph , ζ Oph and γ Oph .According to the...
, δ Ophiuchi
Delta Ophiuchi
Delta Ophiuchi is a star in the constellation Ophiuchus. It has the traditional name Yed Prior ....
and ε Ophiuchi
Epsilon Ophiuchi
Epsilon Ophiuchi is a star in the constellation Ophiuchus. It has the traditional name Yed Posterior ....
. Consequently, ζ Ophiuchi itself is known as , represent the state Han
Han (state)
Han was a kingdom during the Warring States Period in China, located in modern-day Shanxi and Henan. Not to be confused with South Korea which shares the same character....
(韓), together with 35 Capricorni in Twelve States
Girl (Chinese constellation)
The Girl mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the northern mansions of the Black Tortoise.- Asterisms :...
(asterism).
Properties
Although ζ Ophiuchi is a hot blue supergiantBlue supergiant
Blue supergiants are supergiant stars of spectral type O or B.They are extremely hot and bright, with surface temperatures of 30,000-50,000 K. They typically have 10 to 50 solar masses on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, and can have radii up to about 25 solar radii...
star it appears reddish due to interstellar dust that absorbs much of blue light. In fact, were it not for this dust, ζ Ophiuchi would shine several times brighter and be among the very brightest visible. ζ Ophiuchi is roughly half way through the initial phase of its stellar evolution
Stellar evolution
Stellar evolution is the process by which a star undergoes a sequence of radical changes during its lifetime. Depending on the mass of the star, this lifetime ranges from only a few million years to trillions of years .Stellar evolution is not studied by observing the life of a single...
and will within the next few million years expand into a supergiant
Supergiant
Supergiants are among the most massive stars. They occupy the top region of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. In the Yerkes spectral classification, supergiants are class Ia or Ib . They typically have bolometric absolute magnitudes between -5 and -12...
star before ending its life in a spectacular supernova
Supernova
A supernova is a stellar explosion that is more energetic than a nova. It is pronounced with the plural supernovae or supernovas. Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months...
.
Discoveries announced in early 2011 show that ζ Ophiuchi is moving through space at 87000 kilometre per hour, having likely been ejected from orbit around a more massive star that was destroyed in its own supernova blast. Due to this high proper motion in combination with high intrinsic brightness and its current location in a dust-rich area of the galaxy, the star is creating a bow-shock in the direction of motion. This shock has been made visible via NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer
Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer
Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer is a NASA infrared-wavelength astronomical space telescope launched on December 14, 2009, and decommissioned/hibernated on February 17, 2011 when its transmitter was turned off...
.