Star lore
Rasalhague
Direct answer
Rasalhague is Alpha Ophiuchi, a rapidly rotating star marking the head of Ophiuchus.
Rasalhague is the bright head star of the Serpent Bearer.
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At a glance
- Found in
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Related
- Scheat, Enif, Ras Algethi, Kochab
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The story behind Rasalhague
The Arabic-derived name means head of the serpent collector or bearer and encodes its map position.
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Why Rasalhague matters
Rasalhague’s position anchors a large constellation whose body can otherwise be difficult to distinguish above Scorpius.
How to read Rasalhague
Find Rasalhague southeast of Hercules and pair it with nearby Ras Algethi before tracing Ophiuchus southward.
Rasalhague in practice: an example
Modern measurements show rotational flattening and a faint stellar companion.
Where readings of Rasalhague go wrong
Rasalhague and Ras Algethi are nearby in appearance but belong to different constellations and systems.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- IAU Division C Working Group on Star Names - Official IAU working group responsible for standardizing star names used in international astronomy.
- CDS SIMBAD Astronomical Database - Professional astronomical database for stellar identifiers, positions, classifications, and bibliography.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Last updated
- 2026-09-26
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Common questions
What is Rasalhague?
Rasalhague is Alpha Ophiuchi, a rapidly rotating star marking the head of Ophiuchus.
What does the name Rasalhague mean?
The Arabic-derived name means head of the serpent collector or bearer and encodes its map position.
What do people get wrong about Rasalhague?
Rasalhague and Ras Algethi are nearby in appearance but belong to different constellations and systems.
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