Serpens Constellation: The Ultimate Guide
Serpens (The Serpent)
Serpens is a constellation located at the Earth's celestial equator. The name of the constellation comes from Greek and means 'Serpent'.
The constellation Serpens is visible in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres but not in regions too close to the North Pole and the South Pole.
Serpens is a unique constellation as it is the only one divided into two separate parts; on the one hand, there is Serpens Caput (Snakehead) to the west and Serpens Cauda (Snake tail) to the east.
The constellation of Ophiuchus separates both parts. In addition, Serpens is a constellation with very faint stars, so it isn't easy to see in the sky.
The brightest star in Serpens is Unukalhai (α Ser /α Serpentis), with an apparent magnitude of 2.63.
Serpens is also home to many deep-sky bodies such as galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters.
In addition, within the constellation's boundaries, a meteor shower occurs.
The Mythology And History Of The Serpens Constellation
Ancient China
Astronomers from ancient China drew most of the stars in the constellation Serpens, depicted with the figure of a wall surrounding a market known as Tianshi.
This market occupied the regions that currently belong to the constellation Serpens and the constellation Hercules.
Greek Mythology
In Greek culture, Serpens is represented by the image of a serpent held by the healer, the constellation of Ophiuchus.
Although Ophiuchus and Serpens are classified as two different constellations and separated from each other, both were almost always considered a single constellation in ancient times.
Early Modern Period
In 1920 the Belgian astronomer Eugène Delporte established the boundaries of modern constellations and chose to represent the constellations of Ophiuchus and Serpens as two different constellations.
The problem with this choice was how to untangle the two constellations and draw them separately on the celestial maps.
So after several options, Finally, Delporte decided to divide Serpens into two areas separated by the constellation of Ophiuchus. These two areas became known as Serpens Caput and Serpens Cauda.
Nowadays
Although there was controversy for dividing a constellation into two separate parts, the astronomical community accepted the idea over time, as it helped differentiate the two constellations.
Later the International Astronomical Union would take this constellation design as the official one and would not undergo significant changes in its boundaries since then.
How To Find The Serpens Constellation?
Visibility By Region
The constellation Serpens resides in the third quadrant of the Northern Hemisphere (NQ3), at latitudes between 80° S and 80° N. We can see the constellation in the night sky in every country in the world, including Antarctica.
Serpens is visible in countries like the USA, Europe, Russia, China, and Japan in the northern hemisphere.
Serpens is visible in countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand in the southern hemisphere.
The only regions where Serpens is not visible are too close to the poles, such as northern Greenland or southern Antarctica.
Visibility By Season
Serpens is a constellation near the equator, so it is visible worldwide. However, the best month to see the constellation Serpens is July.
Finding Serpens Constellation
To locate the constellation Serpens, you must look towards the equator of the celestial vault.
Serpens is a medium-sized constellation but very faint; it is complicated to see a lot of light pollution in the sky.
The best way to locate it is to use other constellations, such as the constellation Ophiuchus which is in the middle of the two halves of Serpens.
Related Constellations
The bordering constellations of Serpens are Bootes, Corona Borealis, Hercules, Libra, Ophiuchus, Virgo, Aquila, Ophiuchus, Sagittarius, and Scutum.
In addition, Serpens belongs to the family of constellations of Hercules; these include the constellations eagle, Orion, Andromeda, Crater, Crux, Hercules, Hydra, Lupus, Lyra, Lynx, Sagitta, Scutum, Cetus, Triangulum, and Vulpecula.
Stars in Serpens Constellation
Officially Serpens has 108 stars, of which 13 are part of the central figure of the snake.
These are Unukalhai, Eta Serpentis, Mu Serpentis, Xi Serpentis, Beta Serpentis, Epsilon Serpentis, Delta Serpentis, Gamma Serpentis, Kappa Serpentis, Nu Serpentis, Lambda Serpentis. Iota Serpentis and Alya.
α Serpentis (Unukalhai or Unuk)
Unuk is an orange giant star 73 light-years from Earth; it is the brightest in the constellation Serpens with a magnitude of 2.63.
Eta Serpentis (η Ser / 58 Serpentis)
Eta Serpentis is the second brightest star in the constellation Serpens at magnitude 3.26. It is a giant orange star.
Other Serpens Stars:
- β Serpentis (Chow), a white star of magnitude 3.54.
- γ Serpentis, yellow dwarf 36 light-years from the solar system.
- δ Serpentis, binary star.
- ε Serpentis, a white main-sequence star of magnitude 3.71.
- ζ Serpentis, a white-yellow subgiant of magnitude 4.62.
- θ Serpentis (Alya), binary star system.
- κ Serpentis, red giant 348 light-years from the solar system.
- λ Serpentis,starsyellow38 light-years from Earth.
- μ Serpentis, white main sequence star 156 light-years away.
- ο Serpentis, white star of magnitude 4.24.
- ξ Serpentis, Delta Scuti variable binary at 105 light-years.
- π Serpentis, white star.
- σ Serpentis, a white star of magnitude 4.82.
- τ Serpentis, multiple stars.
- φ Serpentis, orange subgiant of magnitude 5.54.
- χ Serpentis, star of magnitude 5.32.
- ψ Serpentis, binary star.
- 5 Serpentis, yellow and variable giant BY Draconis.
- 10 Serpentis, white subgiant of magnitude 5.15.
- 39 Serpentis, yellow dwarf 57 light-years.
- R Serpentis, is a variable star type Mira.
- AS Serpentis, it was eclipsing binary of magnitude 11.62.
- FR Serpentis, star Ap and variable Alfa2 Canum Venaticorum.
- MS Serpentis, b starand variable BY Draconis.
- NN Serpentis is a binary system.
- OT Serpentis red dwarf.
- QY Serpentis is a red giant and semi-irregular variable.
- MWC 297 (NZ Serpentis), Be-type star.
- HD 143436 is a yellow star of magnitude 8.04 142 light-years from Earth.
- HD 168443 is a yellow dwarf with a giant planet and a brown dwarf.
- HD 168746 is a yellow dwarf with an exoplanet.
- Gliese 701, red dwarf 25 light-years away.
- Gliese 710 is a red dwarf.
- GJ 1224 is a red dwarf at 24.6 light-years.
- PSR J1719-1438, pulsar.
Deep Sky Objects
Serpens is a small constellation, yet it has a great diversity of deep space bodies, mainly galaxies and globular clusters; these are:
- Globular cluster M5: Globular cluster.
- NGC 6539: Globular cluster 25,400 light-years away.
- Palomar 5: Globular cluster.
- Eagle Nebula (M16): Emission nebula.
- Square Red Nebula (MWC 922): Bipolar nebula.
- Westerhout 40 (W40): Star-forming region.
- SNR G016.7+00.1: It is a supernova remnant.
- Hoag object (PGC 54559): Annular galaxy.
- NGC 5962: Spiral galaxy of visual magnitude 11.3.
- NGC 5970: Spiral galaxy 90 million light-years away.
- NGC 6118: A group of galaxies 190 million light-years from the Milky Way.
Meteor Showers
The constellation Serpens has 13 associated meteor showers, but the most important is the "eta Serpentids."
The Eta Serpentids meteor shower occurs between August 20 and 25, and the peak of maximum observation occurs on August 24.
Conclusions
- Serpens is a constellation located on the celestial equator; it is visible worldwide.
- Its name comes from Greek and means 'Serpent'.
- It is the only constellation divided into two separate parts.
- The best month to see the constellation Serpens is July.
- The brightest star in Serpens is Unukalhai (α Ser / α Serpentis), with an apparent magnitude of 2.63.
- The best way to locate the constellation Serpens is to use other constellations, such as the constellation Ophiuchus which is in the middle of the two halves of Serpens.
- Serpens Minor's most notable deep sky body is the Globular Cluster M5.
- The strongest meteor shower in Serpens is the eta Serpentids.