What is Ophiuchus?

Ophiucus, pronounced o-FEW-kuss is a real constellation. “It isn’t new to astronomers,” says Andrews. (In fact, according to The Guardian, the first mention of Ophiuchus was all the way back in 300 BC.) “It’s a large constellation hanging out around the celestial equator, often depicted as a man holding a snake.” In fact, Ophiuchus comes from the ancient Greek word for ‘Serpent bearer’.

So, does it count as an official zodiac sign? “In traditional Western astrology, which sticks to a neat 12-sign system, the answer is no,” Andrews says. “Ophiuchus doesn’t fit neatly into our established astrological calendar, so it’s left out of most horoscopes.”

However, Ophiuchus is sometimes used in sidereal astrology, which is used by some Vedic astrologers. “Sidereal astrology focuses on the actual positions of the constellations in the sky, unlike Western astrology, which sticks with the tropical zodiac that’s more about the Earth’s seasons,” Andrews explains, adding, “the discussion around it mostly pops up in arguments between sidereal (real star position) and tropical (seasonal) zodiac systems. In these debates, Ophiuchus is often mentioned as a point of interest or contention because it exists, it’s right there on the ecliptic (the sun’s apparent path through the sky), and yet, it’s not part of the traditional zodiac wheel.”

What you need to know about Ophiuchus, the 13th zodiac sign