Alpha Ophiuchi (α Ophiuchi, abbreviated Alpha Oph, α Oph), also named Rasalhague /ræs@lheig/,[1][2] is a binary star and the brightest star in the constellation of Ophiuchus. Five degrees west-north-west of Rasalhague lies Rasalgethi, one of the brightest stars in the nearby constellation Hercules.

Nomenclature

The name Alpha Ophiuchi is a Romanisation of the star's Bayer designation, α Ophiuchi. It is also known by the traditional name Rasalhague, from the Arabic رأس الحواء raʼs al-ḥawwāʼ "the head of the serpent collector".[2] In 2016, the International Astronomical Union organized a Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)[3] to catalog and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN's first bulletin of July 2016[4] included a table of the first two collections of approved names, formally listing Alpha Ophiuchi as Rasalhague.[5]

In Chinese astronomy, this star is named Hòu (Chinese: 候), representing a senior assistant to the emperor, sometimes said to be an astrologer.[6][7]

Properties

Alpha Ophiuchi is a binary star system with an orbital period of about 8.62 years. The orbital parameters were only poorly known until 2011 when observations using adaptive optics produced a better orbital fit, allowing the individual masses of the two components to be determined.[8] The orbital elements and masses were further improved in a 2021 study.[9] The primary component, Alpha Ophiuchi A, has a mass of about 2.2 times the mass of the Sun, while the secondary, Alpha Ophiuchi B, has 0.82 solar masses.[9] Estimates of the mass of the primary by other means range from a low of 1.92 to 2.10 solar masses, up to 2.84 or even 4.8 solar masses.[10] The mass of the secondary suggests that it has a stellar classification in the range K5V to K7V, which indicates it is a main sequence star that is still generating energy by the thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen at its core. The pair reached periastron passage, or closest approach, around April 19, 2012, when they had an angular separation of 50 milliarcseconds.[8]

This star system has a combined apparent magnitude of +2.07 and is located at a distance of about 48.6 light-years (14.9 parsecs) from the Earth. The stellar classification of A5IVnn indicates that the primary is a bluish-white subgiant star that has evolved away from the main sequence after consuming the hydrogen at its core.[11] However, it is modelled to still a hydrogen abundance of 25% in the core, thus being a main sequence star.[12] It is radiating about 25 times the luminosity of the Sun and has an effective temperature of about 8,000 K, giving it the characteristic white hue of an A-type star.[13][14]

The spectrum of Alpha Ophiuchi shows an anomalously high level of absorption of the lines for singly-ionized calcium (Ca II). However, this is likely the result of interstellar matter between the Earth and the star, rather than a property of the star or circumstellar dust.[15]

Rotation

Alpha Ophiuchi A is a rapidly rotating star with a projected rotational velocity of 240 km s−1.[13] It is spinning at about 88.5% of the rate that would cause the star to break up.[16] This gives it an oblate spheroid shape with an equatorial bulge about 20% larger than the polar radius.[10] The polar radius is calculated to be and the equatorial radius .[17]

Because of the oblateness and rapid spin, the surface gravity at the pole is higher than at the equator. An effect known as gravity darkening means that the temperature at the poles is also higher than at the equator. The polar temperature is calculated to be 9,384 K and the equatorial temperature 7,569 K.[17]

The energy radiated by an oblate star is higher along its axis of rotation because of the larger projected area and the Stefan–Boltzmann law. The axis of rotation of α Ophiuchi is inclined about 69 deg to the line of sight from the Earth.[18] The apparent bolometric luminosity seen at this angle is , but the true luminosity of the star is thought to be . Since a star's effective temperature is simply the temperature which would produce its total energy output from a black body, the true effective temperature of 8,336 K is different from the apparent effective temperature of 8,047 K.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ also /-heigjuː/ or /-heigwiː/.
  2. ^ Kunitzsch, Paul & Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations. 2nd rev. ed. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. ISBN 978-1-931559-44-7.
  3. ^ "IAU Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)". Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  4. ^ "Bulletin of the IAU Working Group on Star Names, No. 1". Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  5. ^ "Stars Pronunciation Guide". Space.com. Retrieved 2017-06-25.
  6. ^ "AEEA 天文教育資訊網" [Activities of Exhibition and Education in Astronomy] (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 12 March 2009.
  7. ^ Ridpath, Ian. "Star Tales - Ophiuchus". Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  8. ^ Hinkley, Sasha et al. (January 2011). "Establishing α Oph as a Prototype Rotator: Improved Astrometric Orbit". The Astrophysical Journal. 726 (2): 104. arXiv:1010.4028. Bibcode:2011ApJ...726..104H. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/726/2/104. S2CID 50830196
  9. ^ Gardner, Tyler; Monnier, John D.; Fekel, Francis C.; Williamson, Michael; Baron, Fabien; Hinkley, Sasha; Ireland, Michael; Kraus, Adam L.; Kraus, Stefan; Roettenbacher, Rachael M.; Schaefer, Gail; Sturmann, Judit; Sturmann, Laszlo; ten Brummelaar, Theo (2021-11-01). "Establishing α Oph as a Prototype Rotator: Precision Orbit with New Keck, CHARA, and RV Observations". The Astrophysical Journal. 921: 41. arXiv:2107.02844. Bibcode:2021ApJ...921...41G. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ac1172. ISSN 0004-637X
  10. ^ Zhao, M. et al. (August 2009). "Imaging and Modeling Rapidly Rotating Stars: α Cephei and α Ophiuchi". The Astrophysical Journal. 701 (1): 209–224. arXiv:0906.2241. Bibcode:2009ApJ...701..209Z. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/701/1/209. S2CID 554145
  11. ^ "alf Oph". SIMBAD. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  12. ^ Deupree, Robert G.; Castañeda, Diego; Peña, Fernando; Short, C. Ian (2012-06-11). "Matching the Spectral Energy Distribution and P-mode Oscillation Frequencies of the Rapidly Rotating Delta Scuti Star α Ophiuchi with a Two-dimensional Rotating Stellar Model". The Astrophysical Journal. 753 (1): 20. arXiv:1204.6337. Bibcode:2012ApJ...753...20D. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/753/1/20. ISSN 0004-637X
  13. ^ Deupree, Robert G. (November 2011). "Theoretical p-Mode Oscillation Frequencies for the Rapidly Rotating δ Scuti Star α Ophiuchi". The Astrophysical Journal. 742 (1): 9. arXiv:1110.1345. Bibcode:2011ApJ...742....9D. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/742/1/9. S2CID 118433889
  14. ^ "The Colour of Stars". Australia Telescope, Outreach and Education. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. December 21, 2004. Archived March 18, 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2012-01-16.
  15. ^ Redfield, Seth; Kessler-Silacci, Jacqueline E.; Cieza, Lucas A. (June 2007). "Spitzer Limits on Dust Emission and Optical Gas Absorption Variability around Nearby Stars with Edge-on Circumstellar Disk Signatures". The Astrophysical Journal. 661 (2): 944–971. arXiv:astro-ph/0703089. Bibcode:2007ApJ...661..944R. doi:10.1086/517516. S2CID 42241365
  16. ^ Zhao, M. et al. (February 2010). "Imaging and Modeling Rapid Rotators: α Cep and α Oph". Revista Mexicana de Astronomía y Astrofísica, Serie de Conferencias. 38: 117–118. Bibcode:2010RMxAC..38..117Z
  17. ^ Monnier, J. D; Townsend, R. H. D; Che, X; Zhao, M; Kallinger, T; Matthews, J; Moffat, A. F. J (2010). "Rotationally Modulated g-modes in the Rapidly Rotating δ Scuti Star Rasalhague (α Ophiuchi)". The Astrophysical Journal. 725 (1): 1192–1201. arXiv:1012.0787. Bibcode:2010ApJ...725.1192M. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/725/1/1192. S2CID 51105576
  18. ^ Lazzarotto, Axel; Hui-Bon-Hoa, Alain; Böhm, Torsten; Gent, Matt; Rieutord, Michel (2026-04-24). "Fundamental properties of two rapidly rotating stars: Rasalhague and Alkaid". Astronomy & Astrophysics. arXiv:2604.11189. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202659029. ISSN 0004-6361