Starwatch: Ophiuchus the serpent bearer, straddling the celestial equator

Spot this large constellation with differing classical backstories as moon sits squarely in teapot' of Sagittarius

This week we will look for another large but faint constellation: Ophiuchus, the serpent bearer. One of the original 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy in the 2nd century, it sits in the sky on the opposite side to Orion, the hunter. The chart shows the view looking south from London at 11pm BST on 29 June 2026.

Although the view will remain essentially unchanged all week, on this particular evening a nearly full moon sits squarely in the teapot asterism of Sagittarius, the archer.