The Rho Ophiuchi region may be the most colorful area of the sky.
Credit: Tony Hallas
Key Takeaways:
- The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex is a vibrant area of the night sky.
- It contains different types of nebulae, star clusters, and Antares, a bright red star.
- You can observe this region with a telescope.
- While not all colors are visible, the view is still impressive.
In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Dave Eicher invites you to head out later in the evening to observe what most observers think is the sky’s most colorful area. Named for the nearby star Rho Ophiuchi, this region in the constellations Ophiuchus and Scorpius boasts emission, reflection, and dark nebulae, star clusters, and a red 1st-magnitude star, Antares. You won’t see all the colors through your telescope, but you will marvel at the celestial objects in this small part of the sky. Good luck!
