Rasalhague
/ˌræs əlˈheɪɡi/noun
A first-magnitude star in the constellation Ophiuchus, officially designated Alpha Ophiuchi.
Did you know?Rasalhague belongs to Ophiuchus, the serpent-bearing figure sometimes linked with Asclepius, the mythic healer whose staff became the modern medical symbol.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Semitic
Arabic
raʾs
“head; literally the uppermost or foremost part”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
raʾs al-ḥawwāʾ
“the head of the serpent-bearer, referring to the star’s position in Ophiuchus”
10th Century
Arabic
رأس الحواء
“the star-name recorded in Arabic astronomical tradition”
12th–13th Century
Latin
Ras alhague
“A Latinized form of the Arabic star-name used in European astronomical writing”
17th Century
English
Rasalhague
“The established English astronomical name for Alpha Ophiuchi”
Modern English
English
Rasalhague
“A bright star in Ophiuchus, also known as Alpha Ophiuchi”
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