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SERPENTARIUS
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SERPENTARIUS, or OPHIucHUs, in astronomy, a constellation of the northern hemisphere, anciently named Aesculapius, and mentioned by Eudoxus (4th century B.c.) and Aratus (3rd century B.C.). According to the Greek fables it variously represents: • Carnabon (or Charnabon), king of the Getae, killing one of the dragons of Triptolemus, or Heracles killing the serpent at the river Sangarius (or Sagaris), or the physician Asclepius (Aesculapius) , to denote his skill in curing snake bites. Ptolemy catalogued 29 stars, Tycho Brahe 15, and Hevelius 40. " New " stars were observed in 1604 and 1848.