74 Ophiuchi

A fifth magnitude star in the constellation of Ophiuchus, lying near that constellation's eastern edge where Serpens Cauda, the Tail of the Serpent, runs alongside Ophiuchus the Serpent Holder. The parallax measurement for this star places it at a distance of some 243 light years from the Solar System. It lies very approximately in the direction of the Galaxy's core, which means that it falls within a dense part of the band of the Milky Way as seen from Earth.

74 Ophiuchi is a yellow giant star in the later stages of its life, having consumed its hydrogen reserves and begun the process of burning helium in its core. The primary giant star (designated 74 Ophiuchi A) is thought to have at least one companion star. The orbit of this companion is not known in detail, but it lies more than 2,000 AU from the giant. There are indications that the system contains a third component in a more distant orbit, but this is presently unconfirmed.