Rho Ophiuchi and IC 4604

IC 4604 is the catalog designation for the large, blue reflection nebula that surrounds and is illuminated by the multiple star system Rho Ophiuchi. The Star (Rho Ophiuchi): A hot, blue multiple star system (often described as a triple star) that serves as the primary light source for IC 4604. It is located approximately 400 to 460 light-years away, making it part of one of the closest active star-forming regions to Earth. Rho Ophiuchi (ρ Ophiuchi) is a multiple star system in the constellation Ophiuchus. The central system has an apparent magnitude of 4.63. Based on the central system's parallax, it is located about 450 light-years distant. The other stars in the system are slightly farther away.