A group of nebulae associated with recent and current star formation, about 400 l.y. away in the constellation Ophiuchus. They take their collective name from one of the young stars within the nebulosity, Rho Ophiuchi. Emission nebulae, reflection nebulae, and dark nebulae all appear close together. It is one of the closest regions of star formation to us, about one-third the distance of the Orion Nebula.