1/31/2024 0 Comments Space age arab al![]() Regulus A is a spectroscopic binary star composed of a blue-white main sequence star belonging to the spectral class B7 V, and a companion star which cannot be resolved, but is believed to be a white dwarf. ![]() Regulus is a four-star system composed of two pairs of stars. It has an apparent magnitude of 1.35 and is approximately 77 light years distant. Regulus, Alpha Leonis, is the brightest star in Leo and the 22nd brightest star in the sky. Major stars in Leo Regulus – α Leonis (Alpha Leonis) Algieba (Gamma Leonis) lies on the lion’s neck, even though its name means “the forehead.” Zosma (Delta Leonis) marks the lion’s rump. Another bright star, Denebola (Beta Leonis) marks the tip of the lion’s tail. In the sky, the six bright stars that form the Sickle of Leo represent the lion’s head, and the brightest star in the constellation, Regulus (Alpha Leonis), marks the beast’s heart. The cloak both protected Heracles and made him appear even more fearsome. He used the lion’s claws to cut off its pelt, and then wore the pelt as a cloak, complete with the lion’s head. Heracles could not defeat the lion with arrows, so he trapped it in its cave, grappled with the beast and eventually defeated it. It set upon the local inhabitants and could not be defeated because it had impenetrable skin. The lion lived in a cave in Nemea, a town located to the south-west of Corinth. Both Eratosthenes and Hyginus wrote that the lion was placed among the constellations because it was the king of beasts. The Greeks associated Leo with the Nemean lion, the beast defeated by Heracles during the first of his twelve labours. Both the constellation and its brightest star were well-known in most ancient cultures. The Persians knew the constellation as Shir or Ser, Babylonians called it UR.GU.LA (“the great lion”), Syrians knew it as Aryo, and the Turks as Artan.īabylonians knew the star Regulus as “the star that stands at the Lion’s breast,” or the King Star. Archaeological evidence suggests that Mesopotamians had a constellation similar to Leo as early as 4000 BC. Leo is one of the oldest constellations in the sky. Leo constellation map by IAU and Sky&Telescope magazine Myth The January Leonids are a minor shower that peaks between January 1 and 7. The Leonids usually peak on November 17-18 every year and have a radiant near the bright star Gamma Leonis. There are two meteor showers associated with the constellation. ![]() The proper names of stars that have been officially approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) are Adhafera, Algieba, Alterf, Chertan, Denebola, Dingolay, Formosa, Moriah, Noquisi, Rasalas, Regulus, Sagarmatha, Subra, and Zosma. ![]() Leo is one of the 15 equatorial constellations. The brightest star in Leo is Regulus, Alpha Leonis, with an apparent magnitude of 1.35. Leo belongs to the Zodiac family of constellations, along with Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius and Pisces. The three-letter abbreviation, adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 1922, is Leo. ![]() The genitive form of Leo, used in star names, is Leonis (pronunciation: /liːˈoʊnɪs/). In English, the constellation is known as the Lion. The constellation name Leo is pronounced /ˈliːoʊ/. The neighboring constellations are Cancer, Coma Berenices, Crater, Hydra, Leo Minor, Lynx, Sextans, Ursa Major and Virgo. It is located in the second quadrant of the northern hemisphere (NQ2) and can be seen at latitudes between +90° and -65°. Leo is the 12th largest constellation in size, occupying an area of 947 square degrees. Leo constellation is home to the bright stars Regulus and Denebola, the nearby star Wolf 359, and to a number of famous deep sky objects, among them galaxies Messier 65, Messier 66, Messier 95, Messier 96, Messier 105, and NGC 3628. The constellation was first catalogued by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century, along with all the other constellations of the zodiac. Leo represents the lion and is usually associated with the Nemean lion in Greek mythology. It is one of the zodiac constellations and one of the largest constellations in the sky. Leo constellation lies in the northern sky. ![]()
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