leo (le´o)—the Lion. (face South.)
Location.—A line drawn from Pollux, in Gemini, to γ in Cancer, and prolonged about 12°, strikes Regulus, the brilliant star in the heart of the Lion. Regulus lies about 9° east of Acubens, in Cancer, and about 12° northeast of Alphard, in the heart of Hydra.
Leo is one of the most beautiful constellations in the zodiac. It lies south of the Great Bear, and its principal stars are arranged in the form of a sickle which nearly outlines the Lion's head. This group is so striking as to be unmistakable. Regulus is in the handle of the sickle. It is one of the stars from which longitude is reckoned, lies almost exactly on the ecliptic, and is visible for eight months in the year.
Denebola, the bright star in the Lion's tail, lies 25° east of Regulus, and about 35° west of Arcturus, in Boötes. It is the same distance northwest of Spica, in Virgo, and forms with Spica and Arcturus a large equilateral triangle.
ζ is double, and has three faint companion stars.
ε has two seventh-magnitude companion stars, forming a beautiful little triangle.
Regulus is white in color, γ yellow, π red.
γ is a beautiful colored telescopic double star and has a companion visible in an opera-glass.
The figure of Leo very much as we now have it appears in all the Indian and Egyptian zodiacs.
 LEO & THE SICKLE
Next: coma Berenices (kō´-ma Ber-e-ni´-sez)—berenice's Hair.
Previous: hydra (hi´-dra)—the Sea-serpent. (face South And Southwest.)
Viewed 1893
|
Informational
