12/16/2023 0 Comments Leo star chartIn March, the Big Dipper stands pretty much on its handle in the northeast sky at nightfall. If you’re familiar with the Big Dipper star pattern – or asterism – you can star-hop to Leo the Lion every time. The constellation returns to the eastern predawn sky in late September or October.įind Leo by star-hopping from the Big Dipper. ![]() From about August 10 to September 16, the sun passes in front of Leo. By late July or early August, the Lion begins to fade into the sunset. Though Leo drifts progressively westward in the early evening sky as the months go by, the Lion can be viewed in the evening till July. By June, you’ll find Leo descending in the west in the evening. Also, in early May, the mighty Lion begins to set in the west around 2 a.m. By around May 1, Leo reaches its high point for the night around 8 p.m. local daylight saving time), and starts to sink below the western horizon around 4 a.m. In early April, the constellation Leo reaches its high point for the night around 10 p.m. Like all stars, Leo’s stars return to the same place in the sky some four minutes earlier daily or two hours earlier monthly. The brightest star of the triangle is named Denebola, which stems from an Arabic term meaning the Lion’s Tail. ![]() Image via IAU and Sky & Telescope / Wikimedia Commons.Ī triangle of stars in eastern Leo represents the Lion’s hindquarters and tail. Leo’s brightest star, Regulus is a sparkling blue-white beauty of a star, located at the bottom of the backwards question mark pattern. Remember, you are looking for a backwards question mark pattern. Late March, April, and May are superb months for identifying Leo the Lion, as this constellation becomes visible as soon as darkness falls and stays out until the wee hours of the morning. In Greek mythology, Leo represented the vicious Nemean Lion that was killed by the legendary Greek hero Heracles.įrom a Northern Hemisphere perspective, the Lion is a fair-weather friend, springing into the early evening sky around the March equinox. You can start by finding the bright star Regulus, then trace out a distinctive pattern of stars shaped like a backwards question mark, known as The Sickle. ![]() Leo the lion is one of the easiest-to-see of the 13 constellations of the zodiac. The bright star Regulus is part of the backwards question mark pattern, which is known as The Sickle. You’ll see Leo the Lion in the sky in 2 parts: the backwards question mark pattern represents Leo’s head, and the triangle at the back represents the Lion’s hindquarters.
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