Leo

Abbreviation: Leo
Genitive: Leonis
Right Ascension: 10.66 hours
Declination: 16.45 degrees

Leo, the Lion, can be found in the Northern Hemisphere in the spring and Southern Hemisphere in autumn.

Leo is the Nemean Lion from the Moon who was sent by Hera to slay Hercules. As Hercules first labor, he killed the lion by strangling it with his bare hands. Hercules wore the skin, which made him invincible. When Hercules died, the lion was returned to the celestial heavens with Hercules.

Leo to the Egyptians, was the place the Sun rose after creation (near Denebola) and so was called Domicilium Solis, the badge of fire and heat, or the House of the Sun.

Bright Stars | Deep Sky | Other Deep Sky | Variable Stars | Double Stars

Best Known Stars

(Yale Bright Star Catalog)

Common Name or Bayer Number 1	RA	DEC	Magnitude 2
REGULUS	10.00:8.00:22.31	+11.00:58.00:1.89	1.35
DENEBOLA	11.00:49.00:3.58	+14.00:34.00:19.35	2.14
ZOSMA	11.00:14.00:6.49	+20.00:31.00:25.30	2.56
EPS LEO	9.00:45.00:51.07	+23.00:46.00:27.21	2.98
CHERTAN	11.00:14.00:14.40	+15.00:25.00:46.36	3.34
ADHAFERA	10.00:16.00:41.40	+23.00:25.00:2.26	3.44
OMI LEO	9.00:41.00:9.03	+9.00:53.00:32.29	3.52
ETA LEO	10.00:7.00:19.95	+16.00:45.00:45.54	3.52
RHO LEO	10.00:32.00:48.67	+9.00:18.00:23.66	3.85
RASALAS	9.00:52.00:45.81	+26.00:0.00:24.92	3.88
SIG LEO	11.00:21.00:8.19	+6.00:1.00:45.54	4.05
UPS LEO	11.00:36.00:56.93	-0.00:49.00:25.65	4.30
KAP LEO	9.00:24.00:39.25	+26.00:10.00:56.29	4.46
PHI LEO	11.00:16.00:39.70	-3.00:39.00:5.89	4.47
93 LEO	11.00:47.00:59.12	+20.00:13.00:8.12	4.53
CHI LEO	11.00:5.00:1.03	+7.00:20.00:9.58	4.63
PI LEO	10.00:0.00:12.81	+8.00:2.00:39.11	4.70
58 LEO	11.00:0.00:33.64	+3.00:37.00:2.85	4.84
TAU LEO	11.00:27.00:56.24	+2.00:51.00:22.35	4.95
XI LEO	9.00:31.00:56.73	+11.00:17.00:59.26	4.97
53 LEO	10.00:49.00:15.43	+10.00:32.00:42.67	5.34
PSI LEO	9.00:43.00:43.90	+14.00:1.00:18.07	5.35
46 LEO	10.00:32.00:11.77	+14.00:8.00:14.02	5.46
51 LEO	10.00:46.00:24.54	+18.00:53.00:29.49	5.49
65 LEO	11.00:6.00:54.21	+1.00:57.00:19.74	5.52
95 LEO	11.00:55.00:40.53	+15.00:38.00:48.41	5.53
15 LEO	9.00:43.00:33.25	+29.00:58.00:28.12	5.64
83 LEO	11.00:26.00:45.32	+3.00:0.00:47.05	6.50

Deep Sky Objects

(PAS Catalog)

M-105

M-105 An elliptical galaxy, this object is relatively bright and appears round, about 3' in diameter, and has a bright central core.

M-65

M-65 This galaxy is relatively large and bright, with a bright center and a stellar core. It is elongated in the north-south direction, and appears about 8'x2' in extent. It is in the same low power field of view as the next two objects.

M-66

M-66 Smaller than M-65, this galaxy is wider, about 6'x3', and brighter. It also has a bright core, and is extended in the southeastern direction. Averted vision at reveals some mottling and indications of spiral structure.

M-95

M-95 Round, about 3' in diameter with a bright core surrounded by a faint halo. This is a barred spiral.

M-96

M-96 This galaxy is ovoid, 4'x3', extended north-south with a bright core. Its core is large and non-stellar, about 1' in diameter.

NGC-2903

NGC-2903 Large and relatively bright, this galaxy appears to be about 8'x4', extended NNE-SSW, with a large, 1'x1' core. Some mottling is noticeable, and a darker area was noted on the western side.

Wolf 359

Wolf 359 This is a faint red dwarf star that would be unremarkable except that it is one of our closest neighbors in space. Only Alpha Centauri and Barnard's star are closer. It is one of the least luminous stars known, shining with the luminosity of about 1/63,000 that of the sun. It has only about 8% the mass of the sun and is approximately the size of Jupiter. To find it, use a chart such as that in Burnham's Celestial Handbook, and be patient: it shines at a magnitude of 13.6.

Other Deep Sky Objects

(Saguaro Astronomy Club Catalog)

Only Objects less than 10.0 Mag.

Object	R.A.	Dec.	Object Type 3	Mag.	Uranometria	Tirion
NGC 2903	09 32.2	+21 29	GALXY	09	143	06
NGC 3351	10 44.0	+11 42	GALXY	09.7	190	13
NGC 3368	10 46.8	+11 49	GALXY	09.3	190	13
NGC 3379	10 47.8	+12 35	GALXY	09.3	190	13
NGC 3384	10 48.3	+12 38	GALXY	09.9	190	13
NGC 3521	11 05.8	-00 02	GALXY	09	236	13
NGC 3607	11 16.9	+18 03	GALXY	09.9	146	13
NGC 3623	11 18.9	+13 05	GALXY	09.3	191	13
NGC 3627	11 20.2	+12 59	GALXY	08.9	191	13
NGC 3628	11 20.3	+13 36	GALXY	09.5	191	13

Variable Stars

(General Catalog of Variable Stars)

Only Objects <= 8.0 magnitude

GCVS ID	R.A. (hh mm ss.ss)	Dec. (deg mm ss)	Variable Type 4	Mag. Min	Mag. Max
TX Leo	10.00:32.00:24.80	+8.00:54.00:33.00	EA/DM	5.75	5.66
VY Leo	10.00:53.00:25.70	+6.00:27.00:9.00	LB:	6.03	5.69
CX Leo	10.00:25.00:0.60	+10.00:1.00:5.00	ACV	6.15	5.97
DE Leo	10.00:22.00:37.10	+9.00:2.00:23.00	SRB:	0.07	5.60
DF Leo	9.00:20.00:50.00	+7.00:55.00:46.00	SRB	6.95	6.74
DG Leo	9.00:47.00:2.40	+21.00:24.00:48.00	DSCTC	6.12	6.08
DH Leo	9.00:57.00:13.30	+24.00:47.00:37.00	RS	7.94	7.75
DQ Leo	11.00:45.00:24.50	+20.00:29.00:49.00	RS	0.03	4.53
DR Leo	9.00:38.00:38.00	+31.00:30.00:22.00	LB	5.98	5.84
bet Leo	11.00:46.00:30.60	+14.00:51.00:6.00	DSCTC	0.02	2.14
rho Leo	10.00:30.00:10.80	+9.00:33.00:52.00	ACYG	3.90	3.83

Double Stars

(Saguaro Astronomy Club Catalog)

Only Objects <= 8.0 magnitude

Name	R.A. (hh mm.m)	Dec. (deg mm)	Mag 5	Sep 6	PA 7	Tirion	Uranometria
STF 6	10 08.4	11 57	1.3, 7.6	177.60	307	13	189
STT 215	10 16.2	17 44	7.3, 7.5	1.40	185	13	144/ 189
STF 18	10 16.6	23 26	3.6, 5.9	325.90	340	6	144
STF 1424	10 20.0	19 50	2.6, 3.8	4.50	123	13	144/ 145
STF 1487	10 55.6	24 45	4.5, 6.3	6.50	110	6	145/ 146
STF 1504	11 04.0	03 38	7.8, 7.9	1.20	297	13	236
STF 1521	11 15.4	27 34	7.7, 8.0	3.70	96	6	106/ 146
STF 1529	11 19.4	-01 38	7.0, 8.0	9.50	252	13	236
STF 1536	11 23.9	10 32	4.1, 7.3	1.30	141	13	191
STF 1540	11 26.8	03 00	6.2, 7.9	28.50	150	13	236/ 237
STF 1552	11 34.7	16 47	6.1, 7.4	3.40	208	13	147/ 192