Leo

Leo is a large equatorial constellation which represents a lion. It appears highest in the midnight sky in the months around February. Leo was one of the 48 constellations described by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy

Its brightest star, Regulus lies very close to the ecliptic, the path that the Sun traces across the sky each year. The Sun passes through Leo each year between mid-August and mid-September.

North of Regulus, the lion’s mane is represented by a curved line of stars of second and third magnitude. The lion’s mane and shoulders also form an asterism known as “The Sickle,” which to modern observers may resemble a backwards “question mark.”

Lying away from the plane of the Milky Way, most of the deep sky objects in this area of the sky are galaxies of ninth magnitude or fainter. Among the brightest of these are the Leo Triplet, a close grouping of three gravitationally bound galaxies: M65, M66, and NGC 3628.

In Greek mythology, Leo is identified as the lion of Nemea, slain by Hercules. Its skin was armoured against all weapons, and Hercules’ arrows deflected off the beast. After strangling the monster, Hercules wore its skin as a cloak.

According to the mythology, Leo was a ferocious lion who fell to the earth in the forests of Nemaea. He feasted on the animals of the forest and also caught and ate many human beings. Many brave men lost their lives trying to kill this giant lion, for its skin was so tough that no arrow or spear could pierce it. Hercules was given the first of his Twelve Labors, that of killing the terrible lion, by Hera the jealous wife of Zeus. She hoped that he would fail and thus loose the love of his father, Zeus. Knowing that no spear or arrow could pierce the lion’s skin, Hercules entered the lion’s cave and was able to strangle the terrible lion. Hercules then reappeared at the cave’s entrance wearing the lion’s skin as a robe. Hercules had saved the people of Nemaea. This great act of heroism was commemorated by Zeus, when he placed the picture of the defeated lion (Leo) in the night sky.

Leo being a Zodiac constellation is designated the symbol  and the emoji ♌.

In Indian astrology and astronomy Leo is known as ಸಿಂಹ (Simha)

Leo contains:

• Stars
  • Regulus (mag 1.4)
  • Denebola (mag 2.1)
  • Algieba (mag 2.2)
  • Zosma (mag 2.6)
  • ε-Leo (mag 3.0)
  • Chertan (mag 3.3)
  • Adhafera (mag 3.4)
  • Subra (mag 3.5)
  • η-Leo (mag 3.5)
  • γ²-Leo (mag 3.8)
  • ρ-Leo (mag 3.8)
  • Rasalas (mag 3.9)
  • ι-Leo (mag 4.0)
  • σ-Leo (mag 4.0)
  • λ-Leo (mag 4.3)
  • υ-Leo (mag 4.3)
  • A-Leo (mag 4.4)
  • b-Leo (mag 4.4)
  • φ-Leo (mag 4.5)
  • κ-Leo (mag 4.5)
  • 54-Leo (mag 4.5)
  • DQ Leo (mag 4.5)
  • 72-Leo (mag 4.6)
  • χ-Leo (mag 4.6)
  • π-Leo (mag 4.7)
• Open Clusters
  • IC 2874 (mag 16.9)
  • IC 656
• Globular Clusters
  • None
• Galaxy
  • Messier 66 (mag 8.9)
  • NGC 3521 (mag 9.0)
  • NGC 2903 (mag 9.1)
  • Messier 96 (mag 9.2)
  • Messier 65 (mag 9.3)
  • NGC 3628 (mag 9.5)
  • Messier 95 (mag 9.7)
  • Messier 105 (mag 9.8)
  • NGC 3384 (mag 10.0)
  • NGC 3489 (mag 10.3)
  • NGC 3640 (mag 10.4)
  • NGC 3412 (mag 10.5)
  • NGC 3810 (mag 10.8)
  • NGC 3338 (mag 10.8)
  • NGC 3193 (mag 10.9)
  • NGC 3626 (mag 10.9)
  • NGC 3608 (mag 11.0)
  • NGC 3593 (mag 11.0)
  • NGC 3190 (mag 11.0)
  • NGC 3705 (mag 11.1)
  • NGC 3646 (mag 11.1)
  • NGC 3189 (mag 11.2)
  • NGC 2964 (mag 11.3)
  • NGC 3507 (mag 11.4)
  • NGC 3686 (mag 11.4)