Leo (the Lion), the fifth constellation of the ZODIAC, is located between Cancer and Virgo and is best seen in the Northern Hemisphere in spring. The Sun passes southeastward through Leo from about August 23 to September 23, just prior to crossing the celestial equator at the autumnal equinox. Its brightest star is Regulus (Latin for "little king"), a blue-white star of magnitude 1.36 located 84 light-years from the Sun; Regulus has two dimmer companions, making it a triple star. Twice as close is the second brightest star, Denebola (Arabic for "tail of the lion"), which has a magnitude of 2.23. Leo is the apparent radiation point of the Leonid meteors, seen in November.

Craig B. Waff

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