Leo (constellation). Constellation Leo in astronomy, astrology and legends Leo astronomy

In the night sky, even with the naked eye you can see the constellation Leo. Leo Major and Leo Minor, located nearby, have long been the subject of study by astronomers, in no way inferior to other constellations in this sense. Where and when can they be seen in the sky? What luminaries are included in these constellations? This is what we will try to find out further.

Both constellations are in the Northern Hemisphere. Of these, the Big Lion is, of course, the most famous. Its prototype was the same one that the hero of Greek mythology, Hercules, desperately fought against. Leo Minor is located between Ursa Major and Leo. The close proximity of these constellations in the night sky does not give reason to consider them under the general name “Constellation Leo”. Most often they are mentioned separately.

And for good reason. After all, the Big Lion has much more reasons to boast. Its Regulus (translated from Latin as “king”) is 160 times brighter than our Sun and about 3 times larger than it. Other brightest stars in the constellation Leo: Denebola, Algieba, Zosma and Algenubi.

It is located next to such constellations as Virgo, Cancer, Sextant, Chalice. In total, it contains about 70 stars, but most of them are faintly visible.

The shape of the constellation is similar to an irregular hexagon, on one side of which there is a curl in the shape of an inverted question mark. This curl is the supposed mane of the lion, and its six stars form the famous Sickle asterism.

There are quite a lot of interesting objects in the constellation Leo: galaxies, double and variable stars, which can only be seen through a powerful telescope.

The constellation is best visible in February and March, and in mid-November you can also observe the Leonids meteor shower, which peaks on November 17.

Constellation Leo Minor

Leo Minor is a very small constellation that contains 34 stars. It is best viewed in spring and summer. not as remarkable as its older brother. No interesting objects are observed in it, and its brightest stars do not form a clear geometric figure.

Leo Minor was discovered by Jan Hevelius in 1610. He was the first to place the constellation in his atlas “Uranography”. Later, astronomer Francis Bailey, pointing out the bright stars of Leo Minor, noted only the second brightest, completely forgetting about the first.

Conclusion

The constellation Leo is two constellations located next to each other. In the Northern Hemisphere, they can be seen almost always, although they are especially visible in the spring. On celestial atlases, astronomers placed them side by side, since it was believed that Leo Minor should be similar in its influence to Leo Major.

Compatibility horoscope: zodiac signs Leo constellation - the most complete description, only proven theories based on astrological observations of several millennia.

There are many myths associated with the dozen constellations of zodiac signs in the sky. Many believe that being born under one sign or another determines the characteristics of a person’s character and life path. And very often people are interested in why only these constellations were chosen as patrons of people being born.

Zodiac constellations and zodiac signs

The Sun and Moon make their annual journey across the sky along a certain path. And in a year they pass through 12 constellations, which were called the constellations of the zodiac signs. An ordinary horoscope compares a person’s date of birth with the passage through the zodiacal constellation of the Sun, but there is also a lunar horoscope that compares a person’s birthday with the position of the earth’s satellite in the sky.

It is worth noting that dates were initially marked with the help of zodiacal constellations, because... it was just a calendar. The passage of the Sun through one zodiac sign was approximately a month. Today, the beginning of entering a new zodiac sign has shifted - it falls on the first days of the third trimester of the month. This happened because the point of the equinox (spring) gradually shifts - by 1 degree over 70 years.

Characteristics of the zodiac sign Leo

Leos are prone to narcissism and exhibitionism. Confidence in their own irresistibility leads them through life, not allowing them to doubt themselves for a minute. On their own starry pedestal, Leos graciously accept worship, royally allowing themselves to be loved. But they also love it, showing off a little, of course. Leos express their passion with all the pomp of which they are capable, admiring their novel and themselves in this novel a little from the outside.

The constellation Leo is located in the Northern Hemisphere between Cancer and Virgo. The ancient Sumerians called this constellation Leo Major five thousand years ago. In ancient times, the point of the summer solstice was located in Leo. During the period of dominance of this constellation, terrible heat fell on the southern countries, and the Nile dried up. Hungry lions wandered across the desert land of Egypt, looking for food. This constellation shines especially brightly at midnight in the first half of March. The ancients believed that when the constellation Leo lights up in the sky, great kings are born on earth. Perhaps that is why one of the most prominent stars of Leo is called Regulus, which is translated from Latin as “king”. The constellation Leo is surrounded by the constellations Virgo, Lynx, Cancer, Hydra, Leo Minor, Chalice.

Zodiac sign Leo

– The Sun and Moon are in the sign of Leo. History of the sign, description, characteristics.

. they are considered abodes for the largest and most influential celestial bodies, that is, luminaries: Leo, masculine by nature, is related to the Sun.

Claudius Ptolemy – “Tetrabiblos”

Zodiac sign Leo ♌ – denotes the fifth segment of the zodiacal belt (counting from the point of the vernal equinox) with an angular size of 30° in the ecliptic plane (Fig. 2) and coordinates: 120°, ±5°19′; 150°, ±5°19′.

In 2017, the Sun is in the sign of Leo from 22 July 2017 19:15 By August 23, 2017 01:20 Moscow time (Moscow time). The average dates when the Sun is usually in this zodiac sector: July 23 - August 23.

This sign received its name from the constellation Leo (Fig. 3), which was located in this segment at the beginning of our era. In our time, due to changes in the direction of the earth's axis relative to the stars (precession), the constellation Leo * falls within the “influence” of the sign of Leo only partially (Fig. 2):

Fig.2 The zodiac sign Leo, the constellation Leo and their relative position in a spherical projection (in the ancient view, the heavens consisted of several spheres nested within each other).

Zodiac signs are the oldest way of marking the celestial sphere near the ecliptic region; over time, the marked areas gradually change. The area of ​​the sky corresponding to the zodiac sign Leo currently looks like this:

Fig.3 Zodiac sign Leo ♌ - a section of the starry sky, a sector of the zodiac belt, currently corresponding (2016) to the sign of Leo. The area of ​​the Leo sign includes most of the stars of the constellation Cancer and the “front paw” of the constellation Leo.

From the point of view of the philosophical ideas of the times of Claudius Ptolemy, the sign of Leo has exceptional properties:

– The zodiac sign Leo is masculine by nature and is the abode of the Sun, which objectively determines the life of all things on Earth.

– The sign of Leo is maturity, the perfection of the element (element) Fire, according to ancient Greek philosophers, this sign also gravitates towards the essence of this element – ​​warmth and dryness. The embodiment of this essence in a person born when the Sun was in this sign is the choleric type of temperament (as one of the components).

– Ancient Greek philosophers awarded each sign with other characteristics and properties: based on the location of the sign of Leo relative to the equatorial plane when the Sun passes through it - northern; according to seasonality – summer; The following are in harmony with the sign of Leo: noble metal - gold; precious stone - amber.

These elements of the ancient worldview, as well as the position about the earthly and heavenly flow of time, the perfection of the celestial spheres and the imperfection of everything earthly (from this it follows that “everything is destined in heaven”) are the theoretical basis of many modern astrological schools.

In general, the first predictions from the stars appeared along with the emergence of the first agricultural states - these were predictions and recommendations “for the harvest.” People needed to predict weather and climate phenomena and their impact on plant growth, since their well-being completely depended on this. Since weather phenomena are cyclical (for example, floods and droughts), observations of the movements of the planets, the Moon and the Sun, comparing them with the weather, made it possible, without revealing the cyclical nature of weather phenomena, to predict them based on the location of the planets, which at that time described using zodiac signs.

In “prediction from the stars for the harvest”, great importance was attached to the Moon - the “planet of fertility”, its phases and the “interaction” of the Moon with the signs of the zodiac. Therefore, the first article is about the mutual influence of the sign of Leo and the Moon on plants: Moon in the sign of Leo - Zodiac sign Leo, Moon and plants. For those who are not very interested in the details of the influence of the Moon on the development of plants, I will tell you the main thing: the fire sign Leo does not really contribute to fat and juicy yields, but patronizes the development of plants reaching towards the sun.

Sign Leo, Sun and planets

According to the explanations of Claudius Ptolemy, the ancient Greeks believed that passing through the zodiac sector of Leo:

☉ Sun has the greatest power of influence on the course of earthly life (from 3 to 2 2/3 arbitrary points, 1 point is taken as the power of influence on earthly processes at the moment of exaltation);

☽ Moon in the Leo sector it is close to the maximum of its strength, but these forces are already decreasing (from 2 2/3 to 2 points);

♀ Venus in Leo it still remains in force, but the strength of its influence noticeably decreases (from 1 1/3 to 1 point);

♃ Jupiter is just beginning to gain strength - they are growing rapidly (from 1 to 1 1/3 points);

☿ Mercury– not yet in force, but the strength of its influence is growing and is close to manifesting itself (from 2/3 to 1 point);

Why does the Great Sphinx have such strange proportions?

In the presented figure, the answer is clear without words: The outline drawing of the modern constellation Leo + another star fits perfectly on the outline of the Great Sphinx

Collage. Constellation Leo and Great Sphinx

Note: The sages of Ancient Egypt did not know how modern “learned men and wives of astronomy” would divide the sky into constellations and imagined the star pattern in their own way, so the Sphinx’s paws end on the star Acubens from the modern constellation Cancer (Alpha Cancer, lat. α Cnc)

Leo sign and people. "Typical Leo"

Today it is generally accepted that if a person was born at a time when the Sun is in the sign of Leo, then his sign is Leo. Moreover, the title “Lion” or “Lioness” becomes, as it were, another characteristic of a person, and he is expected to display the character of a “typical lion”.

So, such a character as a “typical Leo” simply does not exist - only in the numerous entertaining literature of the “scientific and prophetic” genre can one find lengthy enumerations of remarkable character traits that flatter the pride of “Lions” and “Lionesses”, often under the headings and signs “Man” Leo" and "Leo Woman". Even the ancient Greek philosophers and their later ancient followers for the most part believed that the zodiac sign determines for those born under it only the dominant temperament and fortitude (according to Ptolemy: “resistance to fate”), and character develops during the course of life:

The dominant type of temperament of those born under the sign of Leo is choleric**, and strength of spirit, “resistance to fate” is balanced with manifestations of temperament.

The question of compatibility of “Lions” in relationships with each other and with people born under other zodiac signs, which interests many, is discussed in an article specially dedicated to this issue: Compatibility by zodiac sign and temperament. Types of temperament according to Hippocrates.

Zodiac sign Leo and Russia

Historical events under the sign of Leo:

12 August 1759- the defeat of the Prussian army by Russian-Austrian troops near the village of Kunersdorf, a victory that did not end in anything;

August 17, 1998– The Russian government announced a technical default, the collapse of the ruble exchange rate, the first economic crisis;

July 21-22, 2008– the collapse of stock prices of Russian companies, the global economic crisis clearly manifested itself in Russia;

Following the sign of Leo, the sixth zodiac sector is called the Virgo zodiac sign.

Work on the article “Zodiac Sign Leo” continues.

Abstracts: Zodiac sign Leo and Russia, other countries – being finalized.

Zodiac sign Leo and people: Zodiac sign Leo, temperament. Compatibility issues. – are now covered in a separate article

* Constellation Leo

"Two stars located in the head of Leo act in a manner similar to Saturn and, to a lesser extent, like Mars; three in the throat region are similar to Saturn and, to a lesser extent, Mercury; a bright star in the region of the heart, which is called Regulus, is similar to Mars and Jupiter; the stars in the back and the bright star on the tail act like Saturn and Venus; the stars in the hip area act like Venus and to a lesser extent Mercury." (Fig. 8)

Claudius Ptolemy - On the influence of the stars - "Mathematical treatise in four parts"

The Sun is currently passing through the constellation Leo ( ♌ Leo -lat.) from August 11 to September 17.

Due to the precession of the earth's axis, the constellations shift relative to the vernal equinox and the apparent movement of the Sun through the zodiacal constellations occurs with increasing delay. The constellations, having completed the full zodiacal circle, return to their original places after 25,776 years.

Fig.4 Constellation Leo. The seven brightest stars. The lilac line is the “Sickle” asterism and the symbol of Leo

Fig.5 Constellation Leo, diagram. Our own version of the star chart (outline image) of Leo.

The constellation Leo is perhaps the most prominent zodiacal constellation in our northern sky. There are as many as five stars in the constellation brighter than the third magnitude - this is (Fig. 4) alpha Leo (α Leo) Regulus, double γ Leo Aljeba, β Leo Denebola And Zosma(δ Leo) with ε Leo Algenubi(Fig. 4). As you can see, the figure shows the names of seven stars - the stars Subra (ο Leo) and Shir (ρ Leo) are added, not the brightest, but important for constructing the constellation diagram (Fig. 5).

It is noteworthy that the brightest star Regulus (α Leo) is located almost on the ecliptic line (deviation of only 27′ minutes), the deviation from the ecliptic of the star ρ-Leo Shir is 8′ minutes.

We inherited the modern boundaries of the constellation Leo from the ancient Greeks. But at all times, regardless of traditions, within this constellation people have identified a characteristic sickle pattern, which is now called the “Sickle asterism.” This asterism deserves a separate image (Fig. 5). All, even not very bright stars included in the sickle asterism have their own names, and received from different peoples - this is a chain of stars (starting from the handle and ending with the tip of the sickle): Regulus, Al Jabah (η Leo), Aljeba, Aldhafera (ζ Leo) , Rasalas (μ Leo, Ras Elased Borealis) and Algenubi ( Ras Elased Australis).

Fig.6 Asterism Sickle in the constellation Leo. List of stars of the Sickle asterism.

The ancient Egyptians, when constructing figurative drawings of the starry sky, endowed almost all of their celestial beings with wings; in addition, among them it was impossible to find creatures similar to those on earth; if a celestial being had a human body, then his head must have come from some noble animal, or vice versa , as in the case of the Sphinx. It is not known for certain what pictures the imagination of the ancient Egyptians painted in the starry sky at the time of the creation of the Great Sphinx, but it is quite possible that its image was created on the basis of the stars of the modern constellation Leo; this could be confirmed, for example, by the discovery of places where wooden wings were attached.

Fig.7 Constellation Leo and Great Sphinx. To find out more about the oddities in the proportions of the Great Sphinx, click on the picture

By inheritance from the ancient Greeks, in addition to the boundaries of the constellation Leo, we also inherited a myth about its origin. According to Greek mythology, the first labor of Hercules is immortalized in the constellation Leo. The lion goes to heaven as a result of the victory of Hercules over the monster in the form of a lion, which devastated the entire province of Nemea (hence the aphorism - “The Nemean Lion”). Claudius Ptolemy in his star catalog tries to follow tradition and refers to the constellation Leo the stars that create the image of a lion in the ideas of his time. Subsequently, Jan Hevelius, in his atlas “Uranography,” tries to follow Ptolemy’s descriptions as accurately as possible; unfortunately, the original atlas was created in the projection of a “divine gaze,” as if you were looking at the celestial sphere from the outside. In order for the picture to correspond to the “earthly” appearance of the constellation Leo, and also to highlight the stars, the collage offered to your attention was created:

Rice. 8 Constellation Leo - a collage based on a drawing in the atlas of Jan Hevelius (only those stars that were included in the atlas by Hevelius himself are highlighted)

** Currently, several similar definitions of the choleric type of temperament and the behavioral characteristics of its owner are common:

"Choleric (from the Greek chole [ hole] - bile), a designation dating back to Hippocrates for one of the four temperaments, characterized by speed of action, strong, quickly arising feelings, clearly reflected in speech, gestures, and facial expressions."

Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd ed. 1969 – 1978

“Choleric is a temperament in Hippocrates’ classification. A person with choleric temperament can be described as fast, impetuous, capable of devoting himself to work with passion, but not balanced, prone to violent emotional outbursts and sudden changes in mood.”

Glossary of psychological terms. Under. ed. N. Gubina.

“A choleric person is a subject with one of the main types of temperament, characterized by a high level of mental activity, vigor of action, sharpness, swiftness, force of movements, their fast pace, impetuosity; a choleric person is quick-tempered, impatient, prone to emotional breakdowns, and sometimes aggressive.”

S.Yu. Golovin. Dictionary of a practical psychologist

Summarizing these definitions, taking into account the characteristics of the sign of Leo (temperament and arc strength are balanced), we obtain:

Choleric, as a bearer of the temperament associated with the fiery sign of Leo, is active and energetic, strives to demonstrate leadership qualities and creative abilities, is decisive and self-confident. But unlike Aries, his actions are quite balanced, but often his actions are still dictated by emotions. Choleric Leo easily gets along with new people, but in communication he sometimes lacks self-control, especially if he is provoked. He does not know how to adapt; when faced with something that he does not like, he immediately strives to transform it in accordance with his desires and ideas. He is often impulsive and hot-tempered.

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Leo (constellation)

a lion(Latin Leo) is a zodiacal constellation of the northern hemisphere of the sky, lying between Cancer and Virgo.

The arrangement of bright stars really resembles a reclining lion, whose head and chest represent the famous “Sickle” asterism, similar to a mirrored question mark.

The “dot” at the bottom of this sign is the bright blue-white star Regulus (α Leo), which in Latin means “king”. Sometimes it is also called “Heart of the Lion” (Cor Leonis). The luminosity of Regulus is 160 times higher than the sun, and its high visible brightness (1.36 magnitude) is explained by its relative proximity to us (85 light years). Among the stars of the first magnitude, Regulus is located closest to the ecliptic, so it is often covered by the Moon.

At the back of the beast’s figure is the star Denebola (β Leo), translated from Arabic as “lion’s tail.” It has a magnitude of 2.14 magnitude and is only 43 light away. of the year.

At the base of the “lion’s head” is the golden-yellow Algieba (γ Leo), which means “lion’s mane.” It is a close visual binary of magnitude 2.0.

R Leo is one of the brightest long-period variables, varying in magnitude from 5th to 10th magnitude. The very faint red dwarf Wolf 359 (visible magnitude 13.45) is the third among the closest stars (distance 7.80 light years); its luminosity is 100,000 times less than the Sun. If this star took the place of our Sun, then at noon on Earth it would be little lighter than it is now at the full moon.

Among the distant objects in this constellation, the spiral galaxies M 65, M 66, M 95 and M 96, as well as the elliptical galaxy M 105, lying near the last two spirals, are interesting. Their apparent brightness ranges from magnitude 8.4 to 10.4.

Asterism "Sickle"

The Crescent asterism consists of six stars of the constellation - α (Regulus), η, γ (Algieba), ζ, μ and ε (Algenubi). The shape resembles a sickle or a mirrored question mark.

Observation

As a rule, the Sun is in the constellation from August 10 to September 15. The best conditions for observations are in February and March.

In the constellation Leo lies the radiant of the Leonid meteor shower, formed from the disintegration of comet Tempel-Tuttle and observed in mid-November.

The constellation was known to the Sumerians 5000 years ago. Included in Claudius Ptolemy's catalog of the starry sky "Almagest". Classic myth connects Leo with the Nemean monster killed by Hercules. One of the earliest mentions of the constellation in Russian is in a manuscript of the 11th century, published by A. Budilovich under the title “XIII Words of Gregory the Theologian in the Old Slavic Translation...”.

Leo (zodiac sign)

Leo is the fifth sign of the zodiac, corresponding to the ecliptic sector from 120° to 150°, counting from the vernal equinox; The permanent sign of the trine is Fire.

In Western astrology, it is believed that the Sun is in the sign of Leo from approximately July 23 to August 23 or 22, in Vedic astrology - from August 15 to September 15. The sign of Leo should not be confused with the constellation Leo, in which the Sun is located from August 10 to September 15.

The Leo character ♌ (may not be displayed in some browsers) is Unicode decimal number 9804 or hexadecimal number 264C and can be entered into HTML code as ♌ or ♌.

click on the image to enlarge it

947 sq. degrees

• Regulus (α Leo) - 1.36m
• Algieba (γ Leo) - 2.01m
• Denebola (β Leo) - 2.14m
• Zosma (δ Leo) - 2.56
• Algenubi (ε Leo) - 2.97m

• Big Dipper
• Little Leo
• Veronica's hair
• Hydra
• Sextant
• Lynx (angle)

The best time for observation is February, March.

Constellation Leo from the Atlas "Uranographia" by John Hevelius (1690)

Constellation Leo from the Atlas "Uranographia" by J. E. Bode (Berlin 1801)

click on the image to enlarge it

Nemean lion of the first labor of Hercules. Briefly, right?

However, perhaps he was placed in heaven by Zeus simply as the king of beasts. But this is kind of a boring version.

The constellation Leo has been known to people since ancient times. The name was given to it by the Egyptians in ancient times. They associated it not with legends or mythology, but with recurring seasonal phenomena.

In Ancient Egypt, when at night in March and April, high above the horizon, almost at the very zenith, the stars of the constellation Leo began to shine, a period of terrible heat began. Even the fertile Nile Valley dried up, the soil cracked due to the unbearable heat. At this time, at night, the terrible roar of lions was heard, wandering through the desert in search of prey. Nobody dared to go there. The desert turned into a kingdom of lions. This was repeated from year to year, and therefore the ancient Egyptians named the part of the starry sky that they saw at that time after Leo. So the king of beasts, Leo, appeared in the starry sky.

According to legend, great kings were to be born under the sign of this constellation. Therefore, the brightest star in the constellation Leo was named Regulus (from the Latin rex - king).

Greek mythology connects the constellation Leo with the monstrous Nemean Lion and with one of the labors of Hercules.

Having defeated the titans, Zeus overthrew them into gloomy Tartarus. At the huge gates of Tartarus, the hundred-armed Hekaton-Heirs vigilantly guarded the terrible enemies. The Titans have forever lost their power over the world. But Zeus’s struggle for power over Heaven and Earth did not end there. He still had to defeat the last enemy - Typhon, who inspired terror in everyone and was the cause of many disasters on Earth.

When Gaia (Earth) found out how cruelly Zeus treated her children - the Titans, she married the gloomy Tartarus and gave birth to the terrible hundred-headed monster Typhon - a creature with a hundred dragon heads, continuously spewing tongues of flame in all directions. As soon as Typhon rose from the bowels of the Earth, the whole Earth shook from its weight. The deafening roar of angry bulls and lions, the barking of dogs and the terrifying hissing of snakes echoed far across the Earth, and the flames emitted by the heads of the dragon burned everything around. Horror gripped people and animals, and even the gods were afraid. The earth was burning, and everything was melting from the hellish heat. Violent flames swirled around Typhon. Only Zeus was not afraid. He boldly opposed Typhon, showered him with lightning and deafened him with peals of thunder. Earth and Sky merged into a continuous fire, it seemed that even the air was burning. Zeus' lightning turned everything into ashes. Zeus incinerated all one hundred heads of Typhon, and he collapsed to the Earth like a huge rock. Such heat emanated from his body that everything around him melted, and the Earth itself almost turned into a river of fire. Wasting no time, Zeus grabbed the huge body of Typhon and threw him into the depths of the gloomy Tartarus, which gave birth to this monster. Typhon remained there forever. But even in Tartarus, Typhon also threatens the gods and strikes terror into people, causing terrible hurricanes that sweep away everything in its path. The fire of Typhon passes through the thickness of the mountains, and then rivers of fire flow along their slopes. But the worst thing happened when Typhon married Echidna. They gave birth to terrible monsters - the two-headed dog Ortho, the three-headed dog Kerberus with a snake tail, the Lernaean Hydra, the Nemean Lion, etc. Some monsters rose to Earth and caused terrible disasters and terrible suffering to people.

Typhon and Echidna (half-woman, half-snake) left their brainchild - a huge lion - in the mountains, not far from the city of Nemea (hence its name - the Nemean Lion). With a terrible roar, he rampaged around the city and devastated everything around. Horror gripped people and animals when they heard this roar. The people did not dare leave their homes, hunger set in, and illness began. Weeping and wailing were heard in Nemea. No one could save people from the unbearable disaster that all of Greece was talking about.

King Eurystheus instructed Hercules to kill the Nemean lion and bring his corpse to Mycenae.

Hercules immediately set off. In Nemea he saw a devastated, scorched land. All living things hid in their homes. No one could even tell him where the terrible lion’s den was located.

All day long Hercules wandered along the wooded slopes of the mountains, but nowhere could he find the monstrous lion. The sun was already setting and it was getting dark. And then the terrifying roar of the lion reached Hercules, who woke up and waited for complete darkness to begin the hunt.

In several giant leaps, Hercules reached the lion's den, which was a huge cave with two exits. In front of one of the exits, Hercules piled up huge stones, and he hid at the second exit and prepared a bow and arrows. A little time passed, and a giant lion appeared from the cave with a roar. Hercules showered him with arrows, but none of them even wounded the monster - the arrows bounced off the lion, whose skin was harder than iron. Hercules did not know that the Nemean Lion was invulnerable to weapons. When Hercules saw that the arrows were bouncing off the lion, he threw away his bow and attacked the lion with a club. With one powerful blow to the head, Hercules stunned him, then grabbed him by the neck with his powerful hands and squeezed so hard that he strangled the lion.

Having shouldered a huge beast, Hercules went to Nemea. There he made a sacrifice to Zeus and established the Nemean Games in memory of his first feat, during which wars ceased throughout Greece and universal peace reigned.

Next to the constellation Leo are the constellations Sextant, Leo Minor, Coma Berenices, Ursa Major, Virgo, Chalice, Lynx, Hydra and Cancer. Zodiac sign constellation Leo located in the northern part of the starry sky. The very location of the constellation speaks of the endurance and inner core of people born under this sign.

On the vault of the starry sky, this constellation is recognizable by its pronounced asterism - “Sickle”. It is composed of stars: Regulus, Algieba and Algenubi. All the stars of the “sickle” are the brightest, so they are clearly visible.

Astrologer's advice: By looking at the planets and stars in the dead of night, it is quite possible to obtain the correct solution for various problems, although without having additional knowledge. Take advantage of this opportunity in dead-end situations.

Also in constellation of the zodiac sign Leo Five brightest stars can be identified:

• • Regulus - included in the belt of the lion's forelimbs, is a symbol of speed and endurance.
  • Algieba is the base of the lion’s neck, connecting a strong, physically developed body and a wise, clear head.
  • Denebola - associated with the tail of the lion, one of the terminal stars of the constellation.
  • Zosma - symbolizes the strong back of the lion’s body: powerful legs and back.
  • Algenubi - symbolizes the face and mouth of a lion, ready to attack.

The best time of year to observe the constellation Leo in all its glory is the end of February, the entire month of March and the beginning of April. If you were born between July 23 and August 23, then your zodiac sign is Leo. And the stars symbolizing the characteristics described above apply to you.

Talking about constellation of the zodiac sign Leo, it is impossible to remain silent about the constellation Leo Minor. The constellation is positioned as if the Lion Cub is lying on the “big” Leo. This arrangement of constellations speaks of the devotion and fidelity of the Leo sign, especially to its family and close people.

Patrons of the sign:

• The planet of the sign is the Sun (symbol of royalty and greatness)
• The stones are amber and ruby ​​(the first stone is a symbol of the golden fur of a lion and the versatility of Leo people, the second - luxury and exclusivity)
• Natural element – ​​fire (determines the sign’s temperament, as well as ideologicalness and determination)

A little about Leos:

Those who were lucky enough to be born under constellation Leo, have a number of exceptional qualities. Leos are maximalists. That is why internal qualities are always either absolutely excellent - they make people admire and bow their heads before the “king of beasts”, or are so unbearable that people are simply not able to be near Leo; There can be many reasons for this behavior of others, but the most common is envy. Leos are vain and selfish by nature and always love to be the center of attention. Such people need a “big” life in a metropolis: constant meetings with friends and parties. Leos simply cannot exist in a small world, although this does not detract from the importance of family and loved ones in their lives.

Astrologer's advice: If you want to understand and better understand the character and characteristics of a zodiac sign, you need to get to know it from different sides and the category will help you with this.

The love of giving advice is another characteristic feature of Leos. In disputes they always consider themselves to be right and most often do not accept any criticism addressed to them. All the traits of Leo literally indicate that such people are careerists and workaholics in life. It is so important for Leos to choose a profession they like. It is better that the work is connected with people. Leos quickly earn the respect and authority of their superiors, and they themselves often become “big bosses.”

An overview of the constellations in the sky that correspond to the signs of the zodiac.

Nowadays, quite a large number of people believe in horoscopes. Astrologers can now create horoscopes for each individual using a star chart. But the work of an astrologer is not as simple as it seems, because you need to have certain skills and knowledge.

Since ancient times, people have looked at the sky, trying to find collections of stars that resemble something. This is how the constellations appeared. Previously, divisions into months occurred precisely according to the signs of the zodiac, but now scientists have found that the sun is not in each constellation for an equal amount of time. This is due to the shift in the vernal equinox point. Now this is confirmed by the appearance of a new constellation - Ophiuchus.

At the moment, there are 13 zodiac signs, since Ophiuchus was recently included in this list. The sun stays in each sign for about a month. The constellations are united into four elements, since each three signs of the zodiac are connected by common characteristics.

The Sun is in this sign from March 21 to April 20. The beginning of the horoscope begins precisely with this sign, since two millennia ago the point of the vernal equinox was in this constellation. Now this point in this sign will only be in 24 thousand years.

The constellation looks like a check mark with rounded edges. In fact, these are the horns of a lamb, with which many legends are associated in mythology. The brightest stars in this sign are Mesartim, Sharatan, Gamal. They are the outline of the lamb's horns.

This constellation has more than 130 stars, with 14 clearly visible. The brightest star in the zodiac is Aldebaran. This is one of the brightest planets in the constellation, which corresponds to the eye of the bull in the image. According to the legend, Taurus is Zeus, who turned into a mythical animal in order to kidnap young Europa. According to the symbolism of the sign, it is a circle with horns extending from it.

The Sun is in this sign from May 22 to June 21. The brightest stars in this sign are Castor and Pollux. According to legend, these are two brothers who loved each other very much with brotherly love. In the sky, the constellation has 70 stars that merge into a whole image. In horoscopes, the Gemini icon looks a little like a rectangle with rounded lines that extend from each corner of the figure.

This constellation is the most unremarkable among its fellows. In calm weather with low clouds, 60 stars can be seen, the brightest of which are Altarf and Beta Cancri. According to ancient legend, the crab was created by Hera, who used the mollusk to thwart Hercules in the fight against Hydra. The constellation looks exactly like a crab, but astronomers decided to call it cancer.

The constellation Leo can be considered one of the brightest and most noticeable. This is due to the large size of the stars that are included in the constellation. The largest star is Regulus, which means King. The outline of the brightest stars really resembles a lion. The icon of this constellation resembles a circle with a wave extending from it.

This constellation is one of the largest, as it has more than 164 stars. Spica's brightest star. The autumn equinox is associated with this sign. The constellation in the sky is quite complex and large, but there are not so many bright stars. The constellation icon resembles the English letter m with a tail that extends from the letter. Many mythical legends and stories are associated with this constellation.

The Sun is in this constellation in September and October. The most interesting thing is that it has 83 stars, the most distinct of which are Zuben el Shemali and Zuben el Genubi. The appearance of this constellation in the sky is associated with the daughter of Zeus. She walked the earth and weighed justice and injustice using scales. Now some of the stars in this constellation belong to another sign, which until recently corresponded to Scorpio, and now to Ophiuchus.

In October and November, the sun is in the sign of Scorpio, which has only 17 stars. The brightest star is Antares, which is visible in the sky with the naked eye. According to legend, a scorpion stung the hunter Orion, who died from the deadly poison. The constellation symbol is the letter m, with branches and an arrow. In the sky, this constellation resembles a figured fork.

In mythology, Sagittarius is a centaur who cuts through the heavens. The constellation is very bright and massive. It has 115 stars, the brightest of which are 14. The constellation is very interesting from an astronomical point of view, as it includes the center of the galaxy and a huge black hole. The symbolism of the constellation is simple, it is a crossed out arrow.

The Sun is in this constellation in December and January. The appearance of this sign is associated with the son of Hermes, who, frightened by the Titan, ran away into the sea. After that, he turned into a strange monster that resembled a goat with a fish tail. The constellation has 86 stars. The brightest star in this cluster is Beta. The icon of this zodiac sign resembles the letter n with a tail and a branch.

This is one of the brightest constellations. The brightest planets in which are only seven. In the sky, the constellation resembles a strange branch. The appearance of this sign is associated with the myth about the hero who poured water all the time. The symbolism of the sign is simple, these are two broken lines that are located one under the other.

What does the zodiac sign and constellation in the sky look like Pisces?

The appearance of the constellation is associated with the legend of Galatea and Akida. Fleeing from the Cyclops, the lovers rushed into the sea and drowned. In total, the constellation has 75 planets that can be seen without special equipment. The point of the vernal equinox is located in this sign. The symbolism resembles the letter H with branches.

Leo is a very important constellation, which is the main figure of the night spring sky. Serves as a basis for amateur astronomers to search for other constellations. The constellation Leo is very rich in various interesting objects that are very easy to see with a small telescope and even with the naked eye. It can be seen from February to March in the southern night sky.

- is the most important object of the constellation Leo. It is located almost in the center of the constellation and is often associated with the heart. This is the brightest luminary, whose brightness is 160 times higher than that of our Sun. This star is located 85 light years away, which explains its high apparent brightness.

Simulation of Regulus rotation

Denebola- the second brightest object that belongs to Leo. This is the outermost star, often called the tail.

Algeiba- a double star, one of the most beautiful in the sky. Denotes a majestic mane. If you look closely, the slightly orange star has a noticeable golden companion. The orbital period of this binary system is approximately 510 years.

There are several more and even triple stars in the constellation that are worth paying attention to. These are stars called 54 and 88 Leo (double), and 90 Leo (triple). If you look closely at the star 90 Leo, you can see two bright blue dots with a distinct companion at a short distance from them.

Variable stars

Also present in Leo. It is worth paying attention to the Lev variable R - one of the long-known variables. Its brightness varies from 10 to 5 magnitudes. It is very interesting to find this star during the period of minimum luminosity and watch its “burning up”, which lasts 312.5 days.

A very interesting object is located in the very depths of the constellation. This is Wolf 359 - a red dwarf, which is located only 7 from us. Due to its low brightness, this star is visible only through telescopes.

Orange Wolf 359 in the center of the photo

Galaxies

With a 7-8 centimeter telescope you can see not only stars, but also entire galaxies. So, if you look closely at the constellation Leo, you can easily find the “Leo Trio”, namely the galaxies NGC 3628, M 65 and M 66. M 66 is the largest galaxy of this trio. It is located 35 million light years away. It has a clearly defined core and arms, which are shifted upward relative to the plane of the galaxy. It is assumed that this effect was formed due to the gravitational influence of two neighboring galaxies lying nearby. If you take a more powerful telescope, you can see and examine the structure of M95, M96, M105, NGC 2903.

Asterisms

In the constellation Leo there is an asterism called “Sickle”. It consists of six stars. Namely - α, η, γ, ζ, μ and ε. The shape of this asterism resembles a sickle, or a question mark. The point of this question mark is the brightest star of this constellation - Regulus.

Story

The constellation Leo has been known for several thousand years. Oddly enough, it also acquired a name immediately, which is still in use today. The Assyrians, Babylonians, Hindus, Persians and Jews all saw this constellation and named it in honor of the king of beasts.