Leo

Greek mythology

The lion

Leo’s name means lion in Latin, and its traditional figure is associated with the powerful lion defeated by the hero Hercules. The star pattern makes a particularly helpful bridge between the imagined animal and the sky.

The curved Sickle suggests a head and mane; the stars extending toward Denebola outline the lion’s body and hindquarters.

People around the world have given these stars different figures and stories. This is one interpretation. Lines are recognition aids, rather than official constellation boundaries.

Finding Leo

Below the horizon at this time.

Use the bright reference stars below to recognise the shape. A complete drawing can extend outside the current camera window, even when its stars are above the horizon. Open its guide in Sky Timeline to compare the stars with an illustrated interpretation where available.

Bright reference stars

Regulus

Magnitude 1.4

Denebola

Magnitude 2.1

Lower magnitude numbers mean brighter stars. Clouds, nearby lighting and moonlight change what your eyes can pick out.

Explore another night

Visibility changes with place, season and time. Move through the night to see the object rise, cross the sky and set, while weather remains a separate estimate.