Regulus was associated with Jupiter and Mars, and linked with granite and mugwort. R Leonis has a radius 320-350 times solar. The G7 class star has a visual magnitude of 3.51, is 50 times brighter than the Sun, and has 10 times the solar diameter. There will be a series of 20 lunar occultations of Regulus from July 26, 2025, to December 27, 2026. As a result of Regulus fast rotation, the stars shape has been distorted into a highly oblate spheroid. In fact, if Regulus rotated just a bit faster, it would fly apart! When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. The planet Venus passes the star around this time every eight years. A daily update by email. [4] Messier 66 is an intermediate spiral galaxy in Leo. Around February 18, Regulus was opposite the sun. As a result, the star is emitting polarized light. It can also be occulted by Mercury and Venus, but this only happens rarely. In the northern hemisphere, Leo is easily seen in the . [citation needed] and are the brightest stars in their constellations and among the 25brightest stars in the night sky. Regulus A is a binary star consisting of a blue-white subgiant star of spectral type B8, which is orbited by a star of at least 0.3 solar masses, which is probably a white dwarf. A and BC share a common proper motion and are thought to orbit each other[5] taking several million years. Charles Messier discovered it in 1780. While Regulus, like the sun, fuses hydrogen to helium in its center, it is more massive than the sun and therefore hotter and brighter. Regulus Star - Facts & Features About The Little King Regulus is also an evolutionary subgiant. It is almost finished fusing hydrogen into helium in its core. The neighboring constellations are Cancer, Coma Berenices, Crater, Hydra, Leo Minor, Lynx, Sextans, Ursa Major and Virgo. Leo constellation lies in the northern sky. Like Regulus and Denebola, Zosma has an equatorial bulge and an oblate shape. [16] This results in so-called gravity darkening: the photosphere at Regulus' poles is considerably hotter, and five times brighter per unit surface area, than its equatorial region. The star was first discovered in 1969 by the American astrophysicist Eric Brecklin and his team of astronomers. It is emitting polarized light because of this. Filter by rating. Together with the bright Spica in Virgo and Arcturus in Botes, Regulus forms the Spring Triangle, another prominent asterism appearing in the evening sky from March to May. It has a visual magnitude of 2.56. The star has two known companions nearby, a set of binary stars, but observations in the past few years suggest there may be a white dwarf lurking close to Regulus as well. The name Regulus means the little king or prince in Latin. Its surface temperature averages about 12,460 Kelvin (21,970 degrees F or 12,190 degrees C), which is much higher than our suns surface temperature. Regulus B is slightly hotter. And Regulus is not the only star with a fast spin. NGC 3628, image: Pablo Carlos Budassi (CC BY-SA 4.0). Regulus, or Alpha Leonis, is the brightest star in Leo onstellation (magnitude 1.40). New York, CW Leonis is at a late stage of its evolution, blowing off its outer layer to eventually become a white dwarf. Its traditional name, Adhafera, comes from the Arabic al-afrah, which means the curl or the braid.. Search reviews. The primary component, formally known as Regulus, has been given the stellar classification B8 IVn, with the luminosity class of a subgiant star. Leo is one of the 15 equatorial constellations. Zosma is a white main sequence star of the spectral type A4 V, approximately 58.4 light years from Earth. Cor Caroli is another name for Regulus. The 2005 study examined the effects of the rotation for the first time using the CHARA telescope array on top of Mount Wilson in California. Designated RegulusB and RegulusC, the pair has Henry Draper Catalogue number HD 87884. Leo 1 is a dwarf galaxy, and a member of our local group. Regulus B and Regulus C take about 600 years to complete an orbit around a common centre of mass. Regulus B, meanwhile, has its own companion: Regulus C. At magnitude 13.5, its only visible with powerful telescopes. The stars traditional name, Zosma, comes from ancient Greek and means the girdle. Zosma is located on the lions hip. Leo contains five Messier objects: Messier 65 (M65, NGC 3623), Messier 66 (M66, NGC 3627), Messier 95 (M95, NGC 3351), Messier 96 (M96, NGC 3368), and Messier 105 (M105, NGC 3379). 1. Given the extremely distorted shape of the primary, the relative orbital motion may be notably altered with respect to the two-body purely Keplerian scenario because of non-negligible long-term orbital perturbations affecting, for example, its orbital period. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The two stars are separated by about 100 astronomical units, or 2.5 arc seconds. Regulus is the star at the bottom. Regulus, designated as Alpha Leonis, is the brightest star in Leo, and the 21 st brightest star in the night sky, having an apparent magnitude of 1.40. It is sometimes known by its traditional name, Subra. (Regulus axis is tilted 86 degrees.). These stars were considered to be the guardians of the sky in ancient Persia, around the year 3000 BCE. The star is suspected to be a part of a binary system. Regulus first received its name from the 16th-century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, the encyclopedia added, "marking the fact that it had been regarded as one of the leading stars in the sky for some 2,000 years.". Amateur astronomers can view it, but this requires dark skies and a large telescope. They are dimmer main sequence stars with an apparent magnitude of 8.14 and 13.5. Epsilon Leonis is a bright giant of the spectral type G1 II. It rose above the horizon as the sun set, stayed up all night long, and reached its highest point due south (as seen from the Northern Hemisphere) at local midnight. [23], The Regulus system as a whole is the twenty-first brightest star in the night sky with an apparent magnitude of +1.35. Regulus is a bright star seen in the constellation Leo. The stars traditional names, Rasalas (or Ras Elad Borealis) and Alshemali are abbreviated from the Arabic phrase ras al-asad a-aml, which means the northern (star) of the lions head.. When Aldebaran was the star of the spring equinox, Regulus would have been the summer solstice star. The asteroid 166 Rhodope, discovered in August 1876, was observed occulting Regulus by a team of researchers on October 19, 2005. The Jupiter-Mars group: Regulus, Acturus, Altair, Antares If you have a Jupiter-Mars Star prominent on an angle, like your Ascendant or Midheaven, this gives you honour and skills with strategy. Erigone extinguished the stars light for 14 seconds, but the occultation was not observed due to unfavourable weather conditions. Regulus star is also known as Basiliskos, Cor Leonis (Lions Heart), Qalb al-Asad and Rex. Find movie showtimes and movie theaters near 85340 or Litchfield Park, AZ. The easiest way to spot the constellation Leo in the sky is to look for the Sickle, shaped like a backwards question mark. Mu Leonis belongs to the spectral class K3. Mythology, power and success with fixed stars - WellBeing Magazine These are the 22 stars with apparent magnitudes of less than +1.50. NGC 3384 is an elliptical galaxy, approximately 35.1 million light years distant. It was the Polish astronomer and mathematician Nicolaus Copernicus who translated these names into Latin as Regulus. Regulus has a mass 3.8 times that of the Sun and a radius 4.35 times solar. It is the 22nd brightest star, although the 21st, Alpha Centauri, is not much brighter than it is. It has a visual magnitude varying from 4.4 to 11.3 with a period of 312 days and is classified as a Mira variable. [citation needed], In 747 BCE the Babylonian King Nabu-nasir adopted a calendar derived from the motions of the four stars, one following an eight-year cycle and one a nineteen-year cycle (later adopting the nineteen-year calendar as standard). Regulus ranks 21st in the list of brightest stars in our sky. Ultraviolet emissions from the galaxys central region suggest that it has a supermassive black hole at its core. [34], RegulusA is a binary star consisting of a blue-white subgiant star of spectral type B8, which is orbited by a star of at least 0.3solar masses, which is probably a white dwarf. It might appear featureless and unexciting at first glance, but NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope observations of this elliptical galaxy known as Messier 105 show that the stars near the galaxys centre are moving very rapidly. Merak and Dubhe, the outer stars of the Big Dippers bowl, also point in the general direction of the constellation Leo. EarthSky | Meet Regulus, the Lion's Heart The black hole at the centre of the galaxy is believed to have a mass of 9.7 billion solar masses. This system is known as an active galactic nucleus. Litchfield Park | Visit Arizona Image created using the Aladin Sky Atlas software from the Strasbourg Astronomical Data Center and DSS (Digitized Sky Survey) data. Regulus A is a spectroscopic binary star composed of a blue-white main sequence star belonging to the spectral class B7 V, and a companion star which cannot be resolved, but is believed to be a white dwarf. Regulus is the only 1st magnitude star to sit almost squarely on the ecliptic, which marks the path of the sun, moon and planets across our sky. And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com. It is approximately 70 million light years distant. [18], The primary of Regulus A has about 3.8 times the Sun's mass. This is not only the best golf resort in the area, but actually one the best in the country. Space is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The name Regulus means little king or prince in Latin. Nevertheless, Messier 95 also makes for a spectacular image. It has an estimated age of at least a billion years. [4] When the stars were aligned accordingly, favourable conditions followed, and when they were negatively aligned, disaster was predicted. Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. The star Spica - aka Alpha Virginis - is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo the Maiden. In Arabia, Regulus was referred to as Malikiyy, "the kingly one", according to stellar nomenclature expert Richard Hinckley Allen. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The Spring Triangle and the Diamond of Virgo, image: Stellarium. The star is also known by its Latin name Cor Leonis and the Arabic Qalb al-Asad (Kalb al Asad, Kabeleced). 7 In astrology, the Sun is considered to be in Leo from July 23 to August 22 As mentioned in fact #3, Leo is part of the Zodiac belt. These include the Messier 96 Group (the Leo I Group) with member galaxies Messier 95, Messier 96, and Messier 105, and the Messier 66 Group (the Leo Triplet), which consists of the galaxies Messier 65, Messier 66, and NGC 3628. The other components of the Alpha Leonis system are still on the main sequence, but considerably fainter than Regulus A. Leo Constellation: Stars, Facts, Myth, Location - Constellation Guide NGC 3842 is an elliptical galaxy, notable for having one of the largest black holes known. The constellation name Leo is pronounced /lio/. Can you believe it? EarthSky | Spica, bright beacon of Virgo, is 2 stars It can be seen in the night sky throughout the year except for a month on either side of August 22, when the Sun comes too close to the star. CW Leonis is a carbon star embedded in a thick envelope of dust. Regulus was also one of the 15 Behenian fixed stars in medieval astrology, which were believed to have influence on one or more planets. Gliese 436 is another red dwarf located relatively close to the Sun. In Arabic, it is . The last occultation of Regulus by a planet was on July 7, 1959, by Venus. By the time of the Persian Empire (550 BC330 BC), Aldebaran watched the Eastern sky and was the dominant star in the Taurus constellation, Regulus watched the North and was the dominant star in the Leo constellation, Antares watched the West and was the alpha star in Scorpio, and Fomalhaut watched the Southern sky and was the brightest star in Piscis Austrinus (sharing the same longitude with the star Sadalmelik which is the predominant star in Aquarius). A line from Megrez through Phecda, the inner stars of the Big Dippers bowl, leads to the Sickle. Regulus, Alpha Leonis, is the brightest star in Leo and the 22nd brightest star in the sky. The two stars take approximately 40days to complete an orbit around their common centre of mass. The brightest star in. It emits only about 0.1% of the Suns energy, has 8% of the Suns mass, and only 16% the solar radius. They are main sequence stars belonging to the spectral classes K1-2 V and M5 V, making Regulus B an orange dwarf and Regulus C a red dwarf. M105 was discovered by Pierre Mchain in March 1781, a few days after he had first observed M95 and M96. It has 214% of the solar radius and is about 15 times more luminous than the Sun. Stewart, Suzy. The galaxy is notable for having a long tidal tail spanning about 300,000 light years, and a broad, obscuring dust band along the outer edge of its spiral arms. NGC 3596 is an intermediate spiral galaxy with a visual magnitude of 12.0. It is one of the lowest-mass stars ever discovered, as well as one of the faintest. It is located at 79 light-years from us. It is 85 times more luminous than the Sun. Together, the Regulus BC pair can be seen in small telescopes. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). The Leo Constellation | Pictures, Facts, and Brightest Stars The name Regulus is a diminutive form of "rex", which is Latin for "king". Some Peruvians also knew these stars as the Mountain Lion, whereas in China it was sometimes seen as a horse, and at other times as part of a dragon. The Greeks associated Leo with the Nemean lion, the beast defeated by Heracles during the first of his twelve labours. He used the lions claws to cut off its pelt, and then wore the pelt as a cloak, complete with the lions head. Regulus is the faintest of the 22 first-magnitude stars. In Indian astronomy, Regulus corresponds to the Nakshatra Magha ("the bountiful"). The Chinese knew Regulus as the Fourteenth Star of Xuanyuan, the Yellow Emperor (). The Planets 2010 - 2023 | Privacy Policy & Affiliate Disclaimer, Copyright 2023 ThePlanets.org | Sitemap, Regulus Star Image https://mirkokosmos.tumblr.com/image/114076419912, Regulus size comp https://www.daviddarling.info/images/flattened_stars.jpg, Location Of Regulus image https://starwalk.space/gallery/images/the-moon-venus-regulus-jpg/1136639. In some years, the moon occults (passes in front of) this star as seen from Earth. "Regulus Star Facts & Features About The Little King". It has a visual magnitude of 2.98 and is the fifth brightest star in the constellation Leo. There are no recently available measurements. . This new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows Messier 96, a spiral galaxy just over 35 million light-years away in the constellation of Leo (The Lion). Overall rating. 27. Venus last occulted Regulus on July 7, 1959. With a combined apparent magnitude of 1.40, it is the brightest star in Leo and the 21st brightest star in the sky. It has an apparent magnitude of 1.35 and is approximately 77 light years distant. Regulus passes through SOHO's LASCO C3 every August. According to Bantu Mythology mankind is not indigenous to planet Earth. . DSS is one of the programs of STScI (Space Telescope Science Institute). Regulus B has a radius of 0.83 solar radii and Regulus C, 0.37 solar radii. Regulus sits at the base of the Sickle, marking the lions heart. NGC 3593, image: NASA/ESA The Hubble Legacy Archive (HLA): Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), the Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility (ST-ECF), and the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre (CADC) zoranknez (Aladin software). Regulus lies around 79.3 light years, or 24.3 parsecs, from Earth in the constellation of Leo. Regulus in Leo. Regulus is located about 79 light-years from Earth. . Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! Omicron Leonis is a double star in Leo. Later, as the stars of Aries took the spring equinox position, Aldebaran moved to the cross-quarter day of May 1, and Regulus took over August 1. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University and a Bachelor of History from Canada's Athabasca University. During the December 2026 occultation, Mars and Jupiter will be nearby. Our Sun in comparison has an average temperature of 5.778 Kelvin. It is between 390 and 490 light years distant from the Sun. Stewart, Suzy. However, it would have taken at least a billion years for the white dwarf to form. The Persians might have thought otherwise if they knew what astronomers know now: it rotates extremely fast, and doesnt need to go a whole lot faster to tear itself to pieces, and like Uranus its axis is tilted, so that the poles are roughly where the equator should be. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, The name Denebola comes from the Arabic anab al-asad, which means the lions tail.. Each of the 15 stars was associated with a planet, a plant, and a gemstone, and the latter two were used in rituals to bring out the stars influence. Elizabeth is also a post-secondary instructor in communications and science since 2015. Fittingly, King Richard I of England was also famously known as the Lionheart, or more commonly Couer de Lion in French. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1784. Regulus is not really a single star, but a multiple star system. 4 stars. Regulus is not a binary star for once, although there is a binary nearby, and possibly a white dwarf. The stars proximity to the ecliptic (the apparent path of the Sun across the sky) means that Regulus is frequently occulted by the Moon. The stars traditional naames, Ras Elased (Australis), Asad Australis and Algenubi, are derived from the Arabic phrase rs al-asad al-janb, which means the southern star of the lions head., Epsilon Leonis is 288 times more luminous than the Sun, four times as massive, and it has 21 times the solar radius. In the northern hemisphere, Regulus is best seen in the evening in the late winter and spring. Regulus was seen as the main star because it was in the constellation of Leo, giving it the power of the lion, signifying the strength of kings with large implications. Regulus A is a spectroscopic binary star composed of a blue-white main sequence star belonging to the spectral class B7 V, and a companion star which cannot be resolved, but is believed to be a white dwarf. 3 stars. Regulus B has the stellar classification K2 V, indicating an orange main sequence star, while Regulus C appears red and has been given the spectral class M4 V. The stars are much less massive than the primary, with masses of 0.8 and 0.3 solar masses respectively. Look through a small telescope using at least 50x magnification, and you can see Regulus as two objects separated by 177 arcseconds.