Page:Field Book of Stars.djvu/38

 LEO (le'o)— THE LION. (Face South.)

—A line drawn from Pollux, in ../Gemini/, to (γ) in ../Cancer/, and prolonged about 12 degrees, strikes Regulus, the brilliant star in the heart of the Lion. Regulus lies about 9 degrees east of Acubens in Cancer, and about 12 degrees north-east of Alphard, in the heart of ../Hydra/.

Leo is one of the most beautiful constellations in the Zodiac. It lies south of the Great Bear, and its principal stars are arranged in the form of a sickle. This group is so striking as to be unmistakable. Regulus lies in the handle of the sickle. It is one of the stars from which longitude is reckoned, and is almost exactly on the ecliptic.

Denebola, the bright star in the Lion's tail, lies 25 degrees east of Regulus, and about 35 degrees west of Arcturus, in Boötes. It is the same distance northwest of Spica, in ../Virgo/, and forms with Spica and Arcturus a large equilateral triangle.

(γ) is a double for binoculars.

(ζ)is double, and has three minute companion stars.

(ε) has two minute seventh-magnitude companion stars, forming a beautiful little triangle.

Regulus is white in color, (γ) yellow, (π) red.

Denebola, Arcturus, and Cor Caroli form a triangle. This, and the triangle formed with Spica, compose the Diamond of Virgo. 16