List of double stars in the constellation Leo. Tale of the constellation Leo
Leo (lat. Leo) is the zodiac constellation of the northern hemisphere of the sky, lying between Cancer and Virgo.
Short description
| a lion | |
| Lat. Name | Leo |
| Reduction | Leo |
| Symbol | a lion |
| right ascension | from 9 h 15 m to 11 h 52 m |
| declination | -6° 00' to +33° 30' |
| Square | 947 sq. degrees (12th place) |
| brightest stars (value< 3 m) |
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 |
| meteor showers | Leonids |
| neighboring constellations | Ursa Major Lesser Lion Hair of Veronica Virgo Bowl Hydra Cancer Sextant Lynx (angled) |
| The constellation is visible at latitudes from +84° to -56°. Best time for observation - February, March. |
|
Full description
The constellation Leo belongs to zodiac constellations. The ecliptic passes through it, along which the Sun “moves”. This cluster of stars is located between Virgo and Cancer. Ursa Major, Lesser Lion, Bowl and Sextant also settled nearby. The location of the brightest stars in the cluster, indeed, is somewhat reminiscent of a lying animal. IN Ancient Greece The lion represented strength and ferocity. At that distant time, there were a lot of these powerful predators on the Balkan Peninsula. It is now that almost all of them have been exterminated, and the miserable remnants of Asiatic lions live only in the Gir reserve (India). But then, not now.
One of these formidable predators was the Nemean lion. He lived in the mountains near the city of Nemea (Peloponnese) and terrified the surroundings. No one could defeat the beast, but then Hercules appeared. He fearlessly entered into a fight with a lion and strangled him with his own hands. To perpetuate this feat, Zeus laid out the stars in the sky in the form of a lion figure. Since that time, a cluster of stars has been shining on the celestial sphere, symbolizing the victory of the son of Zeus over a ferocious animal.
The brightest star in the constellation is the blue-white star Regulus.
It is also one of the brightest stars in the night sky. From the Earth to it within easy reach. The distance is only about 78 light years. The luminary consists of 4 stars, which are combined into 2 pairs. One contains a blue-white Main Sequence star and a white dwarf. In the second pair, 2 dim stars of the Main Sequence coexist in unison.
Regulus practically "lies" on the ecliptic, so it is often covered by the Moon and less often by such planets as Venus and Mercury. The main white-blue star, which makes this system as bright as possible, exceeds the solar mass by 3.5 times, and exceeds our star by 160 times in brightness. The shape of the star is oblate due to the very rapid rotation around its own axis. From Latin, Regulus is translated as "little king", and the Arabs called the luminary the "Heart of a Lion".
In the back of the predator snugly nestled in the night sky is Star of Denebola. From Arabic, the name translates as "lion's tail." The luminary is considered the third brightest in the constellation. It belongs to the Main Sequence. Almost 2 times the mass of the Sun and 12 times brighter. It is separated from the Earth by 36 light years. Denebola is a Delta Scuti variable star. Its brightness changes slightly over several hours.
On the lion's mane, when he turns his head, is a golden yellow star Algieba. In translation, the name means "lion's mane". The luminary consists of 2 stars. The luminosity of the main component is 180 times greater than the solar one, and the diameter is 23 times greater. The second star shines 50 times brighter than the Sun, and its diameter is 10 times larger. They revolve around a common center with an orbital period of 500 years. They are 126 light-years away from the blue planet.
There are also several other bright stars. Zeta Leo or Adhafera is in a thick lion's mane. This is a giant white star, the brightness of which is 85 times greater than the sun. It is 3 times heavier than the Sun, and its radius is 6 times larger. It is located at a distance of 274 light years from our planet.
One of the closest stars to Earth is Wolf (wolf) 359. This is a red dwarf. It is separated from the blue planet by 7.8 light years. It belongs to the so-called flaring variable stars. They are characterized by the fact that an unpredictable sharp increase in brightness can occur within a few minutes. The increase in brightness lies in the spectrum from X-rays to radio waves. Outbreaks usually occur at intervals of several days. The star is relatively young. Its age does not exceed 1 billion years, and the luminosity is 100 thousand times less than the solar one.
The star is of great interest. Kaffau or SDSS J102915+172927. Found it in the galactic halo. It is described in detail in the American journal Nature, September 2011. The fact is that this luminary has an age of 13 billion years. It is one of the oldest stars in the Milky Way. Its mass is 0.8 solar. This cosmic body has a deficiency of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and is completely devoid of lithium.
As we all well know, oxygen and carbon play a decisive role in the formation of low-mass stars. Therefore, the very principles of formation and existence of Kaffau are a mystery. The search for similar stars is currently underway. It is assumed that in space there can be from 5 to 50.
asterisms
In the constellation Leo, there is an asterism called the Sickle. It consists of six stars. Namely, α, η, γ, ζ, μ and ε. The shape of this asterism resembles exactly a sickle, or a question mark. The point of this question mark is the brightest star of this constellation - Regulus.
The most interesting objects to observe in the constellation Leo
1. Spiral galaxy M 65 (NGC 3623)
spiral galaxy M65- one of Triplet Leo(Also M66 And NGC 3628). As a rule, this trio of galaxies is not divided even when observed through a telescope. Often in astronomical sources you will meet exactly the name "Triplet Leo". The entire system of galaxies is removed from us at a distance of 35 million light years.
M65 has a magnitude of 9.3m, a surface brightness of 12.7m, and an angular apparent size of 9.8′ × 2.9′. A very oblate and elongated galaxy. In a telescope with an aperture of up to 200 millimeters, it will be possible to notice a concentrated bright core and the shape of the galaxy as a whole. In order to distinguish the spirals of the galaxy, you will need a telescope with a main mirror diameter of 300+ millimeters.
2. Spiral galaxy M 66 (NGC 3627)
large galaxy M66, belonging to the type of spiral, is removed from us at a distance of 35 million light years. Its diameter is 100 thousand light years. The apparent dimensions are 9.1′ × 4.1′, while the magnitude is 8.9m and the surface brightness is 12.7m. Despite the spirality of the galaxy, M66 included in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. The galaxy has such an elongated and slightly flattened shape due to gravitational interaction with close neighbors in the cluster Triplet Leo. In this cluster, it is territorially located to the south of other galaxies.
3 Spiral Galaxy NGC 3628
The weakest, but at the same time the most beautiful galaxy NGC 3628 in the cluster, the Leo Triplet measures 13.1′ × 3.1′, has an apparent magnitude of 9.6m, and a surface brightness of 13.5m. To distinguish the dark band of dust "passing" through the galaxy, you need a telescope with an aperture of 200 millimeters or more. The galaxy is seen edge-on, and a careful detailed study will reveal the deformation of the arms. This is due to the mutual gravitation of the three galaxies.
4. Spiral galaxy M 95 (NGC 3351)
In 1781 the galaxy M95 was discovered by the French astronomer Pierre Mechain, and four days later included in his catalog by Charles Messier. Despite the convenient turn of the deep-sky relative to the observer from the Earth, the angular dimensions of the galaxy are only 7.4 ′ × 5.0 ′, the apparent stellar magnitude is slightly lower than 10 (more precisely, 9.8 m) and is removed from us at a distance of about 40 million light years. Along with three more (at least) deep-sky objects, M 95 is a member of the Local Group of galaxies. In 2012 in M95 discovered a supernova SN 2012aw.
5. Spiral galaxy M 96 (NGC 3368)
Like the previous galaxy ( M95) M96 was discovered by Pierre Mechain in 1781. It is noteworthy that this is one of the first discovered spiral galaxies, as well as the brightest in the local Leo I group. It has a brightness of 9.2 m and an angular size of 7.8' × 5.2'. The distance to the galaxy lies in the range of 30 to 40 million light years. It was determined using Cepheid variable stars.
6 Elliptical Galaxy M 105 (NGC 3379)
M 105 (left), NGC 3384 (bottom) and NGC 3389 (right)M105 is an E1-type elliptical galaxy. The Hubble Orbiting Telescope has discovered a giant object at the center of the galaxy with a mass of about 50 million solar masses. Presumably, this is a huge black hole. The brightness of the galaxy is 9.3 m, the apparent dimensions are 5.3' × 4.8'.
On a clear night, a 10-inch telescope can see all three galaxies in the same field of view of the eyepiece. By the way, this galaxy was also not discovered by Messier and it was not even included in the second edition of his catalog. Only in 1947, the American astronomer Helen Hogg, after studying letters and notes, included the galaxy in the Messier catalog.
7 Elliptical Galaxy NGC 3384 (NGC 3371)
In the previous image, the lowest of the three galaxies is an elliptical galaxy. NGC 3384. In the "New General Catalog" (NGC) is recorded under two serial numbers: the second - 3371 . Visible angular dimensions - 5.4' × 2.7' and brightness - 9.9 m. More flattened and turned in spirals towards the observer.
third galaxy ( NGC 3389) in the catalog is located under two numbers: the second – 3373 . It has an apparent stellar magnitude close to 12 and is not considered in detail within the framework of this review. Visible as a cloudy small oval speck in telescopes with an aperture of 250 millimeters or more.
8 Elliptical Galaxy NGC 3377
Another small, but with a saturated core elliptical galaxy in the constellation Leo - NGC 3377. In the Hubble sequence, it has type E5, that is, it has a strongly oblate shape at the poles. Visible angular dimensions - 5.0' × 3.0' and brightness - 10.2 m .
9 Lenticular Galaxy NGC 3412
If you remember, lenticular (SB0) is a type of spiral galaxy in which the branches are very poorly expressed and have a bright, saturated core. Unfortunately, I did not find a normal photo on the Internet. Visible angular dimensions NGC 3412- 3.7 ′ × 2.2 ′, and the brightness is 10.4 m (in some places it is lowered to 10.9 m).
10 Lenticular Galaxy NGC 3489
And another SB0 type spiral galaxy NGC 3489 slightly deviated from the group of previous galaxies and is not associated with them by any gravitational forces. This is a single deep-sky object, the search for which can be started from different reference stars. Or from a star κ Leo, about which I wrote earlier, or start on the other side of the brighter star Sheratan ( ΘLeo), whose magnitude is 3.5 m.
11. Spiral galaxy NGC 2903
In the head of the Lion, not far from the star Alterf ( λLeo) hid an amazing spiral galaxy NGC 2903. The galaxy is notable for the fact that active star formation is in full swing at the edges of the "sleeves". One of the regions of star formation, which is located at the northern end of the bar, scientists managed to identify and add to the catalog under the serial number NGC 2305. Apparent magnitude (8.8 m) allows you to see a deep-sky object even in an amateur semi-professional 150 mm telescope. By the way, some details of the branches and the inhomogeneity of the galactic core can already be distinguished through a telescope with a primary mirror diameter of 250 millimeters or more. The apparent dimensions of the galaxy are 12.6′ × 6.0′ – thus, it seems to “stand on its feet”, that is, it is elongated vertically relative to the observer.
It is removed from us at a distance of a little more than 30 million light years and is quite well studied by astronomers in the Hubble telescope. But we can find it by plotting a route from the Algenubi star ( ε Leo) and turning the telescope tube to the star Alterf, and then a little lower.
12. Pair of galaxies NGC 3226 and NGC 3227
A fantastic picture of a pair of interacting galaxies was captured by the Hubble telescope. Interestingly, NGC 3226 is an elliptical galaxy (E2), while NGC 3227 is a barred spiral galaxy. The latter is more massive and, with its attraction, will completely absorb its neighbor over time and form a new large galaxy. Only it will be in hundreds of millions of years. The total brightness of the galaxies is close to magnitude 11, and in addition to a powerful telescope, a clear moonless night and the ability to distinguish barely noticeable dark-light irregularities against the background of space will be required.
13 Elliptical Galaxy NGC 3640
Very small (4.0′ × 3.2′) and dim (apparent magnitude 10.3m) elliptical galaxy NGC 3640 hid in the southern part of the constellation among several stars of 6-8 magnitudes. nearest bright star τ Leo(4.95 m). If you manage to notice it in the finder, then it will be an excellent start on the way to the desired galaxy.
14. Spiral galaxy NGC 3521
Fantastically attractive barred spiral galaxy NGC 3521, same as the previous one NGC 3640 is located in the south of the constellation Leo. On the star map, green landmarks marked a short route from the star ρ 2 Leo.
The apparent stellar magnitude is 9.2m, and the angular dimensions are 11.2′ × 5.4′. Due to its large size, it has a low surface brightness (13.5 m). However, it is possible to find a galaxy and even notice some dark-light inhomogeneities already in a 150-millimeter telescope.
Compared to other images of galaxies, the image NGC 3521 many times superior in detail and quality. In 2015, the Hubble Space Telescope updated a previous image from 2011, and the following image can now be found in astronomical sources:
15 Elliptical Galaxy NGC 3607
Triplet of elliptical galaxies NGC 3605, 3607 , 3608 not gravitationally bound. Only optically it seems that they are nearby and experience mutual attraction. In fact, only one of the three NGC 3607- has a brightness below magnitude 11 (10.0 m), the rest, even "at the glitch level", will be extremely difficult to notice. By the way, there is another galaxy nearby - a spiral galaxy NGC 3626 or in the Caldwell catalog C40, but its brightness also exceeds 11 m .
How to find the constellation Leo in the sky?
The constellation is clearly visible throughout Russia. Finding the constellation is quite simple, it stands out in the sky with its bright star Regulus, located next to the ecliptic. The brightest stars in the constellation form a trapezium.
East of Leo is the constellation Virgo. Star spica (A Virgin) is also near the ecliptic and together with Arcturus (A Bootes) forms a well-known asterism - "spring triangle". North of Leo is located "ladle" Big Dipper.
The best conditions for observations are in February and March. The sun enters the constellation 10th of August.
Constellation in different cultures
It is considered one of the oldest celestial constellations. Information from archeology proves that a constellation similar to Leo was found in Mesopotamia as early as 4000 BC. The Persians called it Shir (Sher), the Babylonians - UR.GU.LA ("great lion"), the Syrians - Arya, and the Turks - Artan.
In Babylon, they also knew about the star Regulus, about which they said: "the one that stands at the lion's chest" or "the star of the king." The constellation and the brightest star have been noted in many cultures.
The Greeks saw in him the Nemean lion, which Hercules killed. This story served as the first feat. Erastofen and Gigin wrote that the lion was placed in the sky because it is the king of beasts. You can see 6 in the sky bright stars in the form of a sickle, displaying a lion's head. The brightest - Regulus marks the heart, Danebola - finished the tail, Algieba - the neck (although the name is translated as "forehead"), and Zosma - the rump.
Greek myth
The mythology of the Greeks connects the constellation Leo with the monstrous Nemean lion and with one of the labors of Hercules.
Having defeated the titans, Zeus cast them into the gloomy Tartarus. At the huge gates of Tartarus, the hundred-armed hecaton-cheirs vigilantly guarded the terrible enemies. The Titans have lost their power over the world forever. But the struggle of Zeus for power over Heaven and Earth did not end there. He still had to defeat the last enemy - Typhon, who instilled fear in everyone and was the cause of many disasters on Earth.
When Gaia (Earth) found out how cruelly Zeus acted with 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 flames in all directions.
As soon as Typhon rose from the bowels of the Earth, the whole Earth shuddered from its weight. The deafening roar of angry bulls and lions, the barking of dogs and the terrifying snake hissing spread far across the Earth, and the flames erupted by the dragon's heads burned everything around. Horror seized people and animals, and even the gods were frightened. The earth burned, and everything melted from the hellish heat. Stormy flame swirled around Typhon. Only Zeus was not afraid. He boldly marched against 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 on fire. Zeus' lightning turned everything to ashes. Zeus incinerated all one hundred heads of Typhon, and he collapsed to Earth like a huge rock. Such heat emanated from his body that everything around him melted, and the Earth itself almost turned into a fiery river.
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 still threatens the gods and inspires fear in people, causing terrible hurricanes that sweep away everything in their path. The fire of Typhon passes through the thickness of the mountains, and then fiery rivers flow along their slopes. But the worst thing happened when Typhon married Echidna. They gave birth to terrible monsters - the two-headed dog Orfo, the three-headed dog Kerber with a snake tail, the Lernean 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 offspring - a huge lion - in the mountains, not far from the city of Nemea (hence its name - 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 to leave their dwellings, famine set in, diseases 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 earth. All living things hid in their homes. No one could even tell him where the terrible lion's lair was.
All day Hercules wandered through the wooded slopes of the mountains, but nowhere could he find a monstrous lion. The sun was already setting and it was getting dark. And then a terrifying roar of a lion reached Hercules, who woke up and waited for complete darkness to start hunting ...
In several gigantic leaps, Hercules reached the lion's den, which was a huge cave with two exits. Before 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 his neck with his mighty hands and squeezed so hard that he strangled the lion.
Having shouldered a huge beast, Hercules went to Nemea. There he sacrificed to Zeus and established, in memory of his first feat, the Nemean Games, during which wars ceased throughout Greece and universal peace reigned.
Hercules took the lion to Mycenae. When Eurystheus saw the monster, he was so frightened of the strength and power of Hercules that he forbade him to approach Mycenae, and ordered evidence of the fulfillment of his further instructions to be shown at the city walls.55
The great thunderer Zeus turned the Nemean lion into a constellation and left it to shine in the sky to remind people of the feat of his son Hercules, who saved people from this terrible disaster.
In the night sky, even with the naked eye, you can see the constellation Leo. The Great and Lesser Leo, located nearby, have long been the subject of study by astronomers, in no way inferior in this sense to other constellations. 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, of course, the Big Lion is more famous. Its prototype was the one with which the hero of Greek mythology Heracles fought desperately. Lesser Leo 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 of Lions". Most often they are mentioned separately.
And not in vain. After all, the Big Lion has much more reasons to boast. His 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 are Denebola, Algieba, Zosma and Algenubi.
It is located next to such constellations as Virgo, Cancer, Sextant, Cups. In total, there are about 70 stars in its composition, 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 form of an inverted question mark. This curl is the supposed mane of the lion, and its six stars form the well-known asterism Sickle.
There are a lot of interesting objects in the constellation Leo: galaxies, binary and variable stars, which can only be seen with a powerful telescope.
The constellation is best seen in February and March, and in mid-November, you can also observe the Leonid meteor shower, which peaks on November 17th.
Constellation Leo Minor
Little Lion is quite small constellation, which contains 34 stars. It is best viewed in spring and summer. not as remarkable as his older brother. No interesting objects are observed in it, and its brightest stars do not form a clear geometric figure.
The discovery of the Small Lion was made 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 the Lesser Lion, noted only the second brightest, completely forgetting about the first.
Conclusion
The constellation Leo is two constellations located side by side. In the Northern Hemisphere, they can almost always be seen, although they are especially well visible in the spring. On celestial atlases, astronomers placed them side by side, since it was believed that the Small Lion should be similar in its influence to the Big Lion.
And Cancer. Ursa Major, Lesser Lion, Bowl and Sextant also settled nearby. The location of the brightest stars in the cluster, indeed, is somewhat reminiscent of a lying animal. In ancient Greece, the lion personified strength and ferocity. At that distant time, there were a lot of these powerful predators on the Balkan Peninsula. It is now that almost all of them have been exterminated, and the miserable remnants of Asiatic lions live only in the Gir reserve (India). But then, not now.
One of these formidable predators was the Nemean lion. He lived in the mountains near the city of Nemea (Peloponnese) and terrified the surroundings. No one could defeat the beast, but then Hercules appeared. He fearlessly entered into a fight with a lion and strangled him with his own hands. To perpetuate this feat, Zeus laid out the stars in the sky in the form of a lion figure. Since that time, a cluster of stars has been shining on the celestial sphere, symbolizing the victory of the son of Zeus over a ferocious animal.
The brightest star in the constellation is the blue-white star Regulus.. It is also one of the brightest stars in the night sky. From the Earth to it within easy reach. The distance is only about 78 light years. The luminary consists of 4 stars, which are combined into 2 pairs. One contains a blue-white Main Sequence star and a white dwarf. In the second pair, 2 dim stars of the Main Sequence coexist in unison.
Regulus practically "lies" on the ecliptic, so it is often covered by the Moon and less often by such planets as Venus and Mercury. The main white-blue star, which makes this system as bright as possible, exceeds the solar mass by 3.5 times, and exceeds our star by 160 times in brightness. The shape of the star is oblate due to the very rapid rotation around its own axis. From Latin, Regulus is translated as "little king", and the Arabs called the luminary the "Heart of a Lion".
In the back of the predator snugly nestled in the night sky is Star of Denebola. From Arabic, the name translates as "lion's tail". The luminary is considered the third brightest in the constellation. It belongs to the Main Sequence. Almost 2 times the mass of the Sun and 12 times brighter. It is separated from the Earth by 36 light years. Denebola is a Delta Scuti variable star. Its brightness changes slightly over several hours.
On the lion's mane, when he turns his head, is a golden yellow star Algieba. In translation, the name means "lion's mane". The luminary consists of 2 stars. The luminosity of the main component is 180 times greater than the solar one, and the diameter is 23 times greater. The second star shines 50 times brighter than the Sun, and its diameter is 10 times larger. They revolve around a common center with an orbital period of 500 years. They are 126 light-years away from the blue planet.
There are also several other bright stars. Zeta Leo or Adhafera is in a thick lion's mane. This is a giant white star, the brightness of which is 85 times greater than the sun. It is 3 times heavier than the Sun, and its radius is 6 times larger. It is located at a distance of 274 light years from our planet.
Diagram of the constellation Leo
One of the closest stars to the Earth is Wolf (wolf) 359. This is a red dwarf. It is separated from the blue planet by 7.8 light years. It belongs to the so-called flaring variable stars. They are characterized by the fact that an unpredictable sharp increase in brightness can occur within a few minutes. The increase in brightness lies in the spectrum from X-rays to radio waves. Outbreaks usually occur at intervals of several days. The star is relatively young. Its age does not exceed 1 billion years, and the luminosity is 100 thousand times less than the solar one.
Of great interest is the star Kaffau or SDSS J102915 + 172927. Found it in the galactic halo. It is described in detail in the American journal "Nature" for September 2011. The fact is that this luminary has an age of 13 billion years. It is one of the oldest stars in the Milky Way. Its mass is 0.8 solar. This cosmic body has a deficiency of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and is completely devoid of lithium.
As we all well know, oxygen and carbon play a decisive role in the formation of low-mass stars. Therefore, the very principles of formation and existence of Kaffau are a mystery. The search for similar stars is currently underway. It is assumed that in space there can be from 5 to 50.
beyond the stars The constellation Leo contains many bright galaxies.. These are M65, M66, M95, M96, M105. M65 is a spiral galaxy. It is located at a distance of 35 million light years from Earth. It was discovered in 1780 by the French astronomer Charles Messier (1730-1817). She is part of the so-called Leo Triplet. These are three star formations - M65, M66, NGS 3628. From the Earth, the galaxy is visible as a small elliptical spot with a bright core. Nearby is the less elongated M66, and to the side is the much fainter NGS 3628. These celestial formations are clearly visible in a small telescope.
M95 is a spiral galaxy discovered in 1781 by the French astronomer Pierre Méchamp (1744-1804). This stellar system is notable for the fact that near its core are ring-shaped regions of star formation. The galaxy belongs to the Messier group of objects, which also includes M96 and M105. Its distance to the Earth is 38 million years. M95 and M96 are spiral galaxies, while M105 is an elliptical. At the center of the latter is a supermassive black hole.
Our Sun, "moving" along the ecliptic, "enters" the constellation Leo on August 10, and "leaves" it on September 15. That is, it has been in the grip of a formidable predator for more than a month. But the beast does nothing wrong with it, and the luminary continues on its way, giving earthlings life, light and warmth..
| a lion | |
|---|---|
| Lat. Name | Leo |
| Reduction | Leo |
| Symbol | a lion |
| right ascension | from 9 h 15 m to 11 h 52 m |
| declination | -6° 00' to +33° 30' |
| Square | 947 sq. degrees (12th place) |
| brightest stars (value< 3 m ) |
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| meteor showers |
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| neighboring constellations |
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| The constellation is visible at latitudes from +84° to -56°. The best time for observation is February, March. |
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Holds 5 Messier objects: (M65, NGC 3623), (M66, NGC 3627), (M95, NGC 3351), (M96, NGC 3368) and (M105, NGC 3379), as well as 11 stars with planets.
The brightest star is Regulus, whose apparent magnitude reaches magnitude 1.35. There are two meteor showers. Peak Leonid falls on November 17-18 and they shine brightly near the star of Algieba. The January Leonids are a small shower, peaking on January 1-7.
Leo is included in the group of zodiac constellations (12 signs of the zodiac), where you can also find,, and. Consider the scheme of the constellation Leo on the starry sky map.
The myth of the constellation Leo
It is considered one of the oldest celestial constellations. Information from archeology proves that a constellation similar to Leo was found in Mesopotamia as early as 4000 BC. The Persians called it Shir (Sher), the Babylonians - UR.GU.LA ("great lion"), the Syrians - Arya, and the Turks - Artan.
In Babylon, they also knew about the star Regulus, about which they said: "the one that stands at the lion's chest" or "the star of the king." The constellation and the brightest star have been noted in many cultures.
The Greeks saw in him the Nemean lion, which Hercules killed. This story served as the first feat. Erastofen and Gigin wrote that the lion was placed in the sky because it is the king of beasts.
The mythical lion lived in a cave in Nemeia (southwest of Corinth). He was dangerous because he preyed on people. No one was able to kill him, as the skin did not succumb to any known weapon. Hercules tried to use the arrows, but they bounced off. Then he drove him into a cave and strangled him. To remove the skin, he used the claws of the beast, after which he wore it as a cloak for protection.
In the sky, you can see 6 bright stars in the shape of a sickle, displaying a lion's head. The brightest - Regulus marks the heart, Danebola - finished the tail, Algieba - the neck (although the name is translated as "forehead"), and Zosma - the rump.
The main stars of the constellation Leo
Explore the bright stars of the zodiac constellation Leo with detailed descriptions and characteristics.
Regulus(Alpha Leo) - with an apparent visual magnitude of 1.35, it becomes the first brightest star in the constellation and the 22nd in the sky. Located 77 light years away. This is a four-star system, represented by two pairs of stars.
Regulus A is a spectroscopic binary star consisting of a blue-white main sequence star (B7 V) and a companion star thought to be a white dwarf. They revolve around a common center of mass every 40 days.
Regulus B (K2V) and Regulus C (M4V) have a common correct movement. From Regulus A they are separated by 177 arc seconds. They are dimmer main sequence stars with apparent visual magnitudes of 8.14 and 13.5. They are located 100 AU from each other, and their common orbital period is 2000 years.
The main star Regula A is a young star, with an age of several million years, and 3.5 times the mass of the Sun. It rotates very quickly (period - 15.9 hours), which is why it formed in an oblate shape. If it were spinning 16% faster, then the centripetal force created by gravity would not be enough to keep it from collapsing.
Regulus is the closest bright star to the ecliptic, which is why it is constantly blocked by the Moon, and sometimes by Mercury and Venus. In the northern hemisphere, it is best seen in the evening in late winter and spring. But it cannot be found on August 22, as it comes too close to the Sun.
"Regulus" is Latin for "little king" or "prince". The same meant Greek name"Basiliscos", but the Arabic "Kalb al-Assad" - "the heart of a lion."
Denebola(Beta Leo) is a main sequence star (A3 V) with an apparent visual magnitude of 2.113 and a distance of 35.9 light years. It ranks second in brightness in the constellation and 61st in the sky (it can be easily found without the use of technology).
By mass, it is 75% larger than the sun, reaches 173% of its radius and is 12 times brighter. This is a Delta Shield variable (brightness may vary slightly over several hours). Denebola shows 0.025 magnitude changes in luminosity about 10 times a day.
Age - less than 400 million years. It also rotates rapidly (128 km / s), therefore it has a flattened shape. There is a significant infrared excess, which is why it is believed that there is a dust disk in orbit.
Refers to the cluster IC 2391 (its members share the same movement, but are not bound by gravity). It also includes Alpha Painter, Gomeis, and the stars in the open cluster IC 2391. "Denebola" is from the Arabic ānabab al-asad, "lion's tail."
Algieba(Gamma Leo) is a binary star represented by a giant (K1-IIIbCN0.5) and a companion (G7IIICN-I). The first object is 180 times brighter than the Sun, and the apparent visual magnitude is 2.28. The second is 50 times larger than the Sun in light with an apparent magnitude of 3.51, and also 10 times larger in diameter. Their orbital period lasts 500 years. In November 2009, a planet was found in the orbit of the giant.
The total apparent visual magnitude is 1.98, and the distance is 130 light years. It is very easy to find even in a small telescope, and under good conditions, red and greenish components are visible. "Algieba" is translated from Arabic as "forehead".
Algieba, Zeta Lion and Eta Lion are sometimes called the Sickle.
Zosma(Delta Leo) is a white main sequence star (A4 V) with a visual magnitude of 2.56 and a distance of 58.4 light years. It covers 214% of the solar radius in size and is about 15 times brighter. In 600 million years it will become a red giant. The rotation speed reaches 180 km / s, which is why its shape is flattened, and the equator is wider than the poles.
May be part of the Ursa Major moving group of stars (stars with a common origin and movement in space). "Zosma" is translated from ancient Greek as "belt" (located on the lion's thigh).
Hort(Theta Leo) is a white main sequence star (A2 V) with an apparent visual magnitude of 3.324 and a mass 2.5 times that of the Sun. It is 165 light-years away from us, but visible to the naked eye.
With an age of 550 million years, it is much younger than the Sun. A huge amount of infrared radiation is noticeable, indicating the presence of a circumstellar dust disk. Rotates at a speed of 23 km / s.
There are several traditional names: Hort (Arabic for "small rib"), Coxa (Latin for "thigh") and Chertan (Arabic for "two small ribs").
kappa lion- a double star (K2III) with an apparent magnitude of 4.46 and a distance of 210 light years. The traditional name "Al-Minlyar" is translated from Arabic as "lion's face".
lambda lion- a class K5 star with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.32 and a distance of 336 light years. The traditional name "Alterf" comes from the Arabic aṭ-ṭarf - "view (of a lion)".
Omicron Lion- a double star located 135 light years away. It is represented by a giant (F9III) and a main sequence star (A5mV) with an apparent visual magnitude of 3.53.
This lion- a white supergiant (A0 Ib) with an apparent visual magnitude of 3.511 and a distance of 2000 light years. The star is 5600 times brighter than the Sun, and its absolute magnitude reaches -5.60. This is supposed to be part of a binary system.
Zeta Leo- a giant (F0 III) with an apparent visual magnitude of 3.33 and a distance of 274 light years. 85 times brighter than the Sun. Accompanied by the optical companion 35 Leo, whose apparent visual magnitude is 5.90, and the distance from the main star is 325.9 arc seconds. The name "Adhafera" comes from the Arabic al-βafīrah, which means "curl" or "braid".
Rasalas(Mu Leo) is a K3 star with a visual magnitude of 4.1 and a distance of 133 light years. "Rasalas" is an abbreviation for the Arabic phrase ra "s al-" asad aš-šamālī, which means "northern (star) of the lion's head."
Epsilon Leo- a bright giant (G1 II) with a visual magnitude of 2.98 (the fifth brightest in the constellation) and a distance of 247 light years. Age - 162 million years. The name "Ras Elased" is taken from the Arabic phrase rās al-"asad al-janūbī - "the southern star of the lion's head". It is 288 times brighter than the Sun, 4 times more massive and 21 times larger in radius. This is a Cepheid variable with changes at 0.3 magnitude every few days.
Ro Lion- a double star with a visual magnitude of 3.856 and a distance of 5000 light years. The B1 lab classification suggests that the object has evolved to a supergiant. 21 times the solar mass, 37 times the radius, and 295,000 times brighter. Speed - 30 km / s. The main component is a blue supergiant with a companion located at 0.11 arc seconds and with a visual magnitude of 4.8.
Iota Leo- a spectroscopic binary star (F3 V) with a visual magnitude of 4.00 and a distance of 79 light years. Objects are too close, so it is difficult to see them even with a telescope.
Sigma Leo- a blue-white star (B9.5Vs), whose apparent magnitude reaches 4.044, and the distance is 210 light years.
Wolf 359- a red dwarf (M6.5Ve) with an apparent visual magnitude of 13.54 and a distance of 7.78 light years. Despite this proximity, it can only be found with a large telescope. It is one of the smallest stars ever discovered, and also one of the faintest. Releases only 0.1% of solar energy, reaches 8% mass and 16% radius. Age is less than a billion years.
This is a flare star that has a sudden increase in brightness over several minutes due to magnetic activity on the surface. Flares splash out strong gamma and x-ray radiation.
This is one of the closest stars to the Sun (only Alpha Centauri and Bernard's Star are ahead). It is often mentioned in fantasy works. Star Trek fans will recognize it as the site of the battle where Starfleet ships were destroyed.
Gliese 436- a red dwarf (M2.5 V) with a visual magnitude of 10.67 and a distance of 33.1 light years. In 2004, the exoplanet Gliese 436b was found in orbit, and in 2012, UCF-1.01.
CW Leo(IRC+10216) is a carbon star surrounded by a thick shell of dust. It is located 390-490 light years from the Sun. Demonstrates changes in brightness over 649 days. The nominal luminosity is 11,300 times that of the sun, but it is subject to a pulsation cycle (6250-15800 solar brightness). Therefore, the apparent visual magnitude also varies from 1.19 to 10.96.
It is in a late stage of development, blowing off the outer layer to transform into a white dwarf. The shell is 69,000 years old, and the star is losing more and more mass every year. The expanded envelope is believed to have at least 1.4 solar masses of ejected material.
In 1969, it was discovered by American astrophysicist Eric Breklen.
R Leo- a red giant (M8IIIe) with a visual magnitude of 4.4-11.3 and a period of 312 days. The radius is 320-350 times greater than the sun. It is a Mira variable (an advanced red pulsating variable star whose pulsation periods span more than 100 days). Eventually, it will destroy the outer shell to create a planetary nebula and become a white dwarf.
Removed by 370 light years. When it is located in the brightest place, it can be observed without the use of equipment. But in other cases, you will need at least a 7-cm telescope.
Celestial objects of the constellation Leo
(M65, NGC 3623) is an intermediate spiral galaxy with an apparent visual magnitude of 10.25 and a distance of 35 million light years. Charles Messier found her in 1780. Together with Messier 66 and NGC 3628 they form the famous Leo Triplet. The galaxy has little dust and gas, and no active star formation. Most of the stars are old.
The deformation of M65's disk, as well as some areas of star formation, hint that the galaxy is interacting with another object.
Messier 66(M66, NGC 3627) is an intermediate spiral galaxy discovered by Charles Messier in 1780. The visual magnitude is 8.9, and the distance is 36 million light years. It is 95,000 light years wide. Particular attention is drawn to dusty lanes and bright star clusters. Part of the Leo Triplet.
M66 and NGC 3628 have collided in the past. The gravitational interaction between them has resulted in an extremely high central mass concentration in M66, a high molecular to atomic mass ratio, and allowed non-corrosive accumulation of HI material escaping from the spiral arm.
Messier 95(M95, NGC 3351) is a barred spiral galaxy with a visual magnitude of 11.4 and a distance of 38 million light-years. Surrounding the core is an annular star-forming region about 2,000 light-years across.
M95 belongs to the M96 group, which also includes M96, M105 and 9 other galaxies. In 1781, the galaxy was found by astronomer Pierre Mechain, and after 4 days Charles Messier added it to his catalog. In March 2012, a supernova was seen.
Messier 96(M96, NGC 3368) is an intermediate spiral galaxy with an apparent visual magnitude of 10.1 and a distance of 31 million light-years. Ranks first in brightness in the M96 group. It is a double-bridged helix with a slight internal bulge running through the center along with the outer bulge. Ultraviolet emissions from the central region hint at the presence of a supermassive black hole.
On March 20, 1781, Pierre Mechain found it, and a few days later Charles Messier added it to his catalog. In May 1998, a Type Ia SN 1998bu supernova was observed.
(M105, NGC 3379) is an elliptical galaxy with a visual magnitude of 10.2 and a distance of 32 million light years. Has a supermassive black hole. In March 1781, Pierre Mechain found her. This happened a few days after he first discovered M95 and M96.
NGC 3628 is an unbarred spiral galaxy 35 million light-years away. It was found by William Herschel in 1784. The object is notable for having a 300,000 light-year long tidal tail and a broad, obscuring dust lane along the outer edge of the spiral arms. Part of the Leo Triplet.
Lion Ring- a giant primordial cloud of hydrogen and helium, found in the orbit of two galaxies. In 1983 it was found by radio astronomers.
NGC 3607 is a spiral galaxy with a visual magnitude of 10.8. It belongs to the NGC 3607 group.
is a spiral galaxy with an apparent visual magnitude of 12.6.
NGC 3384- an elliptical galaxy, 35.1 million light-years distant from the Earth. In 1784, William Herschel found her. In the central part are very old stars. More than 80% are second-generation stars that are over a billion years old. The galaxy is part of the M96 group.
NGC 3842- an elliptical galaxy containing one of the largest black holes, whose mass reaches 9.7 billion solar. The apparent magnitude is 12.8, and the distance is 331 million light years.
NGC 3596 is an intermediate spiral galaxy with a visual magnitude of 12.0. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1784. Look under the bright star Theta Leo.
is a barred spiral galaxy. The visual magnitude is 9.7, and the distance is 30.6 million light years. The galaxy was discovered by William Herschel in 1784.
NGC 3626- a medium-density spiral galaxy with a visual magnitude of 10.6-10.9. Located near Delta Leo (Zosma), 70 million light-years away. It belongs to the NGC 3607 group.
NGC 3357- an elliptical galaxy, found on April 5, 1864 by the German astronomer Albert March.
Leo (lat. Leo) is the zodiac constellation of the northern hemisphere of the sky, lying between Cancer and Virgo.
Short description
| a lion | |
| Lat. Name | Leo |
| Reduction | Leo |
| Symbol | a lion |
| right ascension | from 9 h 15 m to 11 h 52 m |
| declination | -6° 00' to +33° 30' |
| Square | 947 sq. degrees (12th place) |
| brightest stars (value< 3 m) |
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 |
| meteor showers | Leonids |
| neighboring constellations | Ursa Major Lesser Lion Hair of Veronica Virgo Bowl Hydra Cancer Sextant Lynx (angled) |
| The constellation is visible at latitudes from +84° to -56°. The best time for observation is February, March. |
|
Full description
The constellation Leo belongs to the zodiac constellations. The ecliptic passes through it, along which the Sun “moves”. This cluster of stars is located between Virgo and Cancer. Ursa Major, Lesser Lion, Bowl and Sextant also settled nearby. The location of the brightest stars in the cluster, indeed, is somewhat reminiscent of a lying animal. In ancient Greece, the lion personified strength and ferocity. At that distant time, there were a lot of these powerful predators on the Balkan Peninsula. It is now that almost all of them have been exterminated, and the miserable remnants of Asiatic lions live only in the Gir reserve (India). But then, not now.
One of these formidable predators was the Nemean lion. He lived in the mountains near the city of Nemea (Peloponnese) and terrified the surroundings. No one could defeat the beast, but then Hercules appeared. He fearlessly entered into a fight with a lion and strangled him with his own hands. To perpetuate this feat, Zeus laid out the stars in the sky in the form of a lion figure. Since that time, a cluster of stars has been shining on the celestial sphere, symbolizing the victory of the son of Zeus over a ferocious animal.
The brightest star in the constellation is the blue-white star Regulus.
It is also one of the brightest stars in the night sky. From the Earth to it within easy reach. The distance is only about 78 light years. The luminary consists of 4 stars, which are combined into 2 pairs. One contains a blue-white Main Sequence star and a white dwarf. In the second pair, 2 dim stars of the Main Sequence coexist in unison.
Regulus practically "lies" on the ecliptic, so it is often covered by the Moon and less often by such planets as Venus and Mercury. The main white-blue star, which makes this system as bright as possible, exceeds the solar mass by 3.5 times, and exceeds our star by 160 times in brightness. The shape of the star is oblate due to the very rapid rotation around its own axis. From Latin, Regulus is translated as "little king", and the Arabs called the luminary the "Heart of a Lion".
In the back of the predator snugly nestled in the night sky is Star of Denebola. From Arabic, the name translates as "lion's tail." The luminary is considered the third brightest in the constellation. It belongs to the Main Sequence. Almost 2 times the mass of the Sun and 12 times brighter. It is separated from the Earth by 36 light years. Denebola is a Delta Scuti variable star. Its brightness changes slightly over several hours.
On the lion's mane, when he turns his head, is a golden yellow star Algieba. In translation, the name means "lion's mane". The luminary consists of 2 stars. The luminosity of the main component is 180 times greater than the solar one, and the diameter is 23 times greater. The second star shines 50 times brighter than the Sun, and its diameter is 10 times larger. They revolve around a common center with an orbital period of 500 years. They are 126 light-years away from the blue planet.
There are also several other bright stars. Zeta Leo or Adhafera is in a thick lion's mane. This is a giant white star, the brightness of which is 85 times greater than the sun. It is 3 times heavier than the Sun, and its radius is 6 times larger. It is located at a distance of 274 light years from our planet.
One of the closest stars to Earth is Wolf (wolf) 359. This is a red dwarf. It is separated from the blue planet by 7.8 light years. It belongs to the so-called flaring variable stars. They are characterized by the fact that an unpredictable sharp increase in brightness can occur within a few minutes. The increase in brightness lies in the spectrum from X-rays to radio waves. Outbreaks usually occur at intervals of several days. The star is relatively young. Its age does not exceed 1 billion years, and the luminosity is 100 thousand times less than the solar one.
The star is of great interest. Kaffau or SDSS J102915+172927. Found it in the galactic halo. It is described in detail in the American journal Nature, September 2011. The fact is that this luminary has an age of 13 billion years. It is one of the oldest stars in the Milky Way. Its mass is 0.8 solar. This cosmic body has a deficiency of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and is completely devoid of lithium.
As we all well know, oxygen and carbon play a decisive role in the formation of low-mass stars. Therefore, the very principles of formation and existence of Kaffau are a mystery. The search for similar stars is currently underway. It is assumed that in space there can be from 5 to 50.
asterisms
In the constellation Leo, there is an asterism called the Sickle. It consists of six stars. Namely, α, η, γ, ζ, μ and ε. The shape of this asterism resembles exactly a sickle, or a question mark. The point of this question mark is the brightest star of this constellation - Regulus.
The most interesting objects to observe in the constellation Leo
1. Spiral galaxy M 65 (NGC 3623)
spiral galaxy M65- one of Triplet Leo(Also M66 And NGC 3628). As a rule, this trio of galaxies is not divided even when observed through a telescope. Often in astronomical sources you will meet exactly the name "Triplet Leo". The entire system of galaxies is removed from us at a distance of 35 million light years.
M65 has a magnitude of 9.3m, a surface brightness of 12.7m, and an angular apparent size of 9.8′ × 2.9′. A very oblate and elongated galaxy. In a telescope with an aperture of up to 200 millimeters, it will be possible to notice a concentrated bright core and the shape of the galaxy as a whole. In order to distinguish the spirals of the galaxy, you will need a telescope with a main mirror diameter of 300+ millimeters.
2. Spiral galaxy M 66 (NGC 3627)
large galaxy M66, belonging to the type of spiral, is removed from us at a distance of 35 million light years. Its diameter is 100 thousand light years. The apparent dimensions are 9.1′ × 4.1′, while the magnitude is 8.9m and the surface brightness is 12.7m. Despite the spirality of the galaxy, M66 included in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. The galaxy has such an elongated and slightly flattened shape due to gravitational interaction with close neighbors in the cluster Triplet Leo. In this cluster, it is territorially located to the south of other galaxies.
3 Spiral Galaxy NGC 3628
The weakest, but at the same time the most beautiful galaxy NGC 3628 in the cluster, the Leo Triplet measures 13.1′ × 3.1′, has an apparent magnitude of 9.6m, and a surface brightness of 13.5m. To distinguish the dark band of dust "passing" through the galaxy, you need a telescope with an aperture of 200 millimeters or more. The galaxy is seen edge-on, and a careful detailed study will reveal the deformation of the arms. This is due to the mutual gravitation of the three galaxies.
4. Spiral galaxy M 95 (NGC 3351)
In 1781 the galaxy M95 was discovered by the French astronomer Pierre Mechain, and four days later included in his catalog by Charles Messier. Despite the convenient turn of the deep-sky relative to the observer from the Earth, the angular dimensions of the galaxy are only 7.4 ′ × 5.0 ′, the apparent stellar magnitude is slightly lower than 10 (more precisely, 9.8 m) and is removed from us at a distance of about 40 million light years. Along with three more (at least) deep-sky objects, M 95 is a member of the Local Group of galaxies. In 2012 in M95 discovered a supernova SN 2012aw.
5. Spiral galaxy M 96 (NGC 3368)
Like the previous galaxy ( M95) M96 was discovered by Pierre Mechain in 1781. It is noteworthy that this is one of the first discovered spiral galaxies, as well as the brightest in the local Leo I group. It has a brightness of 9.2 m and an angular size of 7.8' × 5.2'. The distance to the galaxy lies in the range of 30 to 40 million light years. It was determined using Cepheid variable stars.
6 Elliptical Galaxy M 105 (NGC 3379)
M 105 (left), NGC 3384 (bottom) and NGC 3389 (right)M105 is an E1-type elliptical galaxy. The Hubble Orbiting Telescope has discovered a giant object at the center of the galaxy with a mass of about 50 million solar masses. Presumably, this is a huge black hole. The brightness of the galaxy is 9.3 m, the apparent dimensions are 5.3' × 4.8'.
On a clear night, a 10-inch telescope can see all three galaxies in the same field of view of the eyepiece. By the way, this galaxy was also not discovered by Messier and it was not even included in the second edition of his catalog. Only in 1947, the American astronomer Helen Hogg, after studying letters and notes, included the galaxy in the Messier catalog.
7 Elliptical Galaxy NGC 3384 (NGC 3371)
In the previous image, the lowest of the three galaxies is an elliptical galaxy. NGC 3384. In the "New General Catalog" (NGC) is recorded under two serial numbers: the second - 3371 . Visible angular dimensions - 5.4' × 2.7' and brightness - 9.9 m. More flattened and turned in spirals towards the observer.
third galaxy ( NGC 3389) in the catalog is located under two numbers: the second – 3373 . It has an apparent stellar magnitude close to 12 and is not considered in detail within the framework of this review. Visible as a cloudy small oval speck in telescopes with an aperture of 250 millimeters or more.
8 Elliptical Galaxy NGC 3377
Another small, but with a saturated core elliptical galaxy in the constellation Leo - NGC 3377. In the Hubble sequence, it has type E5, that is, it has a strongly oblate shape at the poles. Visible angular dimensions - 5.0' × 3.0' and brightness - 10.2 m .
9 Lenticular Galaxy NGC 3412
If you remember, lenticular (SB0) is a type of spiral galaxy in which the branches are very poorly expressed and have a bright, saturated core. Unfortunately, I did not find a normal photo on the Internet. Visible angular dimensions NGC 3412- 3.7 ′ × 2.2 ′, and the brightness is 10.4 m (in some places it is lowered to 10.9 m).
10 Lenticular Galaxy NGC 3489
And another SB0 type spiral galaxy NGC 3489 slightly deviated from the group of previous galaxies and is not associated with them by any gravitational forces. This is a single deep-sky object, the search for which can be started from different reference stars. Or from a star κ Leo, about which I wrote earlier, or start on the other side of the brighter star Sheratan ( ΘLeo), whose magnitude is 3.5 m.
11. Spiral galaxy NGC 2903
In the head of the Lion, not far from the star Alterf ( λLeo) hid an amazing spiral galaxy NGC 2903. The galaxy is notable for the fact that active star formation is in full swing at the edges of the "sleeves". One of the regions of star formation, which is located at the northern end of the bar, scientists managed to identify and add to the catalog under the serial number NGC 2305. Apparent magnitude (8.8 m) allows you to see a deep-sky object even in an amateur semi-professional 150 mm telescope. By the way, some details of the branches and the inhomogeneity of the galactic core can already be distinguished through a telescope with a primary mirror diameter of 250 millimeters or more. The apparent dimensions of the galaxy are 12.6′ × 6.0′ – thus, it seems to “stand on its feet”, that is, it is elongated vertically relative to the observer.
It is removed from us at a distance of a little more than 30 million light years and is quite well studied by astronomers in the Hubble telescope. But we can find it by plotting a route from the Algenubi star ( ε Leo) and turning the telescope tube to the star Alterf, and then a little lower.
12. Pair of galaxies NGC 3226 and NGC 3227
A fantastic picture of a pair of interacting galaxies was captured by the Hubble telescope. Interestingly, NGC 3226 is an elliptical galaxy (E2), while NGC 3227 is a barred spiral galaxy. The latter is more massive and, with its attraction, will completely absorb its neighbor over time and form a new large galaxy. Only it will be in hundreds of millions of years. The total brightness of the galaxies is close to magnitude 11, and in addition to a powerful telescope, a clear moonless night and the ability to distinguish barely noticeable dark-light irregularities against the background of space will be required.
13 Elliptical Galaxy NGC 3640
Very small (4.0′ × 3.2′) and dim (apparent magnitude 10.3m) elliptical galaxy NGC 3640 hid in the southern part of the constellation among several stars of 6-8 magnitudes. nearest bright star τ Leo(4.95 m). If you manage to notice it in the finder, then it will be an excellent start on the way to the desired galaxy.
14. Spiral galaxy NGC 3521
Fantastically attractive barred spiral galaxy NGC 3521, same as the previous one NGC 3640 is located in the south of the constellation Leo. On the star map, green landmarks marked a short route from the star ρ 2 Leo.
The apparent stellar magnitude is 9.2m, and the angular dimensions are 11.2′ × 5.4′. Due to its large size, it has a low surface brightness (13.5 m). However, it is possible to find a galaxy and even notice some dark-light inhomogeneities already in a 150-millimeter telescope.
Compared to other images of galaxies, the image NGC 3521 many times superior in detail and quality. In 2015, the Hubble Space Telescope updated a previous image from 2011, and the following image can now be found in astronomical sources:
15 Elliptical Galaxy NGC 3607
Triplet of elliptical galaxies NGC 3605, 3607 , 3608 not gravitationally bound. Only optically it seems that they are nearby and experience mutual attraction. In fact, only one of the three NGC 3607- has a brightness below magnitude 11 (10.0 m), the rest, even "at the glitch level", will be extremely difficult to notice. By the way, there is another galaxy nearby - a spiral galaxy NGC 3626 or in the Caldwell catalog C40, but its brightness also exceeds 11 m .
How to find the constellation Leo in the sky?
The constellation is clearly visible throughout Russia. Finding the constellation is quite simple, it stands out in the sky with its bright star Regulus, located next to the ecliptic. The brightest stars in the constellation form a trapezium.
East of Leo is the constellation Virgo. Star spica (A Virgin) is also near the ecliptic and together with Arcturus (A Bootes) forms a well-known asterism - "spring triangle". North of Leo is located "ladle" Big Dipper.
The best conditions for observations are in February and March. The sun enters the constellation 10th of August.
Constellation in different cultures
It is considered one of the oldest celestial constellations. Information from archeology proves that a constellation similar to Leo was found in Mesopotamia as early as 4000 BC. The Persians called it Shir (Sher), the Babylonians - UR.GU.LA ("great lion"), the Syrians - Arya, and the Turks - Artan.
In Babylon, they also knew about the star Regulus, about which they said: "the one that stands at the lion's chest" or "the star of the king." The constellation and the brightest star have been noted in many cultures.
The Greeks saw in him the Nemean lion, which Hercules killed. This story served as the first feat. Erastofen and Gigin wrote that the lion was placed in the sky because it is the king of beasts. In the sky, you can see 6 bright stars in the shape of a sickle, displaying a lion's head. The brightest - Regulus marks the heart, Danebola - finished the tail, Algieba - the neck (although the name is translated as "forehead"), and Zosma - the rump.
Greek myth
The mythology of the Greeks connects the constellation Leo with the monstrous Nemean lion and with one of the labors of Hercules.
Having defeated the titans, Zeus cast them into the gloomy Tartarus. At the huge gates of Tartarus, the hundred-armed hecaton-cheirs vigilantly guarded the terrible enemies. The Titans have lost their power over the world forever. But the struggle of Zeus for power over Heaven and Earth did not end there. He still had to defeat the last enemy - Typhon, who instilled fear in everyone and was the cause of many disasters on Earth.
When Gaia (Earth) found out how cruelly Zeus acted with 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 flames in all directions.
As soon as Typhon rose from the bowels of the Earth, the whole Earth shuddered from its weight. The deafening roar of angry bulls and lions, the barking of dogs and the terrifying snake hissing spread far across the Earth, and the flames erupted by the dragon's heads burned everything around. Horror seized people and animals, and even the gods were frightened. The earth burned, and everything melted from the hellish heat. Stormy flame swirled around Typhon. Only Zeus was not afraid. He boldly marched against 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 on fire. Zeus' lightning turned everything to ashes. Zeus incinerated all one hundred heads of Typhon, and he collapsed to Earth like a huge rock. Such heat emanated from his body that everything around him melted, and the Earth itself almost turned into a fiery river.
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 still threatens the gods and inspires fear in people, causing terrible hurricanes that sweep away everything in their path. The fire of Typhon passes through the thickness of the mountains, and then fiery rivers flow along their slopes. But the worst thing happened when Typhon married Echidna. They gave birth to terrible monsters - the two-headed dog Orfo, the three-headed dog Kerber with a snake tail, the Lernean 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 offspring - a huge lion - in the mountains, not far from the city of Nemea (hence its name - 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 to leave their dwellings, famine set in, diseases 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 earth. All living things hid in their homes. No one could even tell him where the terrible lion's lair was.
All day Hercules wandered through the wooded slopes of the mountains, but nowhere could he find a monstrous lion. The sun was already setting and it was getting dark. And then a terrifying roar of a lion reached Hercules, who woke up and waited for complete darkness to start hunting ...
In several gigantic leaps, Hercules reached the lion's den, which was a huge cave with two exits. Before 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 his neck with his mighty hands and squeezed so hard that he strangled the lion.
Having shouldered a huge beast, Hercules went to Nemea. There he sacrificed to Zeus and established, in memory of his first feat, the Nemean Games, during which wars ceased throughout Greece and universal peace reigned.
Hercules took the lion to Mycenae. When Eurystheus saw the monster, he was so frightened of the strength and power of Hercules that he forbade him to approach Mycenae, and ordered evidence of the fulfillment of his further instructions to be shown at the city walls.55
The great thunderer Zeus turned the Nemean lion into a constellation and left it to shine in the sky to remind people of the feat of his son Hercules, who saved people from this terrible disaster.
