![]() It is also one vertex of the Great Diamond asterism, along with Denebola (Leo), Arcturus (Bootes), and Cor Carolis (Canes Venatici). Along with Arcturus in Bootes and Regulus in Leo, Spica forms the Spring Triangle asterism. 0.97 - 1.04), a variable binary star system in the lower left-hand corner of the constellation, is one of the 20 brightest stars in the night sky. Virgo is also sometimes shown holding a sheath of grain, indicating an earlier origin in Babylonian mythology, where it was known as The Furrow, representing the goddess Shala, the Mesopotanian goddess of weather and grain. In Greek mythology, Virgo is associated with Dike, the goddess of justice, often depicted as holding the scales of justice. Immediately to the lower left of Leo is the constellation of Virgo, the second largest constellation in the sky. Regulus is 75 times the size of our sun and 150 times as bright, while Denebola is 75 per cent larger in mass than our sun, and 12 times as luminous. 2.14), Latin for lion's tail, marks the eastern end of that star grouping. The constellation's second brightest star, Denebola (mag. The constellation's shape extends eastward (left) to a triangle-shaped group of stars which form the Lion's haunches (picture a lion squatting down on all four legs). ![]() +1.4) forms the dot or period in the question mark shape. The stars in this group were not named as a constellation until 1687. Leo Minor is the 64th largest constellation and is located approximately 95 light-years from Earth. It was one of the original 48 constellations catalogued by the 2nd century Egyptian astronomer Ptolemy (c. The constellation of Leo is said to represent the huge Nemean lion that the great Roman hero Hercules (the Greek, Heracles) slew as one of his famous Twelve Labors. It is easily recognized by its large backward-facing question mark-shaped arrangement of stars which forms the Lion's head and chest. The most prominent of the spring constellations in the mid-evening sky is that of Leo. In addition to these five major constellations, there are a handful of minor constellations in the immediate area of the five that are also visible in the spring night sky: Coma Berenices - Berenice's Hair, Leo Minor - the Little Lion, Canes Venatici - the Hunting Dogs, Sextans - the Sextant and Lynx - the Lynx. The five constellations mentioned are referred to as the spring constellations solely because they occupy the mid-evening southern sky during the spring months. As the seasons pass, certain constellations are visible in the evening sky at different times of the year. Some are, obviously, invisible to us as they are over us during the daytime. Locate the direction of north in the night sky (drop an imaginary line from Polaris - the North Star, in the constellation of Ursa Minor - the Little Bear, straight down to the horizon), turn your back to the north and the spring constellations will fill the southern sky in front of you from horizon to zenith.Įxcluding the circumpolar constellations, which are always visible in the northern night sky at any time of the year on any clear night, there are five major spring constellations: Bootes - the Herdsman, Leo - the Lion, Cancer - the Crab, Virgo - the Maiden and Hydra - the Water Snake.Īll the constellations in the sky revolve around the North Star on a 24-hour basis. While it may be difficult to believe, looking outside at all that snow on the ground, we are now officially in the spring season, having passed both the meteorological marker of March 1 and the astronomical marker of March 20.Īs the bright winter constellations that we have observed in the night sky for the past few months now gather in the western evening sky preparatory to disappearing for the next several months, the spring constellations make their grand return.īest observed from late March through late June, the spring constellations can be seen in the southern half of the sky once the evening sky has darkened sufficiently.
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