A Spring Constellation - Longmont Astronomical … · A Spring Constellation . LEO CONSTELLATION...
Transcript of A Spring Constellation - Longmont Astronomical … · A Spring Constellation . LEO CONSTELLATION...
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LEO THE LION
A Spring Constellation
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LEO CONSTELLATION
• 12th largest constellation in size
• One of the zodiac constellations – sun passes through : Aug 10th to Sep 16th
• Contains five Messier objects and 11 stars with known planets
• Two meteor showers: Leonids – 17-18 Nov & Jan 1-7
Diagram Wikipedia
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MYTHOLOGY
• One of oldest constellations, traced back 4,000 BC Mesopotamians
• Catalogued by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in 2nd century
• Greeks depicted Leo as the Nemean Lion, killed by Hercules as the first of his twelve labors
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LOCATING LEO
Messier Marathon Field Guide
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MAJOR STARS IN LEO
Algieba (Gamma Leonis) – lion’s neck; double star visible in small scopes; 126 ly distant
Regulus (Alpha Leonis) – lion’s heart; brightest star in Leo and 22nd brightest in sky; composed of two pairs of stars; 77 ly distant Denebola - (Beta Leonis) - tip of the lion’s tail; 2nd
brightest star in Leo and 61st brightest in sky; relatively young star and fast rotator; strong infrared excess suggests circumstellar disc of dust in orbit
Zosma (Delta Leonis) – lion’s rump; white main sequence star; rapid rotator
NightWatch
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MESSIER OBJECTS IN LEO
M65 (NGC 3623) – intermediate spiral galaxy; 35 million ly distant most stars are old
M66 (NGC 3627) – intermediate spiral galaxy; 36 million ly distant; notable for dust lanes and bright star clusters
M65-M66-NGC 3628 by Gary Garzone
Photos by Gary Garzone
Leo Triplet
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MESSIER OBJECTS IN LEO
M95 (NGC 3351) – barred spiral galaxy; 38 million ly distant; ringshaped starburst region around the core
M96 (NGC 3368) – intermediate spiral galaxy; 31 million ly distant; Double-barred spiral with small inner bulge
M105 (NGC 3379) – elliptical galaxy; 32 million ly distant; known to have a supermassive black hole at its center
Brian Kimball photo
NASA/ESA
ESO
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ALSO WORTH VIEWING
From Bob Stohl’s series of talks on Messier objects M44 photo by Brian Kimball
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TAKE A LOOK AT LEO
• Easy to find zodiac constellation
• Great mythological story
• Contains five Messier objects and multiple interesting stars
• Easy star hop to Cancer, Gemini, Auriga
• Two meteor showers: Leonids – 17-18 Nov & Jan 1-7