Leo, the lion, is one of the zodiacal constellations. It is bordered to the east by Virgo, the virgin, and to the west by Cancer, the crab.
Zodiacal constellations are defined as the 12 major star patterns through which the sun, the moon and the other planets all move throughout the year. They girdle the night sky and mark out the plane of our disc-shaped solar system.
One of the oldest recognised constellations, with origins in Mesopotamian astronomical records dating to 4,000BC, Leo is a bright constellation that is easy to pick out at this time of year.
The chart shows the view looking south-east from London at 2000 BST on 28 March 2022. It is straightforward to imagine a lion fitting into the constellation, with the head marked out by the sickle shape of stars.
Regulus is the constellation’s brightest star. It shines with a blue-white light and represents the animal’s front leg. The second brightest star, Denebola, is similar in colour and sits at the rear of the constellation. Its name means lion’s tail.
The constellation is also visible from the southern hemisphere. From Sydney, Australia, it can be seen in the northern sky and will be upside down.
