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Sky Chart and Artist Rendering of Leo
Origin:
Leo is a large ecliptic constellation (fifth constellation of the ancient
zodiac) associated with a lion as far back as 5,000 years in ancient
Mesopotamia. This constellation has been associated with a lion by
the Egyptians, Babylonians, Persians, Turks, Syrians, and Jews. Leo
once had a tail but lost it around 250 BC to the new constellation Coma Berenices (Berenice's Hair), invented by
Ptolemy Euergetes, King of Egypt.
Information:
Leo is a distinct spring constellation found easily by its distinctive
star pattern. Leo is one of the few constellation that actually
resembles the object it represents. Possibly the easiest part of Leo
to find is the asterism known as the "sickle", which also
appears as a backwards question mark, representing the head and
breast. Not quite a hands-width to the east of the
"sickle" is a right-triangle of stars which are the lion's
haunches. Leo is highest in the ecliptic in the spring sky at 9 pm
around May 1. Leo, along with Leo Minor
and Sextans, lies on the western edge of the
Coma-Virgo cluster of galaxies. Leo is known for its multiple stars
and bright galaxies (some as bright as nearly magnitude 8.5).
Mythology:
Hercules' first labor (impossible task) set by King
Eurystheus of Argos was to kill the Nemean lion,
a fierce animal that descended from the Moon as a meteor and terrorized the valley of Nemea (Corinth?). The lion
could not be killed by any normal means because
of its thick, tough, impenetrable hide. Hercules pursued the lion
into its cave and, with his great strength, seized the lion and strangled
it to death by ramming his fist down its throat. He returned to show
King Eurystheus the dead lion, thus fulfilling his first labor. The
king fled in terror at the sight of lion in spite of its being dead.
Hercules skinned the lion and used its tough hide as either a cloak or
impenetrable shield. The lion was immortalized in the heavens by
Hera, wife of Zeus. |
