Leo is a large equatorial constellation which represents a lion. It appears highest in the midnight sky in the months around February. Its brightest star, Regulus lies very close to the ecliptic, the path that the Sun traces across the sky each year.
When we were researching we ran into the inquiry “What is the head of the lion constellation called?”.
His huge head is identified by an asterism of stars, known as the Sickle ( 2 ). An asterism is a collection of stars within a larger constellation that form a pattern. They are usually easily identified and help star-gazers to create a bigger picture. The Sickle forms the head of the Lion and looks very much like a question mark.
Yet another query we ran across in our research was “What does the Leo constellation look like?”.
The Constellation Leo is a large lion , crouching in the sky with his foot raised, ready to pounce on any creature that comes close to him! In the northern hemisphere, the Lion stands upright. His huge head is identified by an asterism of stars, known as the Sickle (2).
The Persians knew the constellation as Shir or Ser ( 17 ). The ancient Egyptians also knew of Leo the Lion. They worshipped the Lion as the place where the Sun rose after creation. Its appearance in the night sky coincided with the flooding of the Nile river and the summer solstice.
Constellation Ordering: Scorpius is first on the list of constellations that look like a scorpion. It is ranked highest; those below it are also arachnids in some way. Capricornus, which looks like a goat, is next in line.
One of the next things we asked ourselves was what do constellations look like?
With their intriguing names, one would expect to see a constellation in the shape of a lion, an eagle, a bear, and other animals and figures. But many look nothing like their namesake . Some simply appear as geometrical shapes, which in many cases do not look like much of anything.
To the Yolgnu people of east Arnhem Land , the constellation is associated with both a crocodile and a scorpion. When the crocodile appears in the July sky, it is a sign that the Macassan traders will soon arrive.
The Leo Constellation is a well-known constellation and a favorite of amateur astronomers. It features a number of bright stars, including Regulus. Leo the Lion stands proudly in the sky and has a fascinating story with roots in Greek mythology. You can observe Leo in both the northern and southern hemispheres.
What constellations are high overhead in the eastern sky?
Eastern sky shows Libra and Virgo rising, and along with the stars of the Milky Way, the constellations of Canis Major, Vela, and Centaurus are high overhead.
What constellation looks like a dog?
Sirius , the “Dog Star,” is the brightest star of the constellation which bears the Latin name Canis Major — the Greater Dog. It is also the unquestionable ruler in its own section of the sky; a truly dazzling object. At a distance of 8.7 light-years, Sirius is the fifth nearest star known.
What is the brightest star in the canine constellation?
In one of these, shines the brightest of all stars. You can see it blazing prominently low in the southwest. Sirius , the “Dog Star,” is the brightest star of the constellation which bears the Latin name Canis Major — the Greater Dog.
The rest of the stars of Canis Major, with some imagination, can be made out to somewhat resemble a dog. In his classic sky guide, “The Stars/A New Way to See Them,” the late H. A. Rey (1898-1977) used Sirius for a dog tag. The antithesis of the complex pattern of the Big Dog can be found in Canis Minor, the Little Dog.
What does the constellation Scorpius look like?
Scorpius, via Constellation of Words. Scorpius the Scorpion – the southernmost constellation of the Zodiac – is a major showpiece of the starry sky. This J-shaped assemblage of stars actually looks like its namesake.
When we were writing we ran into the question “What is the story behind the constellation Scorpius and Orion?”.
One way to consider this is in Greek mythology, the constellation Scorpius was identified with the scorpion that stung Orion, the mythical hunter. The two constellations lie opposite each other in the sky, and Orion is said to be fleeing from the scorpion as it sets just as Scorpius rises.
Another thing we wanted the answer to was: how do you find Scorpius in the sky?
Scorpius has a distinctive shape and thus is fairly easy to spot. Simply look for an S-shaped pattern of stars between the constellations Libra (the scales) and Sagittarius, and below another constellation called Ophiuchus. Scorpius has long been recognized as a constellation.