Leo the Lion

constellation · zodiac · lion myth

Brightest lion star. Leo is packed with bright stars that make it one of the easiest constellations to spot in the night sky. Its main star, Regulus, shines like a blue-white jewel near the lion's chest.

Nemean Lion legend. The ancient Greeks believed Leo represented the Nemean Lion, a fearsome beast that the hero Heracles had to kill as the first of his twelve great labors. This lion was said to be nearly impossible to defeat because its hide couldn't be pierced by weapons.

Old constellation. Leo is one of the 48 ancient constellations that the astronomer Ptolemy described almost 2,000 years ago, and it's still one of the 88 constellations we use today.

Zodiac neighbor. Leo sits between Cancer the Crab on its left and Virgo the Maiden on its right, making it part of the zodiac belt that marks where the sun appears to travel through the year.

Perfect shape. Unlike some constellations that are hard to see, Leo looks exactly like a crouching lion thanks to its many bright stars arranged in a distinctive pattern that anyone can recognize.