Leo
Authors: Susanne M Hoffmann, Youla Azkarrula, Doris Vickers
One of the 88 IAU constellations with Greco-Roman background. It has been developed from a Babylonian predecessor (UR.GU.LA). The constellation lies in the zodiac and was therefore adopted from Greek astronomy around the middle of the 1st millennium BCE from Babylon. In Mesopotamia a millennium earlier, however, it was not named directly after an animal: the Sumerian word UR.GU.LA refers to a demon that looks like a winged lion, as depicted on a clay tablet as a scratch drawing.
Etymology and History
Origin of Constellation
[1]In the 1st millennium, a uranography describes two figures in this region of the sky: a lion (UR.MAḪ) and this demon, the winged lion (UR.GU.LA). However, according to current knowledge, this pairing of terms has only been documented once. Another text from the 1st millennium can be understood as equating the two figures, and yet another speaks of a rear and a front demon lion. It is still unclear what transformations the demon underwent to become a normal lion. In any case, the foreign Greek culture certainly did not understand the demon, and at that point at the latest, the two figures were equated and the wings removed.
It is noteworthy that the lion, as we imagine it today, lies only north of the ecliptic. The lion's body consists of a trapezoid of bright stars, the southernmost of which, Regulus, lies less than a moon's diameter north of the ecliptic. It can therefore be covered by the sun and moon. The lion's front paws lie south of the ecliptic, but there is a large gap between its hind paws and the ecliptic – or even the neighbouring southern constellation. Assyriologists have therefore suggested that the doubling in Babylonian uranography was an attempt to close this gap. According to this, the second lion would be interpreted as lying south of today's constellation Leo.
However, on the microzodiac clay tablet in the Museum of the Ancient Near East in Berlin, it is clear to see that the winged lion is walking on a Musch snake (mul (d)MUŠ). The tablet dates from the Seleucid period (i.e. the period of Greek rule) and shows the image as it was already described in MUL.APIN about 1.5 millennia earlier: There is nothing between the winged lion and the snake we call Hydra.
This was no different in Greek constellation culture – except that the lion had no wings. It was not until the advent of telescope surveys in the 17th century that a new constellation of faint stars was defined in the ‘nothingness’ beneath the lion: the Sextans, The Sextant.
Babylonian
see
Greco-Roman
Aratos
Beneath the Bear’s head are the Twins, beneath her belly the Crab, and under her hind legs the Lion shines brightly. This is where the sun’s track is hottest, [150] and the fields are seen bereft o f their corn-ears when the sun first comes into conjunction with the Lion. This is the time when the whistling etesian winds sweep strongly across the broad sea, and it is no longer seasonable for ships to be under oars. Then let broad-beamed ships be my pleasure, [155] and let helmsmen hold their steering-oars into the wind. (Kidd 1997)
Eratosthenes
Hipparchus
Rising (Lib II Cap V §10)
The Rising of ...
| east | south | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| lam1 | lam2 | lam1 | lam2 | |
| star | ||||
| duration | 2 1/8 hours = 127.5 min = 31 7/8 degree | |||
Setting (Lib II Cap VI §10)
| west | south | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| lam1 | lam2 | lam1 | lam2 | |
| star | ||||
| duration | 2 2/3 hours = 160 min = 40° | |||
Stars Mentioned
| Greek | German | English | ident. | src | lam_culm | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lib II Cap V §10 | rising, east, first | ||||||
| Lib II Cap V §10 | rising, east, last | ||||||
| Lib II Cap VI §2 | setting CrB, south, last | Psc 13.5 | |||||
| Lib II Cap VI §13 | setting Aql, south, first | Ari 2 | |||||
| Lib III Cap I §9 | rising Ori, south, last | Psc 13 |
Hyginus, Astronomica
He is said to have been put among the stars because he is considered the king of beasts. Some writers add that Hercules' first Labor was with him and that he killed him, unarmed. Pisandrus and many others have written about this. Above his likeness in the sky nearest the Virgin are seven other stars near his tail, arranged in a triangle, which Conon, the mathematician, and Callimachus call the Lock of Berenice. When Ptolemy had married his sister Berenice, daughter of Ptolemy and Arsinoe, and after a few days had set out to attack Asia, Berenice vowed that if Ptolemy returned as victor she would clip off her hair. She placed the lock, consecrated by this vow, in the temple of Venus Arsinoe Zephyritis, but on the following day it couldn't be seen there. When the king was distressed by this, Conon the mathematician, whom we mentioned above, desiring to win the favor of the king, said that he had seen the lock among the constellations, and pointed out seven stars without definite configuration which he imagined were the lock. Some authors along with Callimachus have said that this Berenice raised horses, and used to send them to Olympia. Others add that once Ptolemy, Berenice's father, in panic at the number of the enemy, had sought safety in flight, but his daughter, an accomplished horsewoman, leaped on a horse, organized the remaining troops, killed many of the enemy, and put the rest to flight. For this even Callimachus calls her high-souled. Eratosthenes says that she ordered returned to the girls of Lesbos the dowry left to them by their parents, which no one had released, and she established among them right to bring action of recovery. (Mary Ward 1960)
Geminos
Almagest Δέοντος.
| id | Greek
(Heiberg 1898) |
English
(Toomer 1984) |
ident. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Λέουτος ἀστεριῦμόρ. | Constellatian of Leo | ||
| 1 | ὁ ἐπ’ ἄκρου τοῦ μοκτῆρος. | The star on the tip of 'the nostrils' | kap Leo |
| 2 | ὁ ἐν τῷ χάσματι | The star in the gaping Jaws | lam Leo |
| 3 | τῶν ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ β ὁ βορειότερος. | The northernmost of the twa stars in the head | mu Leo |
| 4 | ὁ νοτιώτερος αὐτῶν. | The southernmost of these | eps Leo |
| 5 | τῶν ἐν τῷ τραχήλῳ ἡ’ ὁ βόρειος | The northernmost of the 3 stars in the neck | zet Leo |
| 6 | ὁ ἐχόμευος καὶ μέσος τῶν τριῶν. | The one close to this, the middle one of the three | gam Leo |
| 7 | ὁ φότιος αὐτῶν | The southernmost of them | eta Leo |
| 8 | ὁ ἐπὶ τῆς καρδίας καλούμευος Βασιλίσκος. | The star on the heart, called 'Regulus' | alf Leo |
| 9 | ὁ φοτιώτερος αὐτοῦ καὶ ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ στήθους | The one south of this, about an the chest | 31 Leo |
| 10 | ὁ μικρῷ προηγούμευος τοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς καρδίας. | The star a little in advance of the star on the heart | nu Leo |
| 11 | ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ δεξιοῦ χόνατος | The star on the right knee | psi Leo |
| 12 | ὁ ἐπὶ τῆς ἐμπροσθίας δεξιᾶς δρακός | The star on the right front claw--clutch | xi Leo |
| 13 | ὁ ἐπὶ τῆς ἐμπροσθίας καὶ ἀριστερᾶς δρακός. | The star: an the left front claw-clutch | omi Leo |
| 14 | ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀριστεροῦ γόρατος. | The star-an the left [front] knee | pi Leo |
| 15 | ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀριστεροῦ γόρατος. | The Star an the left armpit | rho Leo |
| 16 | τῶν ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ τριῶν ὁ προηγούμενος. | The most advanced of the three stars in the belly | 46 Leo |
| 17 | τῶν λοιπῶν καὶ ἐπομένων β’ ὁ βόρειος. | The northernmost of the other, rearmost 2 | 52 Leo |
| 18 | ὁ νοτιώτερος αὐτῶν. | The southernmost af these [ two ] | 53 Leo |
| 19 | τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς ὀσφύος β ὁ προηγούμενος. | The nlore advanced of the two stars on the rump | 60 Leo |
| 20 | ὁ ἑπόμενος αὐτῶν | The rearmast of them | del Leo |
| 21 | τῶν ἐκ τοῦς χλουτοῖς β’ ὁ βορειότερος. | The northernmost of the 2 stars in the buttocks | 81 Leo |
| 22 | ὁ νοτιώτερος αὐτῶν | The southernmost of them | tet Leo |
| 23 | ὁ ἐν τοῖς ὀπισθομήροις.. | The star in the hind thighs | iot Leo |
| 24 | ὁ ἐν ταῖς ὀπισθίαις ἀγκύλαις | The star in the hind leg-bends | sig Leo |
| 25 | ὁ τούτου νοτιώτερος ὡς ἐ» τοῦς πήχεσι | The one south of this, about in the lower legs | tau Leo |
| 26 | ὁ ἐπὶ τῶν ὀπισθύων δρακῶν. | The star on the hind claw-clutches | ups Leo |
| 27 | ὁ ἐπ’ ἄκρας τῆς οὐρᾶς | The star on the end of the tail | bet Leo |
| ἀστέρες κξ, ὧν αἱ μεγέθους β, β’ β, γ’ς, δ’η, ε' ε, ς' ὅ. | 27 stars, 2 of the first magnitude, 2 of the second, 6 of the third, 8 of the fourth, 5 of the fifth, 4 of the sixth | ||
| Οἱ περὶ τὸν Λέουτα ἀμόρφωτοι. | Stars around Leo outside the constellation: | ||
| 28 | ὁ τῶν ὑπὲρ τὸν νῶτον β ὁ προηγούμευος | The more advanced of the 2 over the back | 41 LMi |
| 29 | ὁ ἐπόμευος αὐτῶν | The rearmost of them | 54 Leo |
| 30 | τῶν ὑπὸ τὴν λαγόνα τ’ ὁ βόρειος. | The northernmost of the 3 under the flank | chi Leo |
| 31 | ὁ μέσος αὐτῶν. | The middle one of these | 59 Leo |
| 32 | ὁ νότιος αὐτῶν | The southernmost of them | 58 Leo |
| 33 | τῆς μεταξὺ τῶν ἄκρων τοῦ Λέουτος καὶ τῆς Ἄρκτου κεφελοειδοῦς σοστροφῆς καλουμένου Πλοκάμου τὸ βορειότατον | The northernmost part of the nebulous mass between the edges of Leo and Ursa [Major], called Coma [Berenices] | 15 Com |
| 34 | τῶν νοτίων τοῦ Πλοκάμου ἐξοχῶν ἡ προηγουμένη | The most advanced of the southern outrunners of Coma | 7 Com |
| 35 | ἡ ἐπομένη αὐτῶν ἐν σχήματι φύλλου κισσίνου | The rearmost of them, shaped like an ivy leaf | 23 Com |
| ἀστέρες ἐ, ὧν δ’ μεγέθους ἂ, ε’ ὃ, καὶ ὁ Πλόκαμος. | |||
Stars within the Constellation Area
| id | Label | IAU design. | description | Vmag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Regulus | HIP 49669 | Constellation lines | 1.4 |
| 2 | Algieba | HIP 50583 | Constellation lines | 1.98 |
| 3 | Denebola | HIP 57632 | Constellation lines (Vertex) | 2.13 |
| 4 | Zosma | HIP 54872 | Constellation lines (Vertex) | 2.53 |
| 5 | ϵ Leonis | HIP 47908 | Constellation lines | 2.98 |
| 6 | Chertan | HIP 54879 | Constellation lines | 3.35 |
| 7 | η Leonis | HIP 49583 | Constellation lines | 3.41 |
| 8 | Adhafera | HIP 50335 | Constellation lines | 3.41 |
| 9 | Subra | HIP 47508 | Constellation lines (Vertex) | 3.52 |
| 10 | Shaomin | HIP 51624 | Inside the hull | 3.87 |
| 11 | Rasalas | HIP 48455 | Constellation lines (Vertex) | 3.88 |
| 12 | ι Leonis | HIP 55642 | Constellation lines | 4.01 |
| 13 | σ Leonis | HIP 55434 | Constellation lines (Vertex) | 4.04 |
| 14 | Alterf | HIP 46750 | Constellation lines | 4.31 |
| 15 | Yunü | HIP 49637 | Inside the hull | 4.38 |
| 16 | 60 Leo | HIP 53954 | Inside the hull | 4.398 |
| 17 | κ Leonis | HIP 46146 | Constellation lines (Vertex) | 4.46 |
| 18 | χ Leonis | HIP 54182 | Inside the hull | 4.62 |
| 19 | π Leonis | HIP 49029 | Constellation lines (Vertex) | 4.7 |
| 20 | - | HIP 50564 | Inside the hull | 4.76 |
| 21 | ν Leonis | HIP 48883 | Inside the hull | 5.26 |
| 22 | - | HIP 48390 | Inside the hull | 5.28 |
| 23 | 53 Leo | HIP 52911 | Inside the hull | 5.312 |
| 24 | 73 Leo | HIP 55016 | Inside the hull | 5.32 |
| 25 | ψ Leonis | HIP 47723 | Inside the hull | 5.35 |
| 26 | 37 Leo | HIP 50333 | Inside the hull | 5.41 |
| 27 | 46 Leo | HIP 51585 | Inside the hull | 5.46 |
| 28 | 52 Leo | HIP 52689 | Inside the hull | 5.478 |
| 29 | 51 Leo | HIP 52686 | Inside the hull | 5.492 |
| 30 | 81 Leo | HIP 55765 | Inside the hull | 5.572 |
| 31 | 44 Leo | HIP 51008 | Inside the hull | 5.61 |
| 32 | 18 Leo | HIP 47959 | Inside the hull | 5.644 |
| 33 | EO Leo | HIP 49220 | Inside the hull | 5.663 |
| 34 | 8 Leo | HIP 47189 | Inside the hull | 5.732 |
| 35 | 85 Leo | HIP 56080 | Inside the hull | 5.734 |
| 36 | - | HIP 55716 | Inside the hull | 5.788 |
| 37 | * 49 Leo A | HIP 51802 | Inside the hull | 5.79 |
| 38 | 36 G. Leo | HIP 54863 | Inside the hull | 5.793 |
| 39 | 39 Leo | HIP 50384 | Inside the hull | 5.82 |
| 40 | 10 Sex | HIP 48734 | Inside the hull | 5.848 |
| 41 | 90 Leo | HIP 56473 | Inside the hull | 5.94 |
| 42 | - | HIP 50319 | Inside the hull | 5.96 |
| 43 | - | HIP 50174 | Inside the hull | 6.02 |
| 44 | 11 Sex | HIP 48876 | Inside the hull | 6.033 |
| 45 | 45 Leo | HIP 51213 | Inside the hull | 6.04 |
| 46 | 20 Leo | HIP 48218 | Inside the hull | 6.077 |
| 47 | - | HIP 51161 | Inside the hull | 6.132 |
| 48 | 42 Leo | HIP 50755 | Inside the hull | 6.163 |
| 49 | 13 Leo | HIP 47550 | Inside the hull | 6.249 |
| 50 | - | HIP 46938 | Inside the hull | 6.25 |
| 51 | - | HIP 56242 | Inside the hull | 6.26 |
| 52 | - | HIP 52513 | Inside the hull | 6.266 |
| 53 | - | HIP 54688 | Inside the hull | 6.295 |
| 54 | - | HIP 49445 | Inside the hull | 6.36 |
| 55 | - | HIP 54319 | Inside the hull | 6.392 |
| 56 | 34 Leo | HIP 49929 | Inside the hull | 6.427 |
| 57 | 19 Leo | HIP 48029 | Inside the hull | 6.445 |
| 58 | 23 Leo | HIP 48324 | Inside the hull | 6.45 |
| 59 | - | HIP 47779 | Inside the hull | 6.47 |
| 60 | - | HIP 48023 | Inside the hull | 6.49 |
| 61 | - | HIP 52484 | Inside the hull | 6.5 |
| 62 | - | HIP 53737 | Inside the hull | 6.52 |
Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation
Mythology
Greek[1]
Eratosthenes speculates that Zeus may have placed this constellation in the sky because the lion rules over four-legged animals. However, he adds that some people believe it to be the lion of Nemea, which Heracles strangled with his bare hands in his first of twelve labours. This lion is said to have been a dangerous beast.
Heracles was first given ten tasks by King Eurystheus to rid the world of certain evils. After these tasks were completed, he was given two more. The first of all tasks was to rid Nemea of the beast.
Eratosthenes recounts that Heracles chose not to use weapons for this task because he considered it particularly glorious. Later, he kept the lion's skin as a trophy for this heroic deed. On star charts, he is therefore often depicted either carrying it over his arm or wearing it as a cloak – with the lion's head on his head.
