When Is the Constellation Leo Visible?

When is the constellation Leo visible?  The constellation Leo is visible during the spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.  Let’s explore the history of the constellation Leo and when the constellation Leo is visible.

The constellation Leo is visible in the spring or autumn depending on where you live. So, when the Constellation Leo can be seen, where do you find it? Here are a few tips to make it easier to locate:

• The constellation Leo is more visible than others and is found between Virgo and Cancer.
• Close to Leo are the constellations Coma Berenices, Leo Minor, and Ursa Major, which contains the asterism The Big Dipper.
• Its right ascension is 11 hours and its declination is +15 degrees.
• The most visible star in the constellation Leo is Regulus, which is visible in the lion’s breast.      

Recognizing the Constellation Leo

Many civilizations have recognized the constellation now called Leo, including the:

• Babylonians
• Greeks
• Romans
• Egyptians
• Indians
• Persians

Egyptians are said to have worshipped Leo because the Sun was in Leo when the Nile flooded.  According to Greek mythology, Hercules killed the lion as part of his twelve labors, which were penance.  He had to:

• Slay the Nemean Lion, Hydra, and the Stymphalian Birds
• Steal or obtain the Mares of Diomedes, girdle of Hippolyta, cattle of Geryon, and the apples of the Hesperides
• Capture the Golden Hind of Artemis, the Erymanthian Boar, the Cretan Bull, and Cerberus
• Clean the Augean stables in one day.   As a reward for finishing, he was granted immorality and Hera gave him her daughter Hebe to be his wife.            

Constellations

The reason that we know when the constellation Leo is visible is because it was identified and named. Ancient man made patterns and images with the points of light in the sky.  It was a way to organize the 1000 or more stars so they could talk about them.  Some used the constellations are a kind of calendar, noticing that when certain constellations appeared, it was time for certain things to happen, like harvesting or planting.

The Babylonians divided the Sun’s path into 12 equal parts so they could measure celestial time and events.  Each section had a constellation and since most were named after animals, they called all of the 12 "zodiakos kyklos" which means "animal circle".  These constellations are:

• Aries (Ram)
• Taurus (Bull)
• Gemini (Twins)
• Cancer (Crab)
• Leo (Lion)
• Virgo (Virgin)
• Libra (Scales)
• Scorpio (Scorpion)
• Sagittarius (Centaur The Archer)
• Capricorn (Sea Goat)
• Aquarius (Water Bearer)
• Pisces (Fish)

Today there are 88 constellations that were decided on by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).  They met in 1922 and picked these constellations and at their meeting in 1930, they set boundaries around each one so that any object in the entire sky is within one of these constellations.  Now the constellations are more than just images in the sky, they are certain regions of the sky.  

Astrology

Many of the same civilizations that named constellations also practiced astrology, so you may also want to know about Leo as an astrological sign.  They felt that celestial bodies can affect us here on earth, like the moon effects the tides.  Whatever constellation the Sun is in when you are born is your astrological sun sign.  The dates of the Leo zodiac signs are July 23 -August 21.

These 12 signs of the zodiac are also grouped according to the four elements:

• Earth  - Signs are Virgo, Taurus, and Capricorn
• Air - Signs are Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius
• Fire - Signs are Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius
• Water -Signs are Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces

If your sign is Leo, your good traits are: dominant, creative, extroverted, generous, ambitious, independent, positive, faithful, loving, and confident.  Your not so good traits are: bossy, pompous, intolerant, patronizing, dogmatic, arrogant, interfering, self-centered, and lust for power. 

Compatible signs for Leos are other Leos, Libra, Sagittarius, Cancer, and Gemini.  The ideal pairing for a Leo is a Libra.