Lepus (constellation)
Template:Infobox constellation Lepus is a constellation lying just south of the celestial equator. Its name is Latin for hare. It is located below—immediately south—of Orion (the hunter), and is sometimes represented as a hare being chased by Orion or by Orion's hunting dogs.[1]
Although the hare does not represent any particular figure in Greek mythology, Lepus was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations.
History and mythology
[edit]
Lepus is most often represented as a hare being hunted by Orion, whose hunting dogs (Canis Major and Canis Minor) pursue it. The constellation is also associated with the Moon rabbit.[2]
Four stars of this constellation (α, β, γ, δ Lep) form a quadrilateral and are known as ‘Arsh al-Jawzā', "the Throne of Jawzā'" or Kursiyy al-Jawzā' al-Mu'akhkhar, "the Hindmost Chair of Jawzā'" and al-Nihāl, "the Camels Quenching Their Thirst" in Arabic.
Features
[edit]Stars
[edit]
There are a fair number of bright stars, both single and double, in Lepus. Alpha Leporis, the brightest star of Lepus, is a white supergiant of magnitude 2.6, 1300 light-years from Earth. Its traditional name, Arneb (أرنب ’arnab), means "hare" in Arabic.[3] Beta Leporis, traditionally known as Nihal (Arabic for "quenching their thirst"),[3] is a yellow giant of magnitude 2.8, 159 light-years from Earth. Gamma Leporis is a double star divisible in binoculars. The primary is a yellow star of magnitude 3.6, 29 light-years from Earth. The secondary is an orange star of magnitude 6.2. Delta Leporis is a yellow giant of magnitude 3.8, 112 light-years from Earth. Epsilon Leporis is an orange giant of magnitude 3.2,[4] 227 light-years from Earth. Kappa Leporis is a double star divisible in medium aperture amateur telescopes, 560 light-years from Earth. The primary is a blue-white star of magnitude 4.4 and the secondary is a star of magnitude 7.4.[2]
There are several variable stars in Lepus. R Leporis is a Mira variable star. It is also called "Hind's Crimson Star" for its striking red color and because it was named for John Russell Hind. It varies in magnitude from a minimum of 9.8 to a maximum of 7.3, with a period of 420 days. R Leporis is at a distance of 1500 light-years. The color intensifies as the star brightens.[5] It can be as dim as magnitude 12 and as bright as magnitude 5.5.[2] T Leporis is also a Mira variable observed in detail by ESO's Very Large Telescope Interferometer.[6] RX Leporis is a semi-regular red giant that has a period of 2 months. It has a minimum magnitude of 7.4 and a maximum magnitude of 5.0.[7]
Deep-sky objects
[edit]There is one Messier object in Lepus, M79. It is a globular cluster of magnitude 8.0, 42,000 light-years from Earth. One of the few globular clusters visible in the Northern Celestial Hemisphere's winter, it is a Shapley class V cluster, which means that it has an intermediate concentration towards its center. It is often described as having a "starfish" shape.
M79 was discovered in 1780 by Pierre Méchain.[8]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]Inline citations
[edit]- ↑ "Sky & Telescope: March 2008", Southern Hemisphere Highlights: by Shermend
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ridpath & Tirion 2001, pp. 170–171.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "IAU Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)". Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
- ↑ Gutierrez-Moreno, Adelina; et al. (1966). "A System of photometric standards". Publicaciones Universidad de Chile. 1: 1–17. Bibcode:1966PDAUC...1....1G.
- ↑ Levy 2005, p. [page needed].
- ↑ Unique Details Of Double Star In Orion Nebula And Star T Leporis Captured By 'Virtual' Telescope. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 19, 2009, [1]
- ↑ Ridpath & Tirion 2001, p. [page needed].
- ↑ Levy 2005, pp. 160–161.
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Sources referenced
[edit]- "Lepus". The Constellations. International Astronomical Union. Archived from the original on 2013-06-04. Retrieved 2023-09-03.
- Allen, R. H. (1899). Star-names and Their Meanings. New York: G. E. Stechart.
- Kunitzsch, P.; Smart T. (2006). A Dictionary of Modern Star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations. Cambridge (USA): Sky Publishing Corp.
- Levy, David H. (2005). Deep Sky Objects. Prometheus Books. ISBN 1-59102-361-0.
- Ridpath, Ian; Tirion, Wil (2001), Stars and Planets Guide, Princeton University Press, ISBN 0-691-08913-2
- Ridpath, Ian & Tirion, Wil (2007). Stars and Planets Guide, Collins, London. ISBN 978-0-00-725120-9. Princeton University Press, Princeton. ISBN 978-0-691-13556-4.
External links
[edit]- Hundred metre virtual telescope captures unique detailed colour image — ESO's Organisational Release
- The Deep Photographic Guide to the Constellations: Lepus
- Ian Ridpath's Star Tales – Lepus
- Warburg Institute Iconographic Database (medieval and early modern images of Lepus)
Template:Stars of Lepus Template:Constellations Template:Sky