Constellation tour in Spring
Leo (The Lion)

Click on image to enlarge

Date & Time: Mar 22 2025, from 22:40 to 22:52 JST(+0900)
Composed 6 shots with 2 minutes exposed
Optical: AF zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm (f=35mm, stop: F4.5)
with Kenko Softon Clear filter
Auto-guided with Kenko SKYMEMO S Equatorial
Digital Camera: Nikon D810A
Location: Furudono town, Fukushima pref.

Camera Settings: Recording Format...14bit CCD-RAW, converted to 16bit TIFF(7360×4912)
Device Size...FX format(36×24mm)
Sensitivity...ISO1600, White Balance...Daylight



Astroarts StellaNavigator 		The Leo is one of the most recognizable constellations in spring skies, although almost all of them are formed out of faint stars and have complicated shapes. A curve of stars arranged like a mark of "?" being turned over, "The Lion's sickle" that represents Leo's head. One of famous meteor streams, Gamma Leonids, has a radiant point in the sickle, and a violent meteor storm could be observed in November 2001.
Alpha Leonis is named "Regulus" meaning of the little king, the star was well known in antiquity as Cor Leonis, the Lion's Heart.


Guide for Deep Sky Objects

M65, M66, NGC3628 .....Group of three galaxies at hind legs of Leo, 27 million ly away
Around M95, M96 & M105 .....Bared galaxy M95, spiral M96 & elliptical M105 between the fore and hind legs/TD>
NGC2872, NGC2874 .....Galaxy pair of elliptical & spiral in western edge
NGC2903 .....A small spiral galaxy at the nose of Leo, 20 million ly. away
Around NGC2911 .....Small-scaled galaxy group at the tip of Leo's forefoot
NGC2964, NGC2968 .....Two paralleled galaxies in north of Leo's head, 80 million ly. away
Around NGC3020 .....Three tiny galaxies at 4.5deg. west of Regulus
NGC3041 .....Small spiral galaxy located 3.4deg. west of ε Leo
NGC3068 .....Small galaxy with dimmed tail lying around head
Around NGC3190 .....Small-scaled galactic group between gamma & zeta Leo
NGC3226, NGC3227 .....A closing galactic pair 50' east from gamma Leo.
NGC3239 .....Irregular galaxy at 3deg. south of gamma Leo, 40 millions ly away
NGC3338 .....Medium-sized spiral at belly of Leo, 75 millions ly away
NGC3377 .....Elliptical galaxy with companion at 2deg. north of M105, 25 million ly away
Around NGC3447 .....Small galaxy group & overlapped farther galaxy cluster at 5.2deg. WNW of θLeo
NGC3521 .....Spiral galaxy at south of Leo's hind legs, 23 million ly. away
NGC3593 .....Spiral galaxy located 1.1deg. WSW from M65 at Leo's hind legs, 44 million ly away
NGC3596 .....Spiral galaxy in 40' south of theta Leo, 75 million ly. away
NGC3607, NGC3608 .....Princial galaxies of small group at 2.7deg north of theta Leo.
NGC3640 .....Small elliptical galaxy at the tip of Leo's hind legs, 85 million ly away.
Around NGC3684 .....Three small galaxies about 6 deg. WNW from Denebola
NGC3705 .....Small spiral galaxy at 2deg. SE of iota Leo, 60 million ly away
NGC4005 Group .....Small galactic group on the border to Coma Berenices, 210 million ly away
Around NGC4008 .....Small galaxy group at the NE edge, from 150 to 160 million ly away
Leo I .....Very faint galaxy just 20 arc minutes north of Regulus
Leo II .....Very faint dwarf galaxy about 30 arc minutes north of delta Leo
Copeland's Septet .....A compact galaxtic group lying 8 deg. NW from Denebola
Abell 1142 .....A galaxy cluster with 17' span positioned at 6deg. SW of theta Leo, 465 million ly away
Abell 1367 .....A galactic cluster with 1deg, in span lying 5 deg. north of Denebola
PK221+46.1 .....Extraordinary-dimmed supernova remnant at 4.3deg. WNW of Regulus



Diamond in spring
Ursa Major

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