Regulus - α Leonis (alpha Leonis)
Regulus, also designated as α Leonis (alpha Leonis), is a variable and multiple main-sequence star in the constellation of Leo.
Regulus visual magnitude is 1.35, making it the 21th brightest star in the sky. Thanks to its high brightness, Regulus is clearly visible when observed from locations with dark skies, and should be also quite easily visible from light polluted areas.
The proper motion of Regulus is -0.248 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and 0.006 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 1000 years is represented with the red arrow.
Key facts about Regulus
Regulus - α Leonis (alpha Leonis) is above the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom .
Altitude: 30.5°
Azimuth: 249.3°
Direction: West-South-West
Celestial coordinates and finder chart of Regulus
Regulus is situated close to the celestial equator, as such, it is at least partly visible from both hemispheres in certain times of the year. Celestial coordinates for the J2000 equinox as well as galactic coordinates of Regulus are provided in the following table:
The simplified sky map below shows the position of Regulus in the sky:
Visibility of Regulus from your location
Location: Greenwich, United Kingdom
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London
Today's Regulus - α Leonis (alpha Leonis) rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, United Kingdom are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
Distance of Regulus from the Sun and relative movement
Regulus is distant 77.45 light years from the Sun and it is moving far from the Sun at the speed of 6 kilometers per second.
Spectral properties of Regulus
Regulus belongs to spectral class B7 and has a luminosity class of V corresponding to a main-sequence star.
The red dot in the diagram below shows where Regulus is situated in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.
Regulus star system properties
Regulus is a visual double star which can be observed only with the help of very large telescopes. The table below shows key information about the Regulus double sysyem: