Star profile

31 Leonis

3D likeness based on its real data · class K · ~4,200 K

What is 31 Leonis

31 Leonis is an orange giant unusually poor in iron, classified K3.5 III Fe-1: its atmosphere carries the chemical fingerprint of a galaxy older than our own. It has swollen to 34 times the Sun's radius and pours out roughly 280 times its light, though at only 4.000 degrees it feels lukewarm beside our solar white. At 295 light-years, in the Lion's hind leg, it shines at magnitude 4.4 with a faint optical companion only telescopes can pry loose.

Where it is and when to see it

31 Leonis lies in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is February, when it culminates around midnight.

From London it culminates about 48° above the horizon.
From New York it culminates about 59° above the horizon.
From Sydney it culminates about 46° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere north of 80° S.

It ranks no. 17 in brightness among the 80 stars of Leo in our catalogue. To find it, start from Regulus, the brightest: it lies about 2° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 300 years ago.

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Astronomical data for 31 Leonis

Constellation: Leo
Apparent magnitude: 4.39
Distance: 295.5 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 151.976° · Dec 9.998°
Catalogue: HIP 49637 · HD 87837

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Other stars in Leo

Leo has 80 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 80 stars in Leo