Star profile

Zosma

Delta Leonis · Leo

3D likeness based on its real data · class A · ~8,500 K

What is Zosma

Zosma marks the haunches of the celestial Lion, the arched back beneath which Greek astronomers imagined the great cat poised to spring. Its name comes from ancient Greek and means «girdle» or «belt». A young white A-class star, fast-spinning, lying about 58 light-years from here: the light reaching the eye tonight set out when the first artificial satellites had not yet crossed Earth's orbit.

Where it is and when to see it

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

From London it culminates about 59° above the horizon.
From New York it culminates about 70° above the horizon.
From Sydney it culminates about 36° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere north of 69° S.

It ranks no. 4 in brightness among the 80 stars of Leo in our catalogue. To find it, start from Regulus, the brightest: it lies about 18° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 58 years ago.

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Astronomical data for Zosma

Constellation: Leo
Apparent magnitude: 2.56
Distance: 58.4 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 168.527° · Dec 20.524°
Catalogue: HIP 54872 · HD 97603

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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