Star profile

Tau Leonis

3D likeness based on its real data · class G · ~5,500 K

What is Tau Leonis

A yellow giant in Leo, already twenty-five times the Sun's radius and three hundred times its luminosity, settled onto the red giant branch after burning through the hydrogen in its core. Its light takes 562 years to reach us: it left when Europe was barely acquainted with the printing press. Sitting close to the ecliptic, the Moon occults it on schedule every so often — a small astronomical ceremony in which the satellite's shadow crosses its disc, month after month.

Where it is and when to see it

Tau 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 March, when it culminates around midnight.

From London it culminates about 41° above the horizon.
From New York it culminates about 52° above the horizon.
From Sydney it culminates about 53° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere north of 87° S.

It ranks no. 29 in brightness among the 80 stars of Leo in our catalogue. To find it, start from Regulus, the brightest: it lies about 22° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 560 years ago.

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Astronomical data for Tau Leonis

Constellation: Leo
Apparent magnitude: 4.95
Distance: 562.4 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 171.984° · Dec 2.856°
Catalogue: HIP 55945 · HD 99648

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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