Star profile

Denebola

Beta Leonis · Leo

Nearby star

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

What is Denebola

Denebola is «the lion's tail» in Arabic, the point where Leo closes its silhouette in the spring sky and where ancient observers placed the end of the celestial beast. At just 36 light-years, it is a relatively close neighbour of the Sun: white, young and surrounded by a dust disc reminiscent of forming planetary systems still settling into orbits. Its light reaches us almost fresh, recent compared with that of the distant giants sharing the same firmament.

Where it is and when to see it

Denebola 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 53° above the horizon.
From New York it culminates about 64° above the horizon.
From Sydney it culminates about 42° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere north of 75° S.

It ranks no. 3 in brightness among the 80 stars of Leo in our catalogue. To find it, start from Regulus, the brightest: it lies about 25° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 36 years ago.

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Astronomical data for Denebola

Constellation: Leo
Apparent magnitude: 2.14
Distance: 35.9 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 177.265° · Dec 14.572°
Catalogue: HIP 57632 · HD 102647

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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