Leo Minor

Infobox Constellation
name = Leo minor
abbreviation = LMi
genitive = Leonis Minoris
symbology = the Small Lion
RA = 10
dec= +35
areatotal = 232
arearank = 64th
numbermainstars = 2
numberbfstars = 34
numberstarsplanets = 0
numberbrightstars = 0
numbernearbystars = 2
brighteststarname = 46 LMi (Praecipua)
starmagnitude = 3.83
neareststarname = 11 LMi
stardistance = 36.5
numbermessierobjects = 0 | meteorshowers =
bordering =Ursa Major
Lynx
Cancer (corner)
Leo
latmax = 90
latmin = 45
month = April
notes=

Leo Minor (pronEng|ˌliːoʊ ˈmaɪnɚ, _la. smaller lion) is a rather dim constellation that can barely be recognized as a triangle and lies between the easily discerned constellations Ursa Major and Leo. In contrast to "Leo" it does not belong to the ancient list of 48 constellations drawn up by Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD, but was instead created by Johannes Hevelius in 1687.

Notable features

There is little to see for owners of small telescopes. There is only one star brighter than 4m:
*46 LMi (Praecipua): an almost (but not quite) giant star of spectral class K0 which lies at a distance of approximately 98 light years and sports an apparent brightness of 3.83m. Praecipua does not have a Bayer designation, making Leo Minor the only constellation whose brightest star does not have one.
*β LMi: strangely enough this giant star of spectral class G8 is the only star with a Bayer designation, and with its apparent magnitude of 4.21m it is not even the brightest star of Leo Minor.
*R LMi: the brightness of this cool long-period variable star (a Mira variable) varies between 6.3m and 13.2m during a period of 372.19 days.
*20 LMi: this binary star system is only 14.9 parsecs away from the Sun.

Notable deep sky objects

Leo Minor does not contain any notable deep sky objects. The brightest one is NGC 3003, a galaxy with an apparent brightness of 11.7m and an angular size of 5.9 arcminutes. It is seen almost edge-on.

The mysterious deep sky object known as Hanny's Voorwerp was discovered here in 2007 by Dutch school teacher Hanny van Arkel while participating as a volunteer in the Galaxy Zoo project.

ee also

* Leo

References

* Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion (2007). "Stars and Planets Guide", Collins, London. ISBN 978-0007251209. Princeton University Press, Princeton. ISBN 978-0691135564.

External links

* [http://www.allthesky.com/constellations/leominor/ The Deep Photographic Guide to the Constellations: Leo Minor]
* [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/leominor.htm Star Tales – Leo Minor]