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STAR OF THE MONTH

BBC Sky at Night Magazine

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February 2026

Rasalas, Leo the Lion's metal-rich crown

The constellation of Leo, the Lion marches proudly across the winter night sky, sitting highest when due south, close to midnight during February.

Leo's head is well defined by a classic asterism known as the Sickle. It looks like a backwards question mark, the 'dot' of which is bright Regulus (Alpha (a) Leonis). But at the other end, marking the top of Leo's head, is mag. +3.9 Rasalas (Mu (p) Leonis).

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