Lepus
What is Lepus?
Constellations· Winter evenings (N) · under Orion's feet. The hare crouching at Orion's feet: four 3rd-magnitude stars form a small box just below Rigel. The globular cluster M79 and the deep-red star R Leporis are its highlights.
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Stars of the figure
| Star | Magnitude |
|---|---|
| Arneb | 2.6 |
The 1 brightest of the 6 stars used in the figure (5 lines). Lower magnitude means brighter.
Constellation basics
| Season | winter evenings (N) |
|---|---|
| Brightest star | Arneb (α, 2.6) |
| How to find | the small quadrilateral just below Rigel |
| Area rank | 88 |
Figures are representative approximations. Source: compiled from NASA and IAU public data.
Was M79 in Lepus a cluster from elsewhere?
The globular cluster M79, in the south of Lepus, is unusual just for where it is. Most globular clusters crowd toward the centre of our galaxy, in the summer sky. M79 lies the opposite way, in the winter sky, about 40,000 light-years off. So astronomers have long wondered whether it came from outside the Milky Way.
In 2003 a small galaxy was reported in the direction of Canis Major, apparently being pulled in and torn apart by the Milky Way. That led to the idea that M79 had arrived along with it. Whether this small galaxy really exists is still debated, however, so M79's origin remains uncertain.
What is well supported by the Gaia spacecraft is that the Milky Way grew by swallowing smaller galaxies, and that some of its 150 or so globular clusters came from them. M79 is one of the candidates. A faint smudge below Rigel may be a clue to how our galaxy was built.
The constellation in depth
Lepus is an ancient constellation, one of Ptolemy's 48. It is drawn as a hare running from the feet of Orion the hunter and his hound, Canis Major. Old stories call it Orion's favourite prey, or a reminder of a plague of hares that once overran the island of Sicily.
In medieval Arab astronomy these four stars were not a hare but a seat. They were called the Throne of Jawza, the giant the Arabs saw in Orion. Stars that in Greece were an animal fleeing the hunter became, in another culture, the furniture on which the giant sat and rested.
The brightest star, Arneb, is Arabic for ‘hare’. Near the western edge of the constellation lies R Leporis. It is rich in carbon, which makes its light deep red, and it is known as Hind's Crimson Star. Over about 14 months it rises and falls between 6th and 12th magnitude, so binoculars show it only when it is bright.
From December to February, go about 10 degrees south of Rigel, Orion's foot, and you will find the little box of four 3rd-magnitude stars. From New York it climbs to about 30 degrees, so it is easy to spot. In the Sky view, find Orion and look just below it to see the hare's box.
Frequently asked
- When can I see Lepus?
- Lepus is best seen in winter evenings (N).
- How do I find Lepus?
- To find Lepus, look for the small quadrilateral just below Rigel.
- What is the brightest star in Lepus?
- The brightest star in Lepus is Arneb, at magnitude 2.6.
Related
Figures are representative approximations. Simulated positions use J2000 mean elements.