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after sundown. But no matter where you live worldwide, look for the moon and Regulus to adorn the eastern sky before bedtime tonight. Binoculars will help you to see this star in tonight's drenching moonlight.
• Rising times of the moon and Regulus in your sky
• Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion, is the only first-magnitude star to sit almost squarely on the ecliptic. The ecliptic on sky charts marks the sun's yearly path in front of the backdrop stars. Of course, the sun's apparent motion through the constellations of the Zodiac is an illusion. The sun's supposed movement is really a reflection of our planet Earth going around the sun.
• What is the ecliptic?
• What is the Zodiac?
• Yearly, the sun and the star Regulus have their conjunction on or near August 23. On this date, the sun and Regulus come up together at sunrise and set in the west together at sunset. Six months before or after this date - in the latter part of February - Regulus shines opposite the sun and is out all night long.
• Note that the sun's conjunction with Regulus comes about one month before the September 22 equinox. By definition, the sun enters the sign - not the constellation - Libra on the September equinox. Also, by definition, the sun enters the sign Leo two months before the September equinox, and enters the sign Virgo one month before the September equinox.
• Since the sun has its yearly conjunction with Regulus about one month before the September equinox, that means Regulus, the constellation Leo's brightest star, (Continued on page 38)
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