September 21
2000 epoch: Leap +3 years
There are no bright stars in this part of the sky. The stars shown here are from the 20th or 22nd. The store will have these stars imprinted with your date. The brightest one, if that is your preference, is 94 LEO.
Name: 93 LEO
Magnitude: 4.5
Spectrum/Star type: white
Distance in light-years: 225
Diameter compared to Sun: 4
Luminosity compared to Sun: 25
Date best observed: May 4
Additional information: Located just outside of the zodiac, 93 Leo is a spectroscopic binary. With brighter Beta, Delta, and Theta,93 LEO made a rectangular “Bed” in the Hindu Lunar Zodiac.
Name: 94 LEO, aka Beta LEO, Denebola
Magnitude: 2.1 just slightly variable
Spectrum/Star type: White
Distance in light-years: 36
Diameter compared to Sun: 2
Luminosity compared to Sun: 14
Date best observed: May 4
Additional information: Denebola is outside of the zodiac. The name translates as “The Lion’s Tail”. Nicknamed “Changer of the Seasons”. When we see Denebola in the east, it is getting warmer, and in the west, getting cooler. With bright Arcturus and Spica, and dimmer Cor Caroli (below The Handle of The Big Dipper), Denebola forms Spring’s “Diamond of Virgo”. It is surrounded by a dust cloud where planets may be forming.
Name: 5 VIR, aka Beta VIR, Zavijava
Magnitude: 3.6
Spectrum/Star type: Light yellow
Distance in light-years: 36
Diameter compared to Sun: <2
Luminosity compared to Sun: 3.5
Date best observed: May 4
Additional information: "The Angle", Arab Kennel of the Dog. Between Beta & Eta is the position of the northern hemisphere Autumn Equinox. This star was used for confirmation of Einstein's Theory of Relativity during a solar eclipse in Sept. 1922. This star lies at the same distance as Denebola, and is a triple system.
Name: 8 VIR, aka Pi VIR
Magnitude: 4.7
Spectrum/Star type: White
Distance in light-years: 355
Diameter compared to Sun: 2
Luminosity compared to Sun: 15
Date best observed: May 7
Additional information: 8 Pi is a spectroscopic binary