Editing Lepus (constellation)

{{Short description|Constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere}}
{{Distinguish|text=the constellation [[Lupus (constellation)|Lupus]], the wolf}}

{{Infobox constellation
| name = Lepus
| abbreviation = Lep
| genitive = Leporis
| pronounce = {{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|iː|p|ə|s}}, or colloquially {{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|ɛ|p|ə|s}}; genitive {{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|ɛ|p|ər|ᵻ|s}} 
| symbolism = the [[Hare]]
| RA = {{RA|04|55|02.2311}}–{{RA|06|12|51.7500}}{{sfn|IAU, ''The Constellations'', Lepus}}
| dec = {{dec|-10.8138046}}–{{dec|-27.2787991}}{{sfn|IAU, ''The Constellations'', Lepus}}
| family = [[Orion Family|Orion]]
| quadrant = NQ2
| areatotal = 290
| arearank = 51st
| numbermainstars = 8
| numberbfstars = 20
| numberstarsplanets = 3
| numberbrightstars = 2
| numbernearbystars = 3
| brighteststarname = [[Alpha Leporis|α Lep]] (Arneb)
| starmagnitude = 2.58
| neareststarname = [[Gliese 229]]
| stardistancely = 18.83
| stardistancepc = 5.77
| numbermessierobjects = 1
| meteorshowers = None
| bordering = [[Orion (constellation)|Orion]]<br />[[Monoceros (constellation)|Monoceros]]<br />[[Canis Major]]<br />[[Columba (constellation)|Columba]]<br />[[Caelum]]<br />[[Eridanus (constellation)|Eridanus]]
| latmax = [[63rd parallel north|63]]
| latmin = [[South Pole|90]]
| month = January
| notes=
}}
'''Lepus''' is a [[constellation]] lying just south of the [[celestial equator]]. Its name is [[Latin]] for [[hare]]. It is located below—immediately south—of [[Orion (constellation)|Orion]] (the hunter), and is sometimes represented as a hare being chased by Orion or by Orion's hunting dogs.<ref>"Sky & Telescope: March 2008", ''Southern Hemisphere Highlights:'' by Shermend</ref>

Although the hare does not represent any particular figure in [[Greek mythology]], Lepus was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century astronomer [[Ptolemy]], and it remains one of the [[88 modern constellations]].

== History and mythology ==
[[File:Sidney Hall - Urania's Mirror - Canis Major, Lepus, Columba Noachi & Cela Sculptoris.jpg|left|thumb|Lepus as seen in ''[[Urania's Mirror]]'' (1825)]]
Lepus is most often represented as a hare being hunted by [[Orion (mythology)|Orion]], whose hunting dogs ([[Canis Major]] and [[Canis Minor]]) pursue it. The constellation is also associated with the [[Moon rabbit]].{{sfn|Ridpath|Tirion|2001|pp=170-171}}

Four stars of this constellation (α, β, γ, δ Lep) form a quadrilateral and are known as ''‘Arsh al-[[Orion (constellation)|Jawzā']]'', "the Throne of Jawzā'" or ''Kursiyy al-Jawzā' al-Mu'akhkhar'', "the Hindmost Chair of Jawzā'" and ''al-Nihāl'', "the [[Camel]]s Quenching Their Thirst" in [[Arabic]].

== Features ==

===Stars===
{{See also|List of stars in Lepus}}
[[Image:LepusCC.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.8|The constellation Lepus as it can be seen by the naked eye]]
There are a fair number of bright stars, both single and double, in Lepus. [[Alpha Leporis]], the brightest star of Lepus, is a [[white supergiant]] of magnitude 2.6, 1300 [[light-years]] from Earth. Its traditional name, Arneb (''أرنب''  ''’arnab''), means "hare" in [[Arabic]].<ref name="WGSN">{{cite web | url=https://www.iau.org/science/scientific_bodies/working_groups/280/ | title=IAU Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)|access-date=22 May 2016}}</ref> [[Beta Leporis]], traditionally known as Nihal (Arabic for "quenching their thirst"),<ref name="WGSN"/> is a [[yellow giant]] of magnitude 2.8, 159 light-years from Earth. [[Gamma Leporis]] is a double star divisible in binoculars. The primary is a yellow star of magnitude 3.6, 29 light-years from Earth. The secondary is an orange star of magnitude 6.2. [[Delta Leporis]] is a yellow giant of magnitude 3.8, 112 light-years from Earth. [[Epsilon Leporis]] is an [[orange giant]] of magnitude 3.2,<ref>{{cite journal | display-authors=1 | last1=Gutierrez-Moreno | first1=Adelina | last2=Moreno | first2=H. | last3=Stock | first3=J. | last4=Torres | first4=C. | last5=Wroblewski | first5=H. | title=A System of photometric standards | journal=Publicaciones Universidad de Chile | volume=1 | pages=1–17 | date=1966 | bibcode=1966PDAUC...1....1G }}</ref> 227 light-years from Earth. [[Kappa Leporis]] is a double star divisible in medium aperture amateur telescopes, 560 light-years from Earth. The primary is a blue-white star of magnitude 4.4 and the secondary is a star of magnitude 7.4.{{sfn|Ridpath|Tirion|2001|pp=170-171}}

There are several [[variable star]]s in Lepus. [[R Leporis]] is a [[Mira variable]] star. It is also called "Hind's Crimson Star" for its striking red color and because it was named for [[John Russell Hind]]. It varies in magnitude from a minimum of 9.8 to a maximum of 7.3, with a period of 420 days. R Leporis is at a distance of 1500 light-years. The color intensifies as the star brightens.{{sfn|Levy|2005|p={{page needed|date=December 2020}}}} It can be as dim as magnitude 12 and as bright as magnitude 5.5.{{sfn|Ridpath|Tirion|2001|pp=170-171}} T Leporis is also a Mira variable observed in detail by [[ESO]]'s [[Very Large Telescope]] [[Interferometer]].<ref>Unique Details Of Double Star In Orion Nebula And Star T Leporis Captured By 'Virtual' Telescope. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 19, 2009, [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090218103517.htm]</ref> [[RX Leporis]] is a [[semiregular variable star|semi-regular]] [[red giant]] that has a period of 2 months. It has a minimum magnitude of 7.4 and a maximum magnitude of 5.0.{{sfn|Ridpath|Tirion|2001|p={{page needed|date=December 2020}}}}

===Deep-sky objects===
There is one [[Messier object]] in Lepus, [[Messier 79|M79]]. It is a [[globular cluster]] of [[Magnitude (astronomy)|magnitude]] 8.0, 42,000 light-years from Earth. One of the few globular clusters visible in the [[Northern Celestial Hemisphere|Northern Celestial Hemisphere's]] winter, it is a [[Shapley–Sawyer Concentration Class|Shapley class V]] cluster, which means that it has an intermediate concentration towards its center. It is often described as having a "[[starfish]]" shape.

M79 was discovered in 1780 by [[Pierre Méchain]].{{sfn|Levy|2005|pp=160-161}}

==See also==
*[[Lepus (Chinese astronomy)]]
*[[List of star names in Lepus]]

==References==

===Inline citations===
{{Reflist}}

===Sources referenced===
* {{cite web |ref={{sfnRef|IAU, ''The Constellations'', Lepus}} |title=Lepus |work=The Constellations |publisher=International Astronomical Union |url=https://www.iau.org/public/themes/constellations/#lep}}
* {{Cite book
|last=Allen
|first=R. H.
|author-link=Richard Hinckley Allen
|date=1899
|title=Star-names and Their Meanings
|publisher=G. E. Stechart
|location=New York
|ref=Allen}}
* {{Cite book
|last=Kunitzsch
|first=P.
|author2=Smart T.
|date=2006
|title=A Dictionary of Modern Star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations
|publisher=Sky Publishing Corp.
|location=Cambridge (USA)
|ref=KS
}}
* {{cite book |first = David H. |last = Levy |title = Deep Sky Objects |publisher = Prometheus Books |date = 2005 |isbn = 1-59102-361-0 |url = https://archive.org/details/deepskyobjects00davi }}
* {{citation |title = Stars and Planets Guide |last1 = Ridpath |first1 = Ian |last2 = Tirion |first2 = Wil |date = 2001 |publisher = Princeton University Press |isbn = 0-691-08913-2}}
* Ridpath, Ian & Tirion, Wil (2007). ''Stars and Planets Guide'', Collins, London. {{ISBN|978-0-00-725120-9}}. [[Princeton University]] Press, Princeton. {{ISBN|978-0-691-13556-4}}.

== External links ==
{{Commons and category|Lepus (constellation)|Lepus (constellation)}}
* [http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso0906/ Hundred metre virtual telescope captures unique detailed colour image] — [[ESO]]'s Organisational Release
* [http://www.allthesky.com/constellations/lepus/ The Deep Photographic Guide to the Constellations: Lepus]
* [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/lepus.html Ian Ridpath's Star Tales – Lepus]
* [https://iconographic.warburg.sas.ac.uk/category/vpc-taxonomy-017074 Warburg Institute Iconographic Database (medieval and early modern images of Lepus)]

{{Stars of Lepus}}
{{Constellations}}
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[[Category:Lepus (constellation)| ]]
[[Category:Constellations]]
[[Category:Southern constellations]]
[[Category:Constellations listed by Ptolemy]]