15 Facts About Leo: The Zodiac Sign and the Constellation

Leo, the lion, is the fifth sign of the zodiac. In astrology it covers birthdays from about 23 July to 22 August. It is also one of the few constellations that really looks like what it is named after, a crouching lion in the spring sky. Here are 15 facts about Leo, from the stars to the horoscope pages.

Leo at a glance

Astrology dates: about 23 July to 22 August
Symbol: the lion (♌)
Element: fire
Ruling body in astrology: the Sun
Brightest star: Regulus
Best seen from the UK: in the southern sky on spring evenings

1Leo is one of the oldest constellations.

People have seen a lion in these stars for thousands of years. The Babylonians called it the Great Lion, and the Greeks and Romans kept the same picture.

2Greek myth says it is the Nemean lion.

In Greek mythology, the lion of Nemea had skin that no weapon could pierce. Heracles strangled it as the first of his twelve labours and wore its skin as armour, and the lion was placed among the stars.

3Its brightest star is the “little king”.

Regulus, the star that marks the lion’s heart, takes its name from the Latin for “little king”. It is about 79 light years away and is one of the brightest stars in the night sky.

4The Moon often passes in front of Regulus.

Regulus sits almost exactly on the ecliptic, the path the Sun, Moon and planets follow across the sky. That means the Moon regularly hides it for a short time, an event called an occultation.

5The lion’s head is a backwards question mark.

The stars of the lion’s head and mane form a hook shape known as the Sickle. It looks like a question mark written backwards, with Regulus as the dot at the bottom.

6Its tail star is named after the tail.

Denebola, the second brightest star in Leo, marks the end of the lion’s tail. Its name comes from the Arabic for “tail of the lion”.

7Leo gives us the Leonid meteor shower.

Every November, the Earth passes through dust left by Comet Tempel-Tuttle, producing the Leonid meteors, which seem to fly out of Leo. The shower peaks around 17 and 18 November. In some years, such as 1833 and 1966, it became a storm of thousands of meteors an hour.

8The Sun is no longer in Leo on Leo’s dates.

Because the Earth slowly wobbles on its axis, the stars have shifted against the calendar since astrology’s dates were fixed about 2,000 years ago. Today the Sun actually passes in front of the constellation Leo from about 10 August to 16 September.

9It is one of the larger constellations.

Leo is the 12th largest of the 88 constellations recognised by the International Astronomical Union.

10Leo is a fire sign in astrology.

Astrology divides the 12 signs into four elements. Leo is a fire sign, along with Aries and Sagittarius.

11It is the only sign ruled by a star.

In astrology, each sign has a “ruling” planet. Leo’s is the Sun, which makes it the only sign ruled by a star rather than a planet. Astrologers link it with warmth, confidence and a love of the spotlight.

12Astrologers say Leos are generous and proud.

Horoscopes describe Leos as confident, loyal, generous and dramatic, but sometimes stubborn or attention seeking. These traits come from the symbolism of the lion and the Sun rather than from scientific evidence.

13Science has not found any link between star signs and personality.

In a famous study published in Nature in 1985, astrologers were unable to match people’s birth charts to their personality profiles any better than chance. Later studies of large groups of people have also found no link between star sign and personality.

14Famous Leos include Napoleon and J.K. Rowling.

People born between 23 July and 22 August include Napoleon Bonaparte, J.K. Rowling, Barack Obama, Madonna, Mick Jagger and Usain Bolt.

15Leo’s tarot card is Strength.

In tarot, Leo is linked with the Strength card, which often shows a woman calmly holding open the jaws of a lion.

FAQs about Leo

What are the dates for Leo?

In Western astrology, Leo runs from about 23 July to 22 August. The exact dates can vary by a day from year to year.

What is the Leo symbol?

The lion, written as ♌. The symbol is often said to look like a lion’s mane and tail.

When can you see Leo from the UK?

Leo is best seen in the southern sky on clear evenings from March to May. Look for the backwards question mark of the Sickle, with bright Regulus at the bottom.

Sources and further reading

• Britannica: Leo constellation
• Sky & Telescope: the 88 constellations
• Nature: a double-blind test of astrology (1985)

Explore more: facts about Libra.

Do you know any fun facts about Leo? Share them in the comments below!