[4936] 46 Leonis Minoris was also at one point known as Praecipua ("the chief"). The Chinese knew it as "the Fourth Star of the Eunuch." 46 Leonis Minoris is almost a K-type giant, approximately 98 light-years away from Earth.
Praecipua = 46 Leonis Minoris
Beta LMi = Beta Leonis Minoris &
Lepus
Arneb = Alpha Leporis
Nihal = Beta Leporis
Gamma Lep = Gamma Leporis
Iota Lep = Iota Leporis
Hind's Crimson Star = R Leporis
RX Lep = RX Leporis ...
This is 46 Leonis Minoris; the fainter star just to the east is in Ursa Major, but is called 47 Leonis Minoris. Now move to the north one and three-quarter degrees. This is a rather bleak part of the sky.
Polaris Australis Sigma Octantis
Pollux Beta Geminorum
Porrima Gamma Virginis
Praecipua 46 Leonis Minoris
Procyon Alpha Canis Minoris
Propus Eta Geminorum
Proxima Centauri Alpha Centauri C
Pulcherrima Epsilon Boötis ...
any of his newly formed constellations, so 150 years later Baily did it for him. In his British Association Catalogue of 1845, Baily assigned the letter Beta to the second-brightest star in Leo Minor, but left the brightest star (46 Leonis Minoris) ...
He is believed to have named the star 46 Leonis Minoris 'Praecipua' because it was the principal star in his new and not very distictive constellation, which at 232 square degrees is 64th largest.
 See also: Star, Second, Beta Leonis, Constellations, Praecipua
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