Gamma Leonis
Photo credit: Rainer Anton
The third brightest star in the constellation Leo.
Gamma Leonis is "Algeiba", Arabic for forehead, but more correctly named Juba, meaning mane.
Zeta Leonis is "Aldhafera", the meaning is uncertain;
Epsilon Leonis and mu Leonis go under the name of "Al Ashfar", the eyebrows.
ALGIEBA (Gamma Leonis). Double stars dot the sky, many the favorites of amateurs and observatory nights, some like those that make Mizar in Ursa Major plain white, others like Albireo exhibiting beautiful contrasts.
The stars gamma Leonis, zeta Leonis, mu Leonis, epsilon Leonis, and eta Leonis form the lion's neck, with epsilon Leonis being of the third magnitude.
The stars mu Leonis, kappa Leonis, lambda Leonis, and epsilon Leonis form the head of the lion.
[4809]-[4815] gamma Leonis, also known as Algieba ("forehead"), is a binary star that consists of a K-class giant and a G-type giant. It appears as a bright double star with orange-red and greenish-yellow components.
Algieba Gamma Leonis
Algol Beta Persei
Algorab Delta Corvi
Alhajoth Alpha Aurigae
Alhena Gamma Geminorum
Alioth Epsilon Ursae Majoris
Alkaid Eta Ursae Majoris
Al Kurud Theta Columbae
Al Kalb al Rai Rho-2 Cephei
Alkalurops Mu Bootis ...
Gamma Leonis is called Algieba, from the Arabic meaning ‘the forehead'; this seems puzzling, since according to Ptolemy it lies in the lion's neck, but the Arabs saw here a very much larger lion than the one visualized by the Greeks.
 See also: Sun, Algieba, Sky, Constellation, Telescope
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