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Podcast: StarDate
Episode: Moon and Regulus
Description: The Moon stalks the heart of the lion tonight. And seen from Hawaii, it’ll catch it. The Moon will “occult” the heart, blocking it from view.
The lion’s heart is Regulus, the brightest star of Leo. The name Regulus means “the little king.” It was introduced 500 years ago. But the star’s association with royalty goes back much farther.
In ancient Persia, Regulus was one of the four “royal” stars – four especially bright stars near the ecliptic – the Sun’s path across the sky. The stars are roughly evenly spaced around the ecliptic. That means each star is...