Regulus (α Leonis) Širdel Fr.: Régulus The brightest star in the constellation → Leo (V = 1.35). Regulus is approximately 77.5 light-years from Earth. It is a triple star system composed of a hot, bluish-white star with a pair of small, faint companions. The main star (Regulus A) is a main sequence of type B7, with a luminosity 140 times brighter than the Sun. Its equatorial rotation speed being 317 kilometers per second, the fast rotation distorts Regulus into an oblate spheroid with an equatorial diameter about 30 percent larger than the polar diameter. As a result, the poles, with a temperature of 15,400 Kelvin, are much hotter than the equator, which glows at 10,200 Kelvin. L., literally "little king," diminutive of rex "king," related to regere "to keep straight, guide, lead, rule," from PIE base *reg- "to rule, to lead straight, to put right;" akin to Pers. râst "right, straight, correct," → right. Širdel, literally "the Lion's heart,"
on the model of Ar. Qalb al-Asad ( |