Why Is the Symbol of Leo a Lion?

Leo is the fifth sign of the zodiac, considered to govern from about July 23 to about August 22. Leo is found in the northern sky between Cancer and Virgo. The best way to spot the constellation might be to look for Regulus, one of the brightest stars in the night sky. Regulus has been called the heart of the lion and marks the bottom end of a sickle-shaped cluster of stars both faint and bright that make up the shoulders and head. With the help of a telescope, you can spot galaxies within Leo as well as the Leo Ring, a cloud of gases within Leo theorized to have formed via a long-ago collision or as leftovers from the early universe. Leo’s lion symbol is linked to the Nemean lion of Greek and Roman mythology: a creature slain by Hercules and which, after its death, was made into a cloak for the hero to wear in battle. While the Nemean lion didn’t stand a chance against the famous son of Zeus, Leos themselves are associated with strength and bravery. Today they’re compared less to the slain monstrous lion than to a lion that’s king (or queen) of the jungle. A stereotypical Leo is passionate, ambitious, and a strong leader... and if you’re looking for yourself in the stars as well as, well, the stars, famous Leos include U.S. President Barack Obama, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and astronaut Neil Armstrong.