Lepus

English name Hare

Major
stars alpha Leporis Arneb magn. 2,7 RA: 05h 32m 43.80s Dec: -17° 49' 20.2"
beta Leporis Nihal magn. 3,0 RA: 05h 28m 14.73s Dec: -20° 45' 34.1"
epsilon Leporis magn. 3,3 RA: 05h 05m 27.64s Dec: -22° 22' 15.4"
my Leporis magn. 3,3 RA: 05h 12m 55.86s Dec: -16° 12' 19.9"

Description Not very wide constellation, situated to the south of Orion, beside Canis Maior.
Among the interesting stars there are R Leporis, near the border with Eridanus, a dark red variable star which oscillates from the sixth to the tenth magnitude with a period of about 430 days; and eta Leporis, a double composed by a yellow star and an orange star.
M79 The constellation contains NGC 2017, a small open cluster constituted by seven stars and M79 (reproduced on the left), a very compact globular cluster of eighth magnitude.

Mythology
and history Hyginus tells that once the Laro island was deprived of hares, until some inhabitants began breeding some specimens. Soon, however, the island was invaded by hundreds of these very prolific animals, which brought heavy damages to the farmings: the inhabitants of Laro, therefore, made every effort until they succeeded in eliminating all the hares from their island. And to remember for ever that even a good thing, if excessive, can cause damage, they drew a hare in the sky.

English name	Hare

Major stars	alpha Leporis	Arneb	magn. 2,7	RA: 05h 32m 43.80s	Dec: -17° 49' 20.2"
	beta Leporis	Nihal	magn. 3,0	RA: 05h 28m 14.73s	Dec: -20° 45' 34.1"
	epsilon Leporis		magn. 3,3	RA: 05h 05m 27.64s	Dec: -22° 22' 15.4"
	my Leporis		magn. 3,3	RA: 05h 12m 55.86s	Dec: -16° 12' 19.9"

Description	Not very wide constellation, situated to the south of Orion, beside Canis Maior. Among the interesting stars there are R Leporis, near the border with Eridanus, a dark red variable star which oscillates from the sixth to the tenth magnitude with a period of about 430 days; and eta Leporis, a double composed by a yellow star and an orange star. The constellation contains NGC 2017, a small open cluster constituted by seven stars and M79 (reproduced on the left), a very compact globular cluster of eighth magnitude.

Mythology and history	Hyginus tells that once the Laro island was deprived of hares, until some inhabitants began breeding some specimens. Soon, however, the island was invaded by hundreds of these very prolific animals, which brought heavy damages to the farmings: the inhabitants of Laro, therefore, made every effort until they succeeded in eliminating all the hares from their island. And to remember for ever that even a good thing, if excessive, can cause damage, they drew a hare in the sky.

Lepus

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