Regulus star undergoes annual conjunction with the Sun

The annual astronomical conjunction between the Sun and the bright star Regulus (the heart of the Leo constellation) has been observed. During this event, the star appears to approach the Sun on the same celestial longitude, causing it to disappear behind the Sun's glare and become invisible from Earth.

Majed Abu Zahra, President of the Jeddah Astronomical Society, noted that Regulus is one of the brightest stars in the Leo constellation and is located near the ecliptic, allowing for frequent conjunctions with the Moon, planets, and the Sun. The star is approximately 79 light-years from Earth and is a multiple star system led by a blue-white star that is hotter than the Sun.

This conjunction marks the transition of Regulus from the evening sky to the dawn sky. The star is expected to reappear low above the eastern horizon before sunrise during the first days of September. As the Sun moves eastward through the ecliptic at a rate of approximately one degree per day, the angular separation between the Sun and Regulus will increase, making the star more observable in the dawn sky by the autumnal equinox in September.