Bright Star Regulus near the Leo I Dwarf Galaxy

The star near the top is so bright that it is sometimes hard to notice the galaxy toward the bottom. Pictured above , both the star, Regulus , and the galaxy, Leo I , can be found within one degree of each other toward the constellation of the Lion (Leo). Regulus is part of a multiple star system , with a close companion double star visible to the lower left of the young main sequence star. Leo I is a dwarf spheroidal galaxy in the Local Group of galaxies dominated by our Milky Way Galaxy and M31 . Leo I is thought to be the most distant of the several known small satellite galaxies orbiting our Milky Way Galaxy. Regulus is located about 75 light years away, in contrast to Leo 1 which is located about 800,000 light years away. Discovery + Outreach: Graduate student research position open for APOD