Lepus
Lepus, the hare crouching at the feet of Orion the hunter. It is the little hare of the winter sky, keeping low as the hunting dog (Canis Major) gives chase.
Science
The scienceLepus is a small, tidy constellation crouching just south of (at the feet of) the bright winter constellation Orion. It does not leap to the eye, yet its closely gathered stars trace convincingly enough the form of a hare pressing itself low. The chief star Arneb means "hare" in Arabic. Within it lies a famous carbon star, "Hind's Crimson Star" (R Leporis), whose atmosphere is rich in carbon, so that it glows a deep red like a drop of blood, beloved of observers. The globular cluster M79 also resides here.
Mythology
How it became a constellationLepus is drawn as the quarry pursued across the winter sky by Orion the hunter and his hunting dogs (Canis Major and Canis Minor). It flees pressed flat against the ground at Orion's feet, with Sirius of Canis Major eyeing the hare from just behind. One legend tells that long ago on the island of Leros hares bred so prolifically that they ruined all the crops, and the people, so as never to forget the calamity, set a hare in the sky as a "warning against greed and excess."
Observing Guide
how to observe🔭 How to find it
A small constellation crouching right beneath the feet of Orion, the winter hunter. Look just south of Rigel, Orion's bright foot star, and you'll trace the form of a hare hunkered low, its stars clustered close together. Thanks to Orion as an unmistakable signpost, its position is easy to find, with the lead star Arneb (Arabic for "the hare") at its center.
✨ What to look for
Lepus's standout sight is the globular cluster M79. Unlike most globulars, which cluster in the summer sky, M79 is a rare one visible in winter, which makes it a curiosity. There's also a famous carbon star, "Hind's Crimson Star" (R Leporis), whose carbon-rich atmosphere makes it glow a deep red like a drop of blood — a favorite among observers.
📍 Where to see it (US · Canada · UK · Australia)
Lying at −16° to −22°, Lepus sits just south of the celestial equator. From the US, Canada, and the UK it rises in the south on winter nights (December–February), tucked below Orion at a modest altitude — lowest of all from the UK — so a clear southern view helps. From Australia the Hare rides high overhead during the southern summer, better placed than anywhere in the north.