This constellation has been identified with the Sun since the earliest civilizations. 

In Roman mythology, Hercules was required to kill a giant lion and use it's fur as a protective armor. He did this and also used it's head as a helmet. 

The gods then dedicated an important constellation to the great lion and named it Leo. The famous sphinx in Egypt is thought to be Leo the lion with a pharaohs head. 

It looks directly east where the Sun rises on the first day of spring.

 
REGULUS
 
The royal star Regulus is the brightest star in the constellation Leo and is known as the lion's heart. The word Regulus is latin for "little king" and has been associated with royalty for thousands of years. 

Regulus is really a large white star that is about 100x brighter than our Sun. It is so far away that it takes 77 years for it's starlight to reach us. The constellation looks like a backwards question mark with Regulus as the point. The lion's tail is three stars that form a triangle. 

Look for Regulus and Leo high in the east this month.