<P> Regulus is 0.46 degree from the ecliptic, the closest of the bright stars, and is regularly occulted by the Moon . Occultations by the planets Mercury and Venus are possible but rare, as are occultations by asteroids . </P> <P> The last occultation of Regulus by a planet was on July 7, 1959, by Venus . The next will occur on October 1, 2044, also by Venus . Other planets will not occult Regulus over the next few millennia because of their node positions . An occultation of Regulus by the asteroid 166 Rhodope was observed by 12 researchers from Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Greece on October 19, 2005 . Differential bending of light was measured to be consistent with general relativity . Regulus was occulted by the asteroid 163 Erigone in the early morning of March 20, 2014 . The center of the shadow path passed through New York and eastern Ontario, but no one is known to have seen it, due to cloud cover . The International Occultation Timing Association recorded no observations at all . </P> <P> Although best seen in the evening in northern hemisphere in late winter and spring, Regulus appears at some time of night throughout the year except for about a month on either side of August 22, when the Sun is too near . Regulus passes through SOHO's LASCO C3 every August . For most Earth observers, the heliacal rising of Regulus occurs in the first week of September . Every 8 years, Venus passes Regulus around the time of the star's heliacal rising, as on 5 September 2014 . </P> <P> Regulus is a multiple star system consisting of at least four stars . Regulus A is the dominant star, with a binary companion 177" distant that is thought to be physically related . Regulus D is a 12th magnitude companion at 212 ", which shares a common motion with the other stars . </P>

On what day of the year is the sun near the star regulus (alpha leo)