R Leporis has the unique distinction of being one of the deeply reddest stars among hundred of million stars in our galaxy. It is located near the foot of the hunter Orion in the constellation Lepus the Hare crouching west of the Orion’s hunting dog, Canis Major. The star is also called Hind’s Crimson Star after its discoverer, John Hind who described it as “of the most intense crimson, resembling a blood-drop on the background of the sky.” Its striking color put a spontaneous smile on my face when I viewed it through a 5” refractor. The star varies in brightness from magnitude 5.5 to 11.7 every 418 to 441 days. A comparison of the blue and red exposures further dramatizes the intensity of the star’s redness.
