Spica from p.466 of Star Names , Richard Hinckley Allen, 1889. Alpha (α) Virgo , Spica, is a binary, brilliant flushed white star marking the Ear of Wheat shown in the Virgin's left hand. Spica signifies, and marks, the Ear of Wheat shown in the Virgin's left hand — the Greek astronomer Aratus, circa 270 B.C., wrote "in her hands"; Vitruvius and Hyginus, "in her right hand"— when she was thought to be Ceres. All the Romans called it thus, Cicero saying Spicum, and their descendants, the modern Italians, Spigha; the French have l'Epi. In Old England it was the Virgin's Spike, and even Flamsteed thus designated it. For at least twenty-five centuries, and among all civilized peoples, the Latin word, or words of similar import, has obtained; although the English astronomer Smyth (1788-1865) mentioned an attempt before his day to secure for it the illustrious name of Newton.

(Greek) Stachus, perhaps of the same signification although another has been assigned to it, appeared with the Greek astronomer Aratus, circa 270 B.C., Hipparchos (circa 160-120 B.C.), and the second-century Greek astronomer Ptolemy, transcribed by the Latins as Stachys. Manetho had (Greek) Stachuodes, which we have seen {p.467} used for Virgo by another Graeco-Egyptian author, Nonnus. The 17th century German astronomer Bayer cited Arista for the star as for the constellation; Aristae Puella occurs in some Latin doggerel by the 17th century Dutch astronomer Caesius; as the brightest of the figure it bore the latter's Erigone; while Vindemitor and Vindemiator, which better belong to epsilon (ε Vindemiatrix ), have been applied to it.

Other titles—Sunbala; Sunbale; Sumbela; The Italian astronomer Riccioli's (1598–1671) Sumbalet, Sombalet, Sembalet Eleandri; and the 17th century German astronomer and ephemeris creator Schickard's Sunbalon—are from Sunbulah and Al Adhra, Arabic words synonymous respectively with Spica and Virgo , although the 17th century English orientalist Thomas Hyde derived them from (Greek) Sibulla, the Singing Sibyl, of the constellation. The Persian astronomer Al Biruni (973-1048 A.D.) said that it was Al Hulbah, the Bristle, but his explanation of this only served to show the strange confusion in titles that existed in the Arab mind between Spica and Al Dafirah in the Lion's tail ( Denebola ).

And the Persian astronomer Al Biruni (973-1048 A.D.), again, said that it was the Calf of the Lion, with Arcturus as the second Calf; but the 13th century Persian astronomical writer Al Kazwini designated it as Sak al Asad, the Shin-bone of the Lion, this Lion being the enormous figure already alluded to, of which a part of Virgo formed one of the legs. [Arabs had an enormous Lion, their early Asad, extending over a third of the heavens, of which the stars Arcturus and Spica were the shin-bones; Regulus , the forehead; the heads of Gemini , one of the fore paws; Canis Minor , the other; and Corvus , the hind quarters. Many Arab starnames come from this tradition. — Star Names p.97.] A still more widely spread native name in the Desert was Al Simak al A'zal, the Defenceless, or Unarmed, Simak, i.e.

unattended by any nearby star; the other Simak, Arcturus , being armed with a lance, or staff, represented by adjacent stars of Bootes ; and it doubtless was this isolated position of Spica that induced the Coptic people of Egypt title Khoritos, Solitary. The Alfonsine Tables turned Simak al A'zal into inermis Asimec, adding Acimon, Alaraph, Almucedie "of the Chaldaeans," and Alacel; while the 1515 Almagest had Aschimech inermis. From all these come the 17th century German astronomer Bayer's Alaazel, Alazel, Azimon, Alzimon "of the Nubians," Hazimet Alazel, the alchemists' Alhaiseth, Riccioli's Eltsamecti and Eltsamach, and the Azimech still occasionally seen. The 16th century French scholar Scaliger had Hazimeth Alhacel, and the 17th century German astronomer and ephemeris creator Schickard Huzimethon.

The Italian astronomer Riccioli (1598-1671) cited a "Nubian" title, Eleazalet, that some have said came from Al Azalah, the Hip-bone, but it probably belongs among the derivatives from A'zal; and his Eleadari has been transferred to Spica from the constellation. This star marked the 12th manzil (Arabic Moon Mansion), Al Simak, and in early astrology was, like all of Virgo , a sign of unfruitfulness and a portent of injustice to innocence; but later on, of eminence, renown, and riches. The 14th century Greco-Persian astronomer Chrysococca called it (Greek) mikros Kontaratos par excellence.

And the 17th century English orientalist Thomas Hyde gave the Hebrew Shibboleth, the Syrian Shebbelta, the Persian Chushe, and the Turkish Salkim, all signifying the "Ear of Wheat"; other names being the Persian Çpur, the Çparegha of the Avesta, the Sogdian Iranian Shaghar and Khorasmian (east of Persia) Akhshafarn, all meaning a "Point" — i.e. Spica. The Hindus knew it as Citra, Bright, their 12th nakshatra ( Hindu Moon Mansion ), figured as a Lamp, or as a Pearl, with Tvashtar, the Artificer, or Shaper, as its presiding {p.468} divinity; and some have thought it the Tistar Star that generally has been identified with Sirius . In Babylonia, and representing the whole constellation, it personified the wife of Bel, and as Sa-Sha-Shiru, the Virgin's Girdle, marked the 20th ecliptic asterism of that name, and the lunar asterism Dan-nu, the Hero of the Sky Furrow.

It was also Emuku Tin-tir-Ki, "the Might of the Abode of Life", a common title for Babylon itself. In Chinese astronomy Spica was a great favorite as Kio, the Horn, or Spike, anciently Keok or Guik, the special star of springtime; and with zeta (ζ Heze ) formed their 12th sieu ( Chinese Moon Mansion ) under that title. Naturally it was the determinant. It is said to have been known at one time in Egypt as the Lute-Bearer, and was evidently of importance, for another Egyptian name was Repa, the Lord; and Lockyer thinks that the great "Mena may symbolize Spica, with which star we have seen Min-worship associated." According to this same author, one of the temples at Thebes, probably dedicated to this Mena, Menat, Menes , Min, or Khem, was oriented to Spica's setting about 3200 B.C.; and the temple of the Sun at Tell al Amarna was also so oriented about 2000 B.C., or perhaps somewhat later.

A similar character attached to it in Greece, for two temples have been found at Rhamnus, "almost touching one another, both following (and with accordant dates) the shifting places of Spica," at their erection 1092 and 747 b.C.; "and still another pair at Tegea." Temples of Hera were also so oriented at Olympia 1445 B.C. at Argos and Girgenti; and those of Nike Apteros at Athens, 1130 B.C., and of "the Great Diana of the Ephesians," 715 B.C. It was to the observations of this star and of Regulus about 300 B.C., recorded by the Alexandrian Timochares, that, after comparison with his own 150 years later, Hipparchos (circa 160-120 B.C.) was indebted for the great discovery attributed to him of the precession of the equinoxes; although Babylonian records, and the temple orientation of Egypt and Greece, may indicate a far earlier practical knowledge of this.

{p.469} It is one of the lunar stars much utilized in navigation, and lies but 2° south of the ecliptic, and 10° south of the celestial equator, coming to the meridian on the 28th of May. With Denebola , Arcturus , and Cor Caroli it forms the Diamond of Virgo, 50° in extent north and south. [ Star Names , Their Lore and Meaning, Richard Hinckley Allen, 1889]. The Lunar Mansions This star, α Virgo , Spica, marked the 12th manzil (Arabic Moon Mansion), Al Simak, The Unarmed. Influences of the 12th Arabic Moon Mansion Al Simak: Causes marital love, cures the sick, helps sailors but hinders journeys by land. With Moon transiting here: dig but do not marry or travel.

[Robson * , p.72.] The Hindus knew Spica as Citra, "Bright", their 12th nakshatra (Hindu Moon Mansion), figured as a Lamp, or as a Pearl, with Tvashtar , the Artificer, or Shaper, as its presiding divinity. Influences of the 12th Hindu Moon Mansion Citra: Ruled by Mars. A soft asterism belonging to the serving caste and favorable for friendship, married love, purchase and making clothes and ornaments, music and auspicious deeds when containing the Moon. Those born on the lunar day will be mathematicians, surgeons, oculists, weavers, writers, singers, manufacturers of perfumes and dealers in jewels and cloth. With Moon here at birth native will be fond of clothes and flowers of many colors and will have beautiful eyes and limbs. Rules water banks and the neck. [Robson * , p.80.] The astrological influences of the constellation Virgo Legend: This constellation is said to represent Erigone, daughter of Icarius, who hanged herself through grief at the death of her father ( Bootes ).

According to other accounts it is Astraea, daughter of one of the Titans, who sided with the Gods against her own father. [Robson * , p.66.] Influences: Ptolemy makes the following observations; "The stars in the head of Virgo , and that at the top of the southern wing, operate like Mercury and somewhat like Mars: the other bright stars in the same wing, and those about the girdle, resemble Mercury in their influence, and also Venus, moderately . . . those at the points of the feet and at the bottom of the garments are like Mercury, and also Mars, moderately." By the Kabalists it is associated with the Hebrew letter Gimel and the 3rd Tarot Trump "The Empress." [Robson * , p.66-67.] The astrological influences of the constellation Virgo given by Manilius: "spicifera est Virgo Cereris" — "The Virgin with her sheaf belongs to Ceres".

[ Astronomica , Manilius, 1st century AD, p.117] "Virginis in propriam descendunt ilia sortem", — "the belly comes down to the Maid as her rightful lot" [ Astronomica , Manilius, 1st century AD, p.119] "At her rising Erigone ( Virgo ), who reigned with Justice over a bygone age and fled when it fell into sinful ways, bestows high eminence by bestowing supreme power; she will produce a man to direct the laws of the state and the sacred code; one who will tend with reverence the hallowed temples of the gods." [ Astronomica , Manilius, 1st century AD, p.265] "The temperaments of those whose span of life she pronounces at their birth Erigone ( Virgo ) will direct to study, and she will train their minds in the learned arts. She will give not so much abundance of wealth as the impulse to investigate the causes and effects of things.

On them she will confer a tongue which charms, the mastery of words, and that mental vision which can discern all things, however concealed they be by the mysterious workings of nature. From the Virgin will also come the stenographer: his letter represents a word, and by means of his symbols he can keep ahead of utterance and record in novel notation the long speech of a rapid speaker. But with the good there comes a flaw: bashfulness handicaps the early years of such persons, for the Maid, by holding back their great natural gifts, puts a bridle on their lips and restrains them by the curb of authority. And (small wonder in a virgin) her offspring is not fruitful." [ Astronomica , Manilius, 1st century AD, p.237 and 239] The astrological influences of the star Spica According to Ptolemy it is of the nature of Venus and Mars; and, to Alvidas, of Venus, Jupiter and Mercury. It gives success, renown, riches, a sweet disposition, love of art and science, unscrupulousness, unfruitfulness and injustice to innocence.

[Robson * , p.211.] If rising or culminating: Unbounded good fortune, happiness, ecclesiastical preferment, unexpected honor or advancement beyond native's hopes or capacity. [Robson * , p.211.] With Fortuna: Great wealth, voluptuous propensities. [Robson * , p.212.] With Sun: Great and lasting preferment, eminent dignity, immense wealth, great happiness to native's parents and children, help from friends among clergy, favorable for public and legal affairs. If culminating, Church and State preferment. If with Venus and Mars also the native is a potent king obeyed by many people, but subject to many infirmities. [Robson * , p.211.] With Moon: Gain through inventions, success, wealth and honor from Mercury, Venus or Jupiter people. [Robson * , p.211.] With Mercury: Neat, tidy, clever, ingenious, favor of clergy and people in authority, gain through investment, responsible position. [Robson * , p.212.] With Venus: Benefits from friends, social success, false friends of own sex.

[Robson * , p.212.] With Mars: Popular social success, may have good judgment and quick decision or be violent in dispute, rigid, and nearly or quite a fool. [Robson * , p.212.] With Jupiter: Popular, social success, wealth, ecclesiastical honor and preferment. [Robson * , p.212.] With Saturn: Apt to be suspicious, sharp or rugged, but does much good, occult interests, good speaker, popular, many friends, gain through legacies but extravagant, good health, favorable for domestic matters. [Robson * , p.212.] With Uranus: Mediumistic, popular, business connected with ornaments, gain through marriage, fortunate, sudden natural death. [Robson * , p.212.] With Neptune: Well-born, comfortable surroundings, always sufficiently well off, associated with companies, gain through legacies, favorable for domestic matters, somewhat fast and extravagant, does not live to old age.

[Robson * , p.212.] References: Spica: The Close Binary Spica: The Close Binary By Elizabeth Howell, Space.com Contributor | July 20, 2013 04:24am ET MORE Spica is a bright binary star, the 16th brightest in Earth's night sky, visible in the northern constellation Virgo. It is visible not only because of its size, but also because of its relatively close distance: it is about 260 light-years away from Earth. While the star appears as a single point of light to the naked eye, Spica is a binary system. One star, however, is much brighter than the other one. The star system is also a massive source of X-rays, which opened a new understanding of Spica when X-ray astronomy became prominent in the 1960s. Locating Spica Spica is a little hard to spot, so astronomers sometimes use other stars to find it.

Starting from the handle of the Big Dipper, one common phrase used among amateurs goes: " follow the arc to Arcturus and speed on to Spica ." Spica's location is: Right ascension: 13 hours 25 minutes 11.6 seconds Declination: -11 degrees 09 minute 41 seconds Spica in history and culture The name "Spica" derives from a Latin phrase saying that Virgo is holding an "ear of grain" or "ear of wheat." It also was noted and named in other ancient cultures, such as Arabic, Chinese and Hindu. Legend commonly connects Virgo to Dike, the Greek goddess of justice, and Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, the harvest goddess. Spica is featured on Brazil's national flag , above the Portuguese inscription "Ordem e Progresso" (Order and Progress). It is meant to represent the state of Para. The star is also mentioned prominently in a 2000s-era Japanese manga called "Twin Spica," a series that follows high schoolers attending a fictional astronaut training school.

Spica in more modern times It wasn't until the invention of the telescope that it became clear that Spica is a binary star. The two stars orbit each other at just 12 percent the equivalent distance between Earth and the sun. Spica - Alpha Virginis | Constellation Guide Constellation Guide Constellations: A Guide to the Night Sky Spica by admin Spica, Alpha Virginis, is the brightest star in the southern constellation Virgo and the 16th brightest star in the sky. It is a blue subgiant star located at a distance of 262 light years from Earth. Spica is really a close binary star system. It is one of the nearest massive binary stars to the solar system. The name Spica (pronounced /ˈspaɪkə/) comes from the Latin phrase spīca virginis, meaning “Virgo’s ear of grain.” The Latin word spicum refers to the ear of wheat Virgo holds in her left hand. In Greek and Roman mythology, the constellation and the star were associated with Demeter (Ceres), the goddess of the harvest. Spica is bright both because of its size and relative proximity to Earth.

The components in the system have a radius 7.40 and 3.64 times that of the Sun. Both stars are significantly brighter than the Sun, with total luminosities (including ultraviolet radiation) of 12,100 and 1,500 times solar. Spica A and Spica B both belong to the spectral class B, which makes them bluish-white in colour. The stars are also much hotter than the Sun, with estimated surface temperatures of 22,400 K and 18,500 K, compared to the Sun’s 5,800 K. This makes Spica one of the hottest first magnitude stars. Virgo constellation. Image: Till Credner The primary star in the system is halfway between a subgiant and giant on the evolutionary scale. It belongs to the spectral class B1 III-IV. With a mass more than 10 times that of the Sun, Spica A is one of the nearest stars to Earth that are massive enough to end their life in a Type II supernova explosion. The primary component is responsible for about 80 percent of the light that comes from the star system.

Spica is classified as a Beta Cephei variable. It exhibits variations in brightness over a 0.1738-day period. The star is a very fast spinner, with a projected rotational velocity of 199 km/s at the equator. The two components in the Spica star system are so close together – only 0.12 astronomical units apart – that they complete an orbit around each other every four days, and can’t be resolved in a telescope. The star’s binary nature wasn’t discovered until its light was analyzed with a spectroscope. The stars in the Spica system orbit a common centre of mass (barycentre) at about 56 miles per second at a distance of only 18 million kilometres, or 11 million miles, compared to 150 million kilometres for Earth’s distance to the Sun. As a result of their proximity, the gravity distorts both stars into an egg-like shape, with their pointed ends facing each other. The stars’ shapes can’t be seen directly, not even in a telescope, but slight changes in magnitude may be evidence that they are distorted by the interaction. Spica in Virgo constellation. Image: Torsten Bronger.

The system is classified as a double-lined spectroscopic binary, showing a Doppler shift in the absorption lines of the stars’ spectra resulting from the changes in the star system’s orbital motion. The variations in Spica’s magnitude are likely the result of the two stars showing more or less surface area as they orbit each other. The stars have different orientations during different phases of their orbits and, as they are distorted in shape, their apparent diameter changes over the course of an orbit. Spica is a rotating ellipsoidal variable, which means that the two stars in the system are distorted by their gravitational interaction. The system is a non-eclipsing binary, with neither star passing in front of the other from our point of view. Spica exhibits variations in magnitude of 0.03 over a period matching the stars’ orbital period. Spica B, the secondary member of the star system, belongs to the spectral class B2 V, which means that it is still on the main sequence. It is smaller and less massive than the main component, with only 7 solar masses.

The secondary component provides a rare example of the Struve-Sahade effect, which means that the star’s spectral lines exhibit an anomalous change in strength over the course of an orbit, and become weaker as the star moves away from the observer. This may be the result of a strong stellar wind from Spica A scattering the light from the smaller star as the latter recedes. The Alpha Virginis star system is a massive source of X-rays. At least some of the X-rays are believed to be produced by violent collisions of the stars’ stellar winds. Diagram showing how to locate the star Spica using Arcturus as a guide. Drawn by Jim Thomas on 19 June, 2006. Spica can be located by following the arc of the Big Dipper ‘s handle. The first bright star along the imaginary line is Arcturus , the Bear Watcher, and following the same curving path, the second bright star that appears is Spica. The apparent distance from Arcturus to Spica is roughly equal to the distance between Arcturus and Alkaid, the star marking the tip of the Dipper’s handle. The best time of year to observe Spica is from spring to late summer.

The star emerges on the horizon in the east-southeast at sunset in mid-April and can be seen throughout the night. Spica can be found at its highest point to the south in the early evening about two months later. By late August, it can only be seen for a short period after sunset in the west-southwestern sky. The Sun passes about 2 degrees north of the star every year around October 16. Spica’s heliacal rising occurs about two weeks after this date. Venus passes near the star every eight years around the same date. Spica lies close to the ecliptic, roughly 10 degrees south of the celestial equator, and can be occulted by the Moon, sometimes even by planets. The last time it was occulted by a planet was on November 10, 1783, when Venus passed in front of it. The next planetary occultation, also by Venus, will occur on September 2197. Based on observations during lunar occultations, when the star’s light is occulted by the Moon, some astronomers believe that there may be up to three more stars in the Spica system.

FACTS Together with the bright stars Arcturus in Boötes constellation , Denebola in Leo , and Cor Caroli in the constellation Canes Venatici , Spica forms an asterism known as the Diamond of Virgo , 50 degrees in extent. Great Diamond of Virgo. Image: Friendlystar at wikipedia.org Along with Regulus in Leo , Alpha Virginis is believed to be one of the bright stars that made it possible for Hipparchus (160 – 120 BC) to discover the precession of the equinoxes, after comparing his data to that of the Alexandrian Timochares, who had observed Spica and Regulus around 300 BC. Spica was later observed by Nicolaus Copernicus, who also used it to study precession. Spica’s projected galactic orbit takes the star between 22,500 and 24,400 light years from the centre of the Milky Way. The star moves through the galaxy at a speed of 18.9 km/s relative to the Sun. A temple to Menat at Thebes, constructed around 3200 BC, was oriented toward Spica.

As a result of precession, the star’s position relative to the temple slowly changed over time. A number of temples were oriented to Spica’s setting, including the temple of the Sun at Tell el-Amarna (2000 BC), two temples at Rhamnus in Greece (1092 and 747 BC), another two at Tegea, Hera’s temples at Olympia (1445 BC), Girgenti and Argos, the temple of Diana of the Ephesians (715 BC), and the temple of Nike Apteros at Athens (1130 BC). The temple orientation indicates that these cultures had knowledge of the precession of the equinoxes far earlier than Hipparchus documented his discovery. This beautiful new image, taken during a time lapse set at the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is another dramatic Ultra High Definition photograph from the ESO Ultra HD Expedition. ALMA, located at 5000 metres above sea level on the remote and empty Chajnantor Plateau in the Chilean Andes, marks the second destination for the four ESO Photo Ambassadors on their 17-day trip.

The ambassadors are equipped with state-of-the-art Ultra HD tools to help them capture the true majesty of sights like the one pictured here. Some of the 66 high-precision antennas that comprise ALMA are visible here, with dishes pointed aloft, studying the cold clouds in interstellar space, and peering deep into the past at our mysterious cosmic origins. The spectacular javelin of light over the ALMA array is a shooting star, slicing through the image in a vivid streak of colours. Emerald green, golden and faint crimson hues blaze brightly as the meteor burns up as it enters the Earth’s atmosphere and makes its fiery voyage across the sky. As the high-speed fireball — which is, in reality, a small grain of rock from interplanetary space — interacts with the atmosphere it heats up, vapourising the surface layers of the meteor, which are left behind in a glowing trail. These trails disappear in just a few seconds, but are captured here at the click of a button. The brightest star in the constellation of Virgo (The Virgin), known as Spica, and our neighbouring planet Mars glow brightly in the centre of the image — cosmic spectators to this fiery descent as they rise above the horizon. Image: ESO/C.

Malin In ancient Greece, Spica and Virgo constellation were associated with Demeter, and also with Dike, the goddess of justice, and Persephone, wife of Hades and daughter of Demeter. Spica has been known by many different names across the cultures. The 17th century German astronomer Johann Bayer called the star Arista. In medieval times, the names for the star included Azimech and Alarph. Both were derived from Arabic; Azimech from al-simāk al-a‘zal, meaning “the undefended” or “the solitary one,” and Alarph, from the Arabic phrase meaning “the grape gatherer.” Spica’s other names included Sumbalet, meaning “the corn ear,” which is the Arabic name for the constellation Virgo , and also Sombalet, Shibbōleth, Sombalet, and Sembalet Eleandri. Babylonian observers called the star Sa-Sha-Shirū, meaning “the virgin’s girdle.” The star represented the wife of Bel. In China, Spica is known as Jiao Xiu 1 and belongs to the constellation Jiao Xiu.

Ancient Chinese considered Spica to be a special star of spring and called it Kio, the Horn. Spica also marks the eye of the Dragon as it belongs to the first Chinese lunar mansion, which is the first sector for the Azure Dragon or the Dragon of the East, the guardian god of the eastern direction in their astrology. The major part of the dragon’s figure was formed by Scorpius constellation , with the bright Antares , known as the Fire Star, marking the dragon’s heart. Egyptians identified Virgo with the goddess Isis, and saw the star Spica as Isis’ lute bearer. They also knew the star by a different name, Repā, meaning “the lord.” To Hindu observers, the star corresponds to the Nakshatra Chitra. They called the star Citrā, meaning “bright.” Spica represents the Brazilian state of Pará on the Brazilian flag.

Spica – Alpha Virginis Coordinates: 13h 25m 11.5793s (right ascension), -11°09’40.759” (declination) Spectral class: B1 III-IV/B2 V Distance: 262 light years (80 parsecs) Apparent magnitude: 1.04 Absolute magnitude: -3.55 (-3.5, -1.5) Orbital period: 4.0145898 days Mass: 10.25 solar masses (Spica A), 6.97 (Spica B) Radius: 7.40 solar radii (Spica A), 3.64 (Spica B) Luminosity: 12,100 solar luminosities (Spica A), 1,500 (Spica B) Temperature: 22,400 K (Spica A), 18,500 (Spica B) Rotational velocity: 199 km/s (Spica A), 87 km/s (Spica B) Variable type: Beta Cephei

, rotating ellipsoid Pronunciation: /ˈspaɪkə/ Designation: Spica, Alpha Virginis, α Virginis, 67 Virginis, Spica Virginis, HD 116658, HR 5056, SAO 157923, BD -10°3672, GCTP18144, HIP 65474, FK5 498, CCDM 13252-1109 Spica is a whirling double star | Brightest Stars | EarthSky Spica is a whirling double star By Deborah Byrd and Larry Sessions in Brightest Stars | April 23, 2016 Spica is a binary star, with two stars larger and hotter than the sun, telescopically indistinguishable from a single point of light.

The star Spica is also called Alpha Virginis, because it is the brightest star in Virgo. Its color is distinctly blue-white, even to the eye. Photo by Fred Espenak. Read more about Spica at Fred Espenak’s website. Spica looks like one star, but it is at least two stars, both larger and hotter than our sun, orbiting only 18 million kilometers (11 million miles) apart. That’s in contrast to 150 million kilometers for Earth’s distance from our sun. Their mutual gravity distorts each star into an egg shape, with the pointed ends facing each other as they whirl around, completing a single orbit in only four days. Follow the links below to learn more about Spica, brightest star in the constellation Virgo the Maiden. Spica science. Follow the arc to Arcturus, and speed on to Spica. Daniel McVey captured this image of the star Spica and the planet Mars on March 26, 2014. Spica is near Mars for much of 2014. How to see Spica. The best evening views of Spica come from spring to late summer when this star arcs across the southern sky.

Spica rises in the east-southeast as the sunset glow fades in mid-April. At that time, it is visible most of the night. Two months later it beams at its highest point to the south in early evening. By the end of August, Spica can be viewed only briefly in the west-southwestern sky as darkness falls. Here’s how you can speed on to find Spica. First look for the Big Dipper in the northern sky. The Dipper is highest in the sky in spring and summer. Notice that the Big Dipper has a bowl and a long, curved handle. Find the Dipper, and then follow the curve of its handle outward, away from the Dipper itself. The first bright star you come to is orange Arcturus , but if you continue past it in the curving path, the next bright star is Spica. Scouts and stargazers remember this trick with the saying: Follow the arc to Arcturus, and speed on to Spica. Virgo? Here’s your constellation Spica is the brightest light in the constellation Virgo the Maiden, and it is the 15th brightest star visible from anywhere on Earth.

It’s virtually the same brightness as Antares in the constellation Scorpius, so sometimes Antares is listed as the 15th and Spica as the 16th brightest. No matter. Identify this beautiful blue-white star, and – with the Big Dipper’s help to spot it in the sky – it’ll be your friend for life. Classical illustration of the constellation Virgo the Maiden, via constellationsofwords.com. History and mythology of Spica. Spica is from the Latin word for “ear,” and the general connotation is that it refers to an “ear of wheat.” Indeed, the star and the constellation Virgo itself were sometimes associated with the Greek goddess of the harvest, Ceres. There are many names and stories for Spica’s constellation – Virgo – in mythology, and by association with Spica as well. Fewer stories refer to Spica independently. Many classical references refer to Virgo’s stars as a goddess or with some association with wheat or the harvest. In Greece and Rome she typically was Astraea, the very personification of Justice; or Persephone, daughter of Ceres. In Egypt, Virgo was identified with Isis, and Spica was considered her lute bearer.

In ancient China, Spica was a special star of spring known as the Horn. One Arabic name was Azimech, derived from words meaning Defenseless One or Solitary One. This title may be in reference to Spica’s solitary status with no other bright stars nearby. But Spica is not the most solitary star. That honor goes to Fomalhaut , sometimes called the Autumn Star. Artist’s concept of Spica from hypothetical planet. Image credit: Glyphweb.com Spica science. Spica is about 262 light-years away, based on data from the Hipparcos Space Astrometry Mission of the 1990s. Spica is a binary star, with two stars which are telescopically indistinguishable from a single point of light. The dual nature of this star was revealed only by analysis of its light with a spectroscope, an instrument that splits light into its component colors. Both stars in the Spica binary system are larger and hotter than the sun, with the larger of the two, in fact, a blue giant or subgiant. The surface temperatures are estimated at 22,400 K and 18,500 K for the larger and smaller components, respectively.

This compares to about 5,800 K for the sun. (“K” stands for “kelvins”, a degree on the absolute scale. At high values, each kelvin is about 5/9ths the corresponding Fahrenheit degree, so these two stars are about 40,000 F and 33,000 F, compared to 10,000 F for the sun.) Separated by just less than 18 million km (about 11 million miles), Spica’s two stars orbit a common center of gravity in only 4 days. The resulting forces on these stars are so great that they are probably distorted, more egg-shaped than spherical. Although this cannot be visually seen, even through a telescope, slight magnitude variations may be evidence for such a distortion. The magnitude changes could be the result of the stars showing more or less surface area as they move through different orientations in their orbits. The light from these two stars taken together is, on average, more than 2200 times brighter than the sun. Their diameters are estimated to be 7.8 and 4 times the sun’s diameter.

Spica is one of several bright stars that the moon can occult (eclipse). Based on observations of how the star’s light is extinguished when the moon passes in front, some astronomers think that it may not just be a spectroscopic binary star. Instead, they feel that there may be as many as 3 other stars in the system. This would make Spica not a single or even a double, but a quintuple star! Spica’s position is RA: 13h 25m 12s, dec: -11° 09′ 41″ Virgo Constellation - Facts About Virgo | Solarsystemquick.com Virgo Constellation The bright star indicated here is Spica, the fifteenth brightest star in the night star. Virgo Constellation Facts Virgo is the second largest constellation and is visible in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. In the Northern hemisphere Virgo can be seen from March to July. In the Southern hemisphere the constellation can be viewed in the Autumn and Winter months, it will appear upside down in comparison with the Northern hemisphere.

The constellation of Virgo is highly populated with galaxies, there are several galaxy clusters located within its boundaries, each of which is home to hundreds or even thousands of galaxies. One galaxy in Virgo which is not part of a galaxy cluster is the famous and spectacular Sombrero Galaxy, one of the brightest known galaxies and visible through an amateur telescope or binoculars. Many planets have been discovered orbiting stars in the constellation, including an enormous gas giant with over 10 times the mass of Jupiter. Virgo is also one of the twelve signs of the astrological zodiac. Virgo has been recognized as a constellation for at least 3,000 years. Virgo Mythology An artistic representation of Virgo, although it is uncertain who she actually represents. As with many constellations Virgo's mythology is complex with many different variations on its origins. One rather morbid tale involves the young female character Erigone from Greek mythology. Her father was Icarius, a farmer and friend of the God of Wine Dionysis. One day Dionysis offered wine to Icarius and his shepherds to honor their friendship.

Unfortunately his shepherds had never drank alcohol before and mistakenly thought they had been poisoned, they took revenge by killing Icarius in a drunken rage. Erigone later found her father’s body and couldn’t control her sorrow, she buried her father and hanged herself next to his grave. Dionysis was so angry with the crime he inflicted a horrific plague upon the city of Athens which caused the young single women to commit suicide. The plague was eventually lifted after the city honored both Icarius and his daughter. As a result Dionysis placed Erigone amongst the stars as Virgo and her father as the neighboring constellation of Bootes. Main Stars in the Virgo Constellation The number next to each star is its apparent magnitude, its brightness from our point of view on Earth, the lower the number the brighter the star in the night sky. Zavijah Also know as Beta Virginis, Zavijah is a yellow-white main sequence star around 35 light years from Earth, it has around 25% more mass than the sun and is almost 70% larger in radius.

Zaniah Also known as Eta Virginis, Zaniah is a three star system around 265 light years from Earth, the primary star has a mass 2.5 times greater than that of the sun with surface temperatures more than 50% hotter. Porrima Also known as Alpha Virginis, Porrima appears as single star in the night sky but is actually a binary system 38 light years from Earth, together both stars produce an apparent magnitude of 2.74, making Porrima the second brightest star in the constellation. Auva Also known as Delta Virginis, Auva is a red giant around 200 light years from Earth, it has 50% more mass than the sun but is almost 50 times larger in diameter. Vindemiatrix Also known as Epsilon Virginis, Vindemiatrix is a yellow giant around 110 light years from Earth, it has two and a half times the mass of the sun and 10 times larger in radius.

Heze Also known as Zeta Virginis, Heze is a binary star system consisting of a blue-white main sequence star and a red dwarf companion, the primary blue-white star has twice the mass and twice the radius of the sun, the system is around 75 light years from Earth. Spica Also known as Alpha Virginis, Spica is by far the brightest star in the constellation and one of the brightest in the entire night sky. Spica is actually a binary star system around 260 light years from Earth consisting of two fairly massive stars. The primary star has 10 times the mass of the sun which is massive enough to generate a supernova at the end of its lifespan. This star is a blue giant with around 7.5 times the radius of the sun and is 12,000 times more luminous. The secondary star is a blue main sequence star with around 7 times the mass of the sun. Finding Virgo - Northern Hemisphere The chart shows the position of Virgo over most of the United States in June at midnight. This chart can also be applied to other areas of the Northern hemisphere such as Canada, the UK and Europe.

In March and April Virgo will appear low on the eastern horizon around 9 to 10pm, by 1am it will be visible in the southern night sky before moving towards the western horizon. In May and June the constellation will be visible in the southern sky around 10pm, over the next few hours it will be visible in the western night sky before beginning to dip below the horizon. In July it will appear briefly in the western night sky between the hours of 10pm and 1am. Finding Virgo - Southern Hemisphere The chart shows the position of Virgo over most of Australia in early autumn at 11pm. This chart can also be applied to other areas of the Southern hemisphere such as New Zealand, South Africa and South America. In the Southern hemisphere Andromeda is visible in the northern night sky. In March Virgo becomes visible at around midnight low on the eastern horizon, by 4am it will be high in the northern night sky. In April the constellation will appear low on the eastern horizon at around 9pm, by 1am it will be high in the northern night sky before heading towards the western horizon.

In May and June it will visible in the north-eastern night sky at around 8pm, gradually moving higher into the northern night sky before it starts to dip towards the western horizon. In July and August Virgo can be seen in the north or north-western night sky from around 8pm, it begins to disappear below the western horizon at around 11pm to midnight. Share this page Virgo Constellation: Facts about the Virgin Virgo Constellation: Facts about the Virgin By Kim Ann Zimmermann | August 9, 2012 12:41pm ET MORE Virgo is a congested constellation with 26 known exoplanets — planets outside of the solar system — orbiting around 20 stars, and at least a dozen Messier objects. It is the largest constellation of the Zodiac and the second-largest constellation overall, behind Hydra. Well over a thousand galaxies are known members of the Virgo Cluster. Credit: NASA/ Rogelio Bernal Andreo Locating Virgo Virgo covers 1,294 square degrees. Most of the constellation’s stars are dim, but Virgo's bright blue-white star, Spica, is fairly easy to locate.

Stargazers can use the Big Dipper as a guide. Follow the curve of the handle down to the southeast until you come to the bright star Arcturus, in the Bootes constellation. Continue the arc to the next bright star, which is Spica. There's even a mnemonic phrase to help you remember: " Follow the arc to Arcturus, then speed on to Spica ." SKY MAP: The sky as seen at 10 pm local time on June 15 from midnorthern latitudes. Tied to fertility and agriculture, Virgo appears to stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere during the spring and summer months and to those in the Southern Hemisphere in autumn and winter. Right Ascension: 13 hours Visible between latitudes 80 and minus 80 degrees Best seen in May at 9 p.m. Spica , also known as Alpha Virginis, is the brightest star in the constellation. Spica ranks as the 16th brightest star in the night sky and can be regarded as a nearly perfect example of a star of the first magnitude. It is a blue giant about 260 light-years from Earth.

The star is about twice as big as the sun and its luminosity is 2,300 times that of the sun. It is known as the "ear of wheat" being held by Virgo. The second brightest star is Gamma Virginis, also known as Porrima and Arich, is a binary star. The third-brightest star, Epsilon Virginis, is a yellow giant that is also known as Vindemiatrix, or the Grape Gatherer. Zeta Virginis, or Heze, is a white dwarf notable for its exceptionally short rotation period of less than 0.5 days. The star 70 Virginis has one of the first known exoplanets, with one confirmed planet 7.5 times the mass of Jupiter. The Virgo Galaxy Cluster contains 11 deep space objects catalogued by Charles Messier , more than any constellation except Sagittarius, which has 15. [Video: Galactic Eyes Peer Out Through Virgo ] Constellations ancient and modern grace the skies year round. Let's see what you know about the star patterns that appear overhead every night. Spica SPICA (Alpha Virginis).

Spica, the luminary of Virgo , becomes prominent in the southeast in northern spring evenings, and can easily be found by following the curve of the Big Dipper 's handle through Arcturus and then on down. Though a large constellation, Virgo, the Virgin, does not have much of any prominent stellar pattern, relying on Spica to tell us where it is. The star lies about 10 degrees south of the celestial equator, and practically on the ecliptic, the path of the Sun , and is regularly occulted, or covered over, by the Moon. The Sun passes Spica in the fall, rendering the star a harvest symbol that is reflected in its name, from Latin meaning "ear of wheat," the name actually going back to much more ancient times. Though at a distance of 250 light years (second Hipparcos reduction), Spica is still first magnitude (1.04), showing its absolute brilliance, the star visually 1900 times more luminous than the Sun.

The apparent brightness is deceptive, however, as Spica actually consists of two stars very close together (a mere 0.12 Astronomical Units apart) that orbit each other in slightly elliptical paths with a period of only 4.0145 four days, which makes them difficult to study individually. Both are blue class B (B1 and B4) hydrogen-fusing dwarfs (the brighter nearing the end of its stable lifetime), making Spica one of the hottest of the first magnitude stars. The high temperature produces a great deal of radiation in the ultraviolet, which renders Spica vastly brighter than visually indicated. The brighter primary star has a temperature 22,400 Kelvin, a true luminosity of 12,100 Suns (after taking ultraviolet radiation into account), a radius 7 solar, (25 percent the separation between the two stars) and a mass 10.5 times solar, which may be enough to send it someday into a supernova explosion. The more poorly-known respective parameters for the secondary cooler star are 18,500 Kelvin, 1500 solar luminosities, almost 4 solar radii, and just 6 solar masses.

Spica exhibits subtle brightness variations that were once thought to be caused by a grazing eclipse, each star slightly cutting off the light of the other each orbital period. The variation of 0.03 magnitudes is instead actually caused by the fact that the stars tidally distort each other and are not quite spherical, so as they orbit they present changing apparent diameters to the observer. The primary star is also a pulsating Beta Cephei (or Beta Canis Majoris ) variable, which superimposes another variation of 0.015 magnitudes with a much shorter period of 0.17 days. The star is a strong source of X- rays, at least some of which seem to be produced when the winds that flow from the companions violently collide. Lunar occultaions yeild evidence that Spica is in fact multiple, with three other fainter components. Written by Jim Kaler 4/10/98; last updated 7/03/09. Return to STARS .

Moon and Spica on July 11 | Tonight | EarthSky Achernar, at the end of the River Tonight – as darkness falls on July 11, 2016 – the moon will be shining close to Spica , brightest star in the constellation Virgo the Maiden. As for the moon itself, we’re seeing half its lighted face now, or a quarter of the whole moon. In the (usually) unerring logic of astronomy we’ll call it a first quarter moon . The moon reaches first quarter on July 12 at 0:52 UTC . At U.S. time zones, that means the first quarter moon occurs on July 11 at 8:52 p.m. EDT, 7:52 p.m. CDT, 6:52 p.m. MDT and 5:52 p.m. PDT. At quarter moon, the moon’s disk appears half-illuminated in sunshine and half-engulfed in the moon’s own shadow. The lunar terminator – the shadow line dividing the lunar day from the lunar night – shows you where it’s sunrise on the moon as it waxes from new moon to full moon.

Karl Diefenderfer caught last month’s first quarter moon at sunset on June 12, 2016. “Such a lucky shot,” he wrote. Thanks, Karl! By definition, the moon at its first quarter phase is 90o ahead of the sun in geocentric ecliptic longitude . Technically speaking, the first quarter moon is not exactly 50% illuminated, but always a tiny bit more than 50% covered over by sunlight. Depending on the month, the illuminated portion of first quarter moon varies from 50.117% to 50.138%. To be less ambiguous, we could say the moon at the instant that it lies 90o east of the sun is at east quadrature , rather than at first quarter. However, the term first quarter is synonymous with east quadrature , and last quarter with west quadrature . Not to scale! The illustration shows the moon at dichotomy as seen from Earth, and Earth at quadrature as seen from the moon. The moon resides at the vertex of the right angle .

However, when it’s the Earth that resides at the vertex of the right angle, then it’s moon that’s at quadrature as viewed from the Earth, and the Earth that’s at dichotomy as seen from the moon. The moon is exactly half-illuminated at dichotomy, but a tiny bit more than half-illuminated at quadrature (quarter moon). The moon always reaches dichotomy (50% illumination) a short while before reaching its first quarter phase; and the moon always reaches its last quarter phase shortly before dichotomy. Depending on the month, the time period between dichotomy and quadrature can vary anywhere from about 15 to 21 minutes.

Question: In which constellation is the star Spica?
Answer: Virgo