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. Virgo Constellation on Top Astronomer Virgo Please hover over any star to get more information Virgo is a constellation in the southern hemisphere. It was one of the constellations listed by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century. The name means "virgin" or "young maiden" in Latin.

Virgo is one of the constellations of the zodiac, which lie on the Sun's apparent path in the sky. It is the second largest constellation in the sky, smaller only than Hydra. Virgo is primarily associated with the Greek goddess of justice, Dike, but also with the corn goddess Demeter and Astraeia, the daughter of the father of the stars, Astraeus, and the goddess of the dawn, Eos. The Greeks also used to call the constellation Parthenos. In Greek mythology, Dike was so disappointed with humankind and their sins that she spread her wings and flew up to the heavens. In the sky, the constellation Virgo lies next to Libra , which represents the scales of justice. The Babylonians knew the constellation as The Furrow. The constellation Virgo occupies an area of 1294 square degrees and contains 12 stars with known planets. It can be seen at latitudes between +80° and -80° and is best visible at 9 p.m. during the month of May. The Sun is in the constellation Virgo between September 16 and October 30.

In tropical astrology, it is said to be in the sign Virgo between August 24 and September 22. In sidereal astrology, it passes through Virgo from September 16 to October 16. The brightest star in Virgo is [8774] Spica ("ear of grain" or "wheat"), alpha Virginis. Spica is the 15th brightest star in the sky. It lies 260 light-years from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 1.04. The star’s luminosity is about 2,300 times that of the Sun. Spica is a blue giant, classified as a Beta Cephei type variable star. The Chinese know it as Jiao Xiu, while Hindu astronomers associate the star with the Nakshatra Chitra. 17th century western astronomers also referred to it as Arista. Spica is one of the stars represented on the flag of Brazil. [8779] gamma Virginis, also known as Porrima and Arich, is a binary star, 38.6 light-years distant.

It consists of two F class stars with close apparent magnitudes, 3.48 and 3.50. It is the second brightest star in Virgo. [8775] epsilon Virginis, the third brightest star in the constellation, is a yellow giant, approximately 102 light-years distant. It is also known as Vindemiatrix, or the Grape Gatherer. [8776] zeta Virginis, or Heze, is a white dwarf 73.2 light-years from Earth. The star has an exceptionally short rotation period, less than 0.5 days. [8777] delta Virginis, or Auva, is a red giant classified as a semiregular variable, 202 light-years distant. It is a suspected binary star, with a K class dwarf located nearby. [8778] beta Virginis is only the fifth brightest star in Virgo. It is also known as Zavijava and Alaraph. It is similar to the Sun, but bigger and more massive. It is a metal-rich star, one with an abundance of elements heavier than helium.

The autumn equinox, which marks the first day of autumn and used to be the first point in Libra, now lies in Virgo, close to beta Virginis. Virgo contains a number of notable deep sky objects. It is home to the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, which lies about 59 million light-years from Earth and contains at least 1,300 member galaxies. The Virgo Cluster is part of the Local Supercluster, also known as the Virgo Supercluster, an irregular supercluster that contains over 100 galaxy groups and clusters, including the Local Group, in which the Milky Way is located. Notable objects in the Virgo Cluster include Messier 87 (NGC 4486), Messier 86 (NGC 4406) and Messier 49 (NGC 4472). Messier 86 is an elliptical galaxy located at the centre of the Virgo Cluster. It is approaching our galaxy, the Milky Way, at 244 kilometres per second. It is approximately 52 million light-years distant.

Messier 87, or Virgo A, is the largest and most luminous galaxy in the Virgo Cluster and the largest giant elliptical galaxy near our solar system. It is an elliptical galaxy about 55 million light-years distant. It has an active nucleus that emits strong multiwavelength radiation. Messier 84 is another large elliptical galaxy that lies in the densely populated core of the Virgo Cluster. It is believed to have a supermassive black hole at its centre. Messier 49 is another elliptical galaxy approximately 49 million light-years distant. It is the brightest object in the Virgo Cluster. A single supernova was discovered in the galaxy in 1969. Virgo? Here's your constellation | Constellations | EarthSky The constellation Virgo, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Click here for a larger chart Virgo the winged harvest goddess Credit: Hubble Source How to find the constellation Virgo. It’s easy to see why early stargazers named this pattern of stars for the goddess of the harvest. Virgo ranks as the largest constellation of the Zodiac and the second-largest constellation overall (after Hydra).

Yet Virgo’s long and rambling group of stars doesn’t lend itself to a well-defined pattern. It’s very difficult for most people to make out the winged maiden holding an ear of wheat in her left hand. Fortunately, Virgo’s first-magnitude star, sparkling blue-white Spica , makes this constellation fairly easy to locate in the night sky. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, and are familiar with the Big Dipper asterism, you can star-hop to this gem of a star from the handle of the Big Dipper. Moreover, since the Big Dipper is quite high in the sky on May and June evenings, even people at tropical and subtropical regions in the Southern Hemisphere can use the Big Dipper at this time of year to locate Spica , Virgo’s brightest star. The mnemonic goes like this: arc to Arcturus and spike Spica. In other words, follow the arc in the handle of the Big Dipper until you see an orange star. That is Arcturus in the constellation Bootes. Then continue that line to Spica. So if the easy-to-recognize Big Dipper is visible in your sky, use it to star-hop to Spica, Virgo’s brightest star.

You can be sure you’ve found Spica if you notice a lopsided square pattern nearby. That little pattern is another constellation, Corvus the Crow. Spica climbs highest for the night – as seen from both the Northern and the Southern Hemisphere – at roughly local midnight (1 a.m. Daylight Saving Time) in middle April. Because the stars return to the same place in the sky about two hours earlier with each passing month, look for Spica to be highest up at mid-May around 10 p.m. (11 p.m. daylight saving time), and at mid-June at about 8 p.m. (9 p.m. daylight saving time). These times refer to your local time. We are surrounded by stars. Because Earth orbits in a flat plane around the sun, we see the sun against the same stars again and again throughout the year. Those constellations, which have been special to people throughout the ages, are the constellations of the Zodiac. Image via Professor Marcia Rieke . Sun in front of Virgo on your birthday? The sun passes in front of the constellation Virgo each year from about September 16 to October 30.

Because Virgo is such as large constellation, the sun stays in front of Virgo for longer than one month. Dates of sun’s entry into each constellation of the Zodiac The dates of the sun’s passage through Virgo may conflict with what you read on the horoscope page, which probably says from about August 23 to September 22. Keep in mind that astrologers are referring to the sign – not the constellation – Virgo. Yes, there is a difference between a constellation and a sign! A constellation of the Zodiac refers to certain section of the starry sky. On the other hand, a sign of the Zodiac refers to the seasonal position of the sun, irrespective of what constellation backdrops the sun at a given season. For instance, the March equinox marks the first point of (the sign) Aries, the June solstice marks the first point of (the sign) Cancer, the September equinox marks the first point of (the sign) Libra, and the December solstice marks the first point of (the sign) Capricorn. By definition, the first point of (the sign) Libra always coincides with the sun’s position on the September equinox.

This is in spite of the fact that the sun shines in front of the constellation Virgo on the September equinox nowadays. The sun resides in the sign Libra for one month, starting on or near September 23, yet the sun also shines in front of the constellation Virgo during this period of time. Constellations are less abstract than signs, so astronomers and stargazers who directly observe the night sky find it easier to refer to constellations. It’s not incorrect to list the star Spica’s position as Libra 23o 50’ but that bit of information won’t help many people to locate Spica, the constellation Virgo’s brightest star. The Virgo galaxy cluster, via Wikimedia Commons. The famous Sombrero Galaxy (M104) is thought by some to belong to the Virgo cluster. mini82 Virgo galaxy cluster. In mythology, Virgo represents fruitfulness and fertility, but this wondrous constellation has also proven its fruitfulness in ways undreamed of by the ancients. This constellation is the home of the great Virgo galaxy cluster , a conglomeration made up of thousands of galaxies.

A few of these galaxies are actually visible as faint smudges of light through a small telescope. That in itself is pretty amazing, given that the Virgo cluster of galaxies lies some 65 million light-years distant. Perhaps the most famous galaxy residing within Virgo’s borders is the Sombrero galaxy (M104). There seems to be disagreement, though, on whether this galaxy is a member of the Virgo galaxy cluster. The Return of Persephone by Frederic Leighton. Image: Wikimedia Commons Virgo in ancient mythology. The constellation Virgo is often said to personify Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, the harvest goddess. According to the famous Greek myth, eternal spring once reigned upon the Earth, until that fateful day when the god of the underworld abducted Persephone, the radiant maiden of spring. Her mother Demeter was so overcome with grief over the loss of her only child that she abandoned her role as the goddess of fruitfulness and fertility. In some parts of the globe, the winter cold turned the once-verdant Earth in to a frigid wasteland, while elsewhere the summer heat scorched the Earth and gave rise to pestilence and disease.

The Earth would not bear fruit again until Demeter was reunited with her daughter. Humanity would have died altogether had not Zeus, the king of gods, intervened. Zeus insisted that the god of the underworld return Persephone back to Demeter, but also proclaimed that Persephone abstain from food until her return. Alas, the god of the underworld purposely gave Persephone a pomegranate, knowing she would suck on a pomegranate seed on her way home. Persephone was given back to her mother, but Persephone – because of the pomegranate – has to return to the underworld for four months every year. To this day, spring returns to the Northern Hemisphere when Persephone is reunited with Demeter, but the winter season reigns when Persephone dwells in the underworld. That’s why it’s spring when the constellation Virgo is above the horizon at early evening but why it’s winter when she’s not. From the perspective of the Northern Hemisphere, Virgo is absent from early evening sky in late autumn, winter and early spring. Virgo’s return to sky at nightfall coincides with the verdant season of spring. Enjoying EarthSky?

Sign up for our free daily newsletter today! Bottom line: The constellation Virgo the Maiden fully returns to sky at nightfall – with her feet planted on the eastern horizon – by late April or early May. This post has information about how to find the constellation Virgo, its brightest star, interesting things to see within its boundaries, and its mythology. Virgo Constellation: Myth, Stars, Facts, Star Map, Location | Constellation Guide Virgo Constellation Constellations: A Guide to the Night Sky Virgo Constellation Virgo constellation lies in the southern sky. Its name means “virgin” in Latin. The constellation is represented by the symbol ♍. Virgo is one of the 12 zodiac constellations , first catalogued by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century. It contains Spica , one of the brightest stars in the night sky. It also contains the autumn equinox point, which lies close to the star Beta Virginis. This is one of the two points in the sky (the other being in the constellation Pisces ) where the celestial equator intersects with the ecliptic. Virgo is the second largest constellation in the sky.

The only constellation larger in size is Hydra . Notable deep sky objects in Virgo include the bright galaxies Messier 49 , Messier 58 , Messier 59 , Messier 60 , and Messier 87 , the Sombrero Galaxy ( M104 ), the Eyes Galaxies , the Siamese Twins , and the quasar 3C 273. FACTS, LOCATION & MAP Virgo Constellation Map, by IAU and Sky&Telescope magazine Virgo is the second largest constellation in the sky, occupying an area of 1294 square degrees. It is located in the third quadrant of the southern hemisphere (SQ3) and can be seen at latitudes between +80° and -80°.

Virgo contains eleven Messier objects: Messier 49 (M49, NGC 4472), Messier 58 (M58, NGC 4579), Messier 59 (M59, NGC 4621), Messier 60 (M60, NGC 4649), Messier 61 (M61, NGC 4303), Messier 84 (M84, NGC 4374), Messier 86 (M86, NGC 4406), Messier 87 (M87, NGC 4486), Messier 89 (M89, NGC 4552), Messier 90 (M90, NGC 4569) and Messier 104 (M104, NGC 4594, Sombrero Galaxy). Virgo also has 20 stars with known planets, more than any other constellation.

The brightest star in the constellation is Spica, Alpha Virginis , with an apparent visual magnitude of 0.98. There are two meteor showers associated with the constellation; the Virginids and the Mu Virginids. Virgo belongs to the Zodiac family of constellations, along with Aries , Taurus , Gemini , Cancer , Leo , Libra , Scorpius , Sagittarius , Capricornus , Aquarius and Pisces . MYTH The constellation Virgo is usually associated with the Greek goddess of justice, Dike. Dike was the daughter of Zeus and Greek Titaness Themis. Virgo is usually depicted with angel-like wings, with an ear of wheat in her left hand, marked by the bright star Spica . She is located next to Libra , the constellation representing the scales of justice. Dike was also sometimes known as Astraeia, daughter of Astraeus, considered father of the stars, and Eos, goddess of the dawn. In Greek mythology, Dike lived in the Golden Age of mankind. She was born a mortal and placed on Earth to rule over human justice. The Golden Age was marked by prosperity and peace, everlasting spring, and humans never knowing old age.

When Zeus fulfilled the old prophecy and overthrew his father, this marked the beginning of the Silver Age, which was not as prosperous. Zeus introduced the four seasons and humans no longer honoured the gods as they had used to. Dike gave a speech to the entire race, warning them about the dangers of leaving behind the ideals of their predecessors and saying worse was yet to come. Then she flew to the mountains, turning her back on humans. When the Bronze and Iron Ages came and humans started warring among themselves, Dike left the Earth altogether, and flew to the heavens. In other stories, the constellation Virgo is identified with Demeter, the corn goddess Atargatis, the Syrian goddess of fertility, and Erigone, the daughter of Icarius, who hanged herself after her father’s death. In this version of the myth, Icarius is associated with the constellation Boötes and the star Procyon in Canis Minor represents Icarius’ loyal dog Maera. Historians Eratosthenes and Hyginus also associate the constellation Virgo with Tyche, the goddess of fortune, even though Tyche is usually depicted as holding the horn of plenty and not an ear of grain.

The name of the star Spica , which marks the ear of grain held by the goddess, means exactly that, “the ear of grain” in Latin. MAJOR STARS IN VIRGO Spica – α Virginis (Alpha Virginis) Spica is the brightest star in Virgo and the 15th brightest star in the sky. It has an apparent magnitude of 1.04. It is a rotating ellipsoidal variable star, which is to say a non-eclipsing close binary star system in which the two components do not eclipse each other, but are mutually distorted through their gravitational interaction. The name Spica comes from the Latin spīca virginis, which means “Virgo’s ear of grain.” Spica is classified as a blue giant of the spectral types B1 III-IV and B2 V, approximately 260 light years distant from the solar system. It is one of the nearest massive double stars to the solar system. The primary star is midway between the subgiant and giant stage of evolution (spectral class B1 III-IV) and about 12,100 times brighter than the Sun. The secondary component is a main sequence star of the spectral type B2 V.

It is one of the rare examples of the Struve-Sahade effect, which occurs with double-lined spectroscopic binary stars when their spectral lines become weaker and shift toward the red end of the spectrum as the stars move away from the observer. When they approach the observer, however, the lines are shifted toward the blue end of the spectrum. The effect was first observed by the Russian astronomer Otto Struve in 1937. Located 260 light years away, the primary star is one of the nearest stars sufficiently evolved and massive enough to explode as a Type II supernova. Spica is classified as a Beta Cephei type variable star, which is to say a main sequence star that exhibits changes in brightness as a result of pulsations of its surface, and is at its brightest at the point of maximum contraction. Spica was most likely the star that helped the Greek astronomer and mathematician Hipparchus discover precession of the equinoxes in 127 BC. Precession of the equinoxes, or axial precession, is the gradual change in the orientation of Earth’s axis of rotation.

Hipparchus measured the longitude of bright stars, Spica and Regulus in the constellation Leo among others, and when he compared the data to measurements of his predecessors, he found that Spica had moved 2° relative to the autumnal equinox (astronomical event around September 22 when the tilt of the earth’s axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, with the centre of the Sun in the same plane as the Earth’s equator). Nicolaus Copernicus, who was the first to propose a comprehensive heliocentric cosmology, displacing the Earth from the centre of the universe, also made numerous observations of Spica while researching precession. The easiest way to find Spica in the sky is to follow the arc of the Big Dipper ’s handle to Arcturus in the constellation Boötes and continue along the same line to Spica . Zavijava – β Virginis (Beta Virginis) Beta Virginis belongs to the spectral class F9 V and is only 35.65 light years distant from the Sun. Even though it is designated beta, it is only the fifth brightest star in the constellation.

The star’s traditional name, Zavijava (sometimes Zavijah, Zavyava or Zawijah), is derived from the Arabic zāwiyat al-cawwa’, which means “the corner of the barking dog.” It was also sometimes known as Alaraph. Porrima – γ Virginis (Gamma Virginis) Porrima, Gamma Virginis, is a binary star. Porrima is the name of two goddesses of prophecy, the Carmenae. The star is also sometimes known as Postvarta, Arich and Laouiyet al Aoua. The latter was translated into Latin as Angulus Latratoris and it means “the angle of the barker.” Together with Beta, Eta, Delta and Epsilon Virginis, the star formed as asterism known as Barker, or Al ʽAwwāʼ. Gamma Virginis has a visual magnitude of 2.74 and is approximately 38.1 light years distant. Both stars in the Gamma Virginis system are of the spectral type F0V and have similar visual magnitudes, 3.65 and 3.56.

Auva – δ Virginis (Delta Virginis) Delta Virginis is a red giant belonging to the spectral class M3 III, approximately 198 light years distant. It has an apparent magnitude of 3.4 and can be seen without binoculars. It has a mass 1.4 times solar, but with a radius 48 times that of the Sun, it is about 468 times more luminous. Delta Virginis is a high-velocity star, moving at the speed of more than 30 km s–1 relative to the motion of the neighbouring stars. The star is classified as a semiregular variable and its brightness varies between 3.32 and 3.40. It is a suspected binary star with an 11th magnitude star – a K-type dwarf – located 80 arc seconds away. The dwarf is believed to orbit the star with a period of over 200,000 years, but this has not been confirmed.

The star’s traditional name, Auva, and its variants Al Awwa and Minelauva, are derived from the Arabic عوى cawwa’, which means “barking (dog)” or simply “the barker.” Vindemiatrix – ε Virginis (Epsilon Virginis) Epsilon Virginis is the third brightest star in Virgo. It has a visual magnitude of 2.826 and is 109.6 light years distant. The star is a giant belonging to the spectral class G8 III. It is about 77 times more luminous than the Sun. The star’s name, derived from the Latin vindēmiātrix, means “the grape gatherer” or “the grape harvestress.” Heze – ζ Virginis (Zeta Virginis) Zeta Virginis is a main sequence star of the spectral type A3 V. It has an apparent magnitude of 3.376 and is 74.1 light years distant. The origin of its traditional name, Heze, is unknown. Zeta Virginis has twice the mass and radius of the Sun. It can be seen without binoculars.

Zaniah – η Virginis (Eta Virginis) Eta Virginis is a triple star system in Virgo. It has a visual magnitude of 3.890 and can also be seen with the naked eye. It belongs to the spectral class A2 V. The three stars form a very close system and can’t be resolved in a telescope. The system is 265 light years distant. The inner two stars are only 0.5 astronomical units apart and orbit each other with a period of 72 days. The third star is a bit more distant and orbits the inner pair with a period of 13.1 years. The star’s traditional name, Zaniah, comes from the Arabic zāwiyah, which means “the corner.” Syrma – ι Virginis (Iota Virginis) Iota Virginis belongs to the spectral class F6 III and is 69.8 light years distant.

It has an apparent magnitude of 2.44.The star’s traditional name, Syrma, comes from the Arabic word sirmā, which means “train (of a garment).” Rijl al Awwa – μ Virginis (Mu Virginis) Mu Virginis is a yellow star belonging to the spectral class F2III. It has an apparent magnitude of 3.87 and is approximately 60.9 light years distant. Its traditional name, Rijl al Awwa (rijl al-‘awwa’), means “the foot of the barking dog.” 70 Virginis The star 70 Virginis as rendered in Celestia. Author: Chris Laurel 70 Virginis is a yellow dwarf of the spectral type G2.5Va. It has a visual magnitude of 5.00 and is 58.7 light years distant. The star is believed to be evolving into a subgiant because it is brighter than most stars of its spectral type. An extrasolar planet was discovered in the star’s orbit in 1996. χ Virginis (Chi Virginis) Chi Virginis is another binary star in Virgo.

It is approximately 294 light years distant and has an apparent magnitude of 4.652, which makes it visible to the naked eye. Chi Virginis belongs to the spectral class K2 III, which means that it is an orange giant, one that has a mass double that of the Sun. Its radius is 23 times solar and it is 182 times more luminous than the Sun. The primary star in the system has three visual companions, a K0-type star with a visual magnitude of 9.1 about 173.1 arc seconds away, a 10th magnitude star 221.2 arc seconds away, and a K2-type star with a magnitude of 9.1, located 321.2 arc seconds away. A massive planet was discovered in the star’s orbit in July 2009. It has a mass at least 11 times that of Jupiter and it orbits the star with a period of 835 days.

61 Virginis 5 minute exposure of the sun-like star 61 Virginis with a 12.5″ telescope at 2009-12-27 12:30 UT (5:30 Rodeo, NM time). This is basically how the Sun would appear from a distance of 30 light-years. Photo: Kevin Heider 61 Virginis is a yellow main sequence dwarf belonging to the spectral class G5V approximately 27.9 light years distant. It is believed to be a disk star. It has a visual magnitude of 4.74. 61 Virginis is almost identical in composition to the Sun and slightly less massive. It rotates at the equator every 29 days. The star’s age is estimated at more than six billion years. 61 Virginis is the first well established yellow dwarf almost identical to the Sun with a potential Super Earth (extrasolar planet more massive than Earth, but considerably below the mass of the smaller gas giants – Uranus and Neptune – in the Solar System) in its orbit. 109 Virginis 109 Virginis is a white main sequence dwarf of the spectral type A0V.

It has a visual magnitude of 3.73, which makes it the seventh brightest star in the constellation. The star is 129 light years distant from the solar system. It is 23 times more luminous than the Sun. ν Virginis (Nu Virginis) Nu Virginis is a red giant belonging to the spectral class M1IIIab. It is a semiregular variable star with a mean apparent magnitude of 4.04, approximately 313 light years distant from Earth. Its brightness varies by 0.06 magnitudes. DEEP SKY OBJECTS IN VIRGO Virgo Cluster This deep image of the Virgo Cluster obtained by Chris Mihos and his colleagues using the Burrell Schmidt telescope shows the diffuse light between the galaxies belonging to the cluster. North is up, east to the left. The dark spots indicate where bright foreground stars were removed from the image. Messier 87 is the largest galaxy in the picture (lower left). The Virgo Cluster is a galaxy cluster found in the constellations Coma Berenices and Virgo.

The cluster’s centre is located approximately 53.8 million light years away from the solar system, at the centre of the Virgo Supercluster, the larger cluster of galaxies that also contains the Local Group, which in turn includes the Andromeda Galaxy and the Milky Way. The Virgo Cluster contains about 1300 galaxies, possibly even up to 2000. The brightest ones were for the most part discovered in the late 18th and early 19th century and could be found in Messier’s catalogue, described as nebulae without stars. Other than the Messier objects in Virgo (see below), the cluster also contains several notable ones located in the constellation Coma Berenices : Messier 85 , M88 , M91 , M98 , M99 , and M100 . Messier 49 (M49, NGC 4472) Messier 49, photo: Ole Nielsen Messier 49 is the brightest galaxy in the Virgo Cluster and the first galaxy to be discovered in the cluster.

It is an elliptical galaxy with a visual magnitude of 9.4, about 55.9 million light years distant. It was discovered by Charles Messier in February 1771. It is currently gravitationally interacting with the small dwarf irregular galaxy UGC 7636. M49 contains about 5900 globular clusters, 10 billion years old on average. Two candidates for stellar mass black holes, ones formed by gravitational collapses of massive stars, were discovered in a M49 cluster in the last decade. The galaxy is believed to have a supermassive black hole with 565 million solar masses at its core. Only one supernova has been spotted in the galaxy, SN 1969Q in June 1969. M49 can be found 4.1° west-southwest of the bright star Epsilon Virginis. Messier 58 (M58, NGC 4579) An infrared image of Messier 58 by the en:Spitzer Space Telescope. Credit: SIRTF, NASA, JPL. Messier 58 is a barred spiral galaxy in Virgo.

It is one of the brightest galaxies in the Virgo Cluster. It has an apparent magnitude of 10.5 and is about 62 million light years distant. M58 was discovered along with the elliptical galaxies M59 and M60 by Charles Messier in April 1779. Two supernovae have been observed in the galaxy: SN 1988A in January 1988 and SN 1989M in June 1989. Messier 59 (M59, NGC 4621) Messier 59 is an elliptical galaxy about 60 million light years away from the solar system, located in the Virgo Cluster. It has a visual magnitude of 10.6. Both M59 and M60 were discovered by the German astronomer Johann Gottfried Koehler in April 1779, and subsequently included in the Messier Catalogue.

Messier 60 (M60, NGC 4649) Messier 60 and NGC 4647, photo: PD, USGOV, NASA Messier 60 is another elliptical galaxy in the Virgo Cluster. It has an apparent magnitude of 9.8 and is about 55 million light years distant. It is the third brightest giant elliptical galaxy in the cluster. A supernova was discovered in it in 2004. The galaxy’s optical disk overlaps with the disk of NGC 4647, located about 2′.5 from M60, but since there is no evidence of gravitational interaction between the galaxies, the two are believed to be at different distances from the solar system. Messier 61 (M61, NGC 4303) Image of the M61 galaxy in infrared at 3.6 (blue), 5.8 (green) and 8.0 µm. The image has been made by Médéric Boquien from the public image archive of the Spitzer Space Telescope (courtesy NASA, JPL-Caltech) Messier 61 is a spiral galaxy.

It also belongs to the Virgo Cluster and is one of its larger member galaxies. It has an apparent magnitude of 10.18 and is approximately 52.5 million light years distant. M61 was discovered by the Italian astronomer Barnabus Oriani in May 1779. Six supernovae have been discovered in the galaxy in the last hundred years: SN 1926A, SN 1961I, SN 1964F, SN 1999gn, SN 2006ov, and SN 2008in. Messier 84 (M84, NGC 4374) Messier 84 is a lenticular galaxy located in the inner core of the Virgo cluster. It was discovered by Charles Messier in March 1781. The galaxy has a disk of fast rotating gas and stars, which means that it likely contains a supermassive black hole at its centre. Two supernovae have been discovered in the galaxy: SN 1957 and SN 1991bg.

M84 has a visual magnitude of 10.1 and is approximately 60 million light years distant. Messier 86 (M86, NGC 4406) Messier 86 is another lenticular galaxy near the centre of the Virgo Cluster, also discovered by Charles Messier in 1781. It is approaching our galaxy at the speed of 244 kilometres per second, as a result of falling toward the heart of the Virgo Cluster from the opposite side. The galaxy has a visual magnitude of 9.8 and is about 52 million light years away. Messier 87 (M87, NGC 4486) Messier 87, photo: Hubble Space Telescope Messier 87 is a supergiant elliptical galaxy located near the centre of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, near the border between Virgo and Coma Berenices . With a visual magnitude of 9.59, it is the second brightest galaxy in the cluster, and also one of the brightest radio sources known. It can be observed in a small telescope. The galaxy is also one of the most massive in the local universe.

It was discovered by Charles Messier in 1781. It is about 53.5 million light years distant. The motion of planetary nebulae between Messier 87 and Messier 86 indicates that the two galaxies are moving toward each other. M87 has a supermassive black hole at its centre. It is classified as a type-cD galaxy, or a supergiant D class galaxy that has a large halo of stars and an elliptical nucleus with a large diffuse envelope that contains no dust. M87 can be found by following the line from Epsilon Virginis to the bright star Denebola in the constellation Leo . Messier 89 (M89, NGC 4552) Messier 89 is another elliptical galaxy in Virgo. Messier discovered it in March 1781. The galaxy belongs to the Virgo Cluster. It has a visual magnitude of 10.73 and is approximately 50 million light years distant. There are about 2000 globular clusters within 25’ of the galaxy. For comparison, the Milky Way only has 150-200.

Messier 89 is suspected to once have been a radio galaxy or active quasar. It has a surrounding disk of gas and dust that extends about 150,000 light years from the galaxy and jets of hot particles extending some 100,000 light years outward. Messier 90 (M90, NGC 4569) Messier 90 is a spiral galaxy with a visual magnitude of 10.26, approximately 58.7 million light years distant. Messier discovered it in 1781. It is a member of the Virgo Cluster. It is located about a degree and a half from the M87 subgroup. The galaxy’s spiral arms are pretty featureless and star forming regions appear truncated as a result of interaction with the intracluster medium in the Virgo Cluster. For this reason, M90 has been classified as an anemic galaxy, a spiral characterized by a low contrast between the disk and the galaxy’s spiral arms. It serves as the prototype for the group.

Sombrero Galaxy – Messier 104 (M104, NGC 4594) The famous Sombrero galaxy (M104) is a bright nearby spiral galaxy. The prominent dust lane and halo of stars and globular clusters give this galaxy its name. Something very energetic is going on in the Sombrero’s center, as much X-ray light has been detected from it. This X-ray emission coupled with unusually high central stellar velocities cause many astronomers to speculate that a black hole lies at the Sombrero’s center – a black hole a billion times the mass of our Sun. Photo: NASA, ESA and The Hubble Heritage Team Messier 104 is an unbarred spiral galaxy with a visual magnitude of 8.98, approximately 29.3 million light years distant. It can easily be seen in an amateur telescope. It is located in the southern part of the Virgo Cluster, about 11.5° west of Spica . The galaxy contains between 1,200 and 2,000 globular clusters.

M104 got the name Sombrero because its unusually large central bulge and the dust lane in its disk make it look like a sombrero. It is believed to be a giant elliptical galaxy. Its contains a supermassive black hole at its centre. The Sombrero Galaxy was discovered by Pierre Méchain in March 1767 and later included in the Messier Catalogue. Eyes Galaxies (NGC 4435 – NGC 4438, Arp 120) This striking image, taken with the FORS2 instrument on the Very Large Telescope, shows a beautiful yet peculiar pair of galaxies, NGC 4438 and NGC 4435, nicknamed The Eyes. The larger of these, at the top of the picture, NGC 4438, is thought to have once been a spiral galaxy that was strongly deformed by collisions in the relatively recent past. Photo: ESO, Gems project The Eyes Galaxies are a pair of interacting galaxies – NGC 4435 and NGC 4438 – located in the Virgo Cluster. NGC 4435 is a barred lenticular galaxy.

It contains a number of young stars in its central regions. The starburst activity is suspected to be a result of the interaction with the neighbouring galaxy NGC 4438. NGC 4438 has a distorted disk and tidal tails as a result of interacting with other galaxies, and it is difficult to classify it as a spiral or lenticular galaxy. The galaxies are about 52 million light years distant. NGC 4216 NGC 4216, photo: Adam Block, Mount Lemmon SkyCenter, University of Arizona NGC 4216 is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the Virgo Cluster, approximately 40 million light years from the solar system. It has a visual magnitude of 11. With an estimated absolute magnitude of -22, it is one of the largest and brightest galaxies in the cluster. The galaxy is metal-rich and shows a deficiency of neutral hydrogen in its optical disk, like most galaxies in the cluster. It is believed to be interacting with and absorbing two smaller satellite galaxies.

Siamese Twins (Butterfly Galaxies) – NGC 4567 and NGC 4568 NGC 4567 and NGC 4568, photo: PD, USGOV, NASA NGC 4567 and NGC 4568 are a pair of spiral galaxies in the Virgo Cluster, located approximately 59.4 million light years from the solar system. The galaxies are in the process of colliding with each other. Their apparent magnitude is 10.9. The Siamese Twins were discovered by William Herschel in 1784. A supernova was observed in the galaxies in 2004. Hubble Space Telescope-Image of Supernova 1994D (SN1994D) in galaxy NGC 4526. Photo: NASA, ESA, The Hubble Key Project Team and The High-Z Supernova Search Team. NGC 4526 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 The Constellation Virgo – One Minute Astronomer by Brian Ventrudo Today a look at Virgo, the second largest constellation in the sky. The sixth constellation of the zodiac, Virgo contains a few interesting foreground stars along with a gaggle of galaxies nestled in her celestial arms. The constellation affords some pleasant stargazing this time of year, for both northern and southern observers… Unlike Orion, Virgo is not a bright constellation. But it’s big… the second largest in the sky by area. Only Hydra is larger. The constellation is usually associated with Dike, the Greek goddess of justice, daughter of Zeus and Themis.

She lived in the early days of the Olympian gods, when Zeus’s father Cronos ruled. It was a golden age of mankind, a time before sickness and war, winter and death. When Zeus wrested power from Cronos, things went downhill. The seasons grew extreme, and mankind grew restless and warlike and failed to honour the gods. Dike warned mortals that things would get worse– wow, did they ever– and she turned her back on man and became a recluse in the hills of Greece. When she could stand no more of the world’s troubles, she cast herself into the sky in the zodiac next to Libra, the Scales (of justice). Other ancient legends associate Virgo with Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, the goddess of the harvest. Because the stars of Virgo appear before sunrise late in the northern summer, many other cultures, including the Babylonians link Virgo with crops and fertility. In India Virgo was called Kauni, mother of the great god Krishna. A concise guide to observing the universe beyond our solar system. Includes tips on equipment selection and observing techniques, along with a tour of dozens of lovely sights in the north and south hemispheres.

Click here to learn more… * * * * * * * * * * The layout and major stars of the constellation Virgo (click to enlarge). The constellation Virgo lies in the direction of the north galactic pole, far from the starry band of the Milky Way, so there are only a few bright stars here. Spica, a blue-white beauty of a star, is the brightest in the constellation. From the northern hemisphere, you can easily find Spica by following the arc of the handle of the Big Dipper first to Arcturus, then on to Spica. Other stars in Virgo include: Zavijava – A white main sequence star not much larger than the Sun. Vindemiatrix – The “grape gatherer, so-named because the first appearance of the star before sunrise in August marks the beginning of the vintage. It may be physically associated with the Hyades star cluster in Taurus. Porrima – Also known as gamma Virginis, this is a lovely double star just 39 light years away.

The pair revolve about each other in 169 years, which means you can see, in a good backyard telescope, the motion of the stars over the course of a decade or so. Until 1995, the stars split easily in a small scope. Since then, they’ve moved too close together to resolve. And this year, they’ve begun to separate once again. Tonight, and over the next few years, try to resolve them in your own telescope at high magnification. While Virgo lacks bright stars, it hold no shortage of galaxies. Within the “arms” of the maiden, towards the constellation Leo, you can find dozens of galaxies with a small telescope. Most belong to the massive Virgo Cluster, the nearest large galaxy cluster to the Milky Way. You can learn more about the Virgo Cluster in this past article… And remember… this year, the planet Saturn lies in Virgo, just south of Spica.

Take a look if you can… Facts about Constellation Virgo, The Virgin TelescopeKing.com / Advice and Guides / Facts about Constellation Virgo, The Virgin Facts about Constellation Virgo, The Virgin May 17, 2012 Virgo Constellation Virgo Constellation Outline Virgo is a constellation in the southern hemisphere. It is the second largest constellation in the sky, smaller only than Hydra. Virgo is an open equatorial constellation with its brighter stars well distributed, occupying the ecliptic between Leo and Libra. Virgo appears as a few strings of dim stars strung out over a large area of the southern sky. As such, a definable pattern is sometimes difficult to make out. The best way to find Virgo is to jump over from a neighboring constellation. Sweep your eyes along the handle of the Big Dipper until you spot the red star Arcturus of the Bootes constellation. Continue your sweeping in a gentle curve until you spot the next bright star. That should be alpha Virginis, betten known as Spica. It’s the only bright star in the area and the brightest star of constellation Virgo. Virgo represents the sixth sign of the zodiac.

Should you ever spot other very bright points in the area other than Spica, those would be planets. Virgo Mythology Virgo is primarily associated with the Greek goddess of justice, Dike, but also with the corn goddess Demeter and Astraea, the daughter of the father of the stars, Astraeus, and the goddess of the dawn, Eos. The Greeks also used to call the constellation Parthenos. In Greek mythology, Dike was so disappointed with humankind and their sins that she spread her wings and flew up to the heavens. In the sky, the constellation Virgo lies next to Libra, which represents the scales of justice. The Babylonians knew the constellation as The Furrow. Virgo Stars and Deep Space Objects Virgo’s brightest star is a blue giant called Spica and it has a magnitude 1.0. In fact, this is the 15th brightest star in the nighttime sky and it shines prominently in the south on a northern spring evening. Spica is one of the stars represented on the flag of Brazil. Virgo contains a number of notable deep sky objects. It is home to the Virgo Cluster of galaxies located about 59 million light-years from Earth.

This cluster contains an estimated 1,300 galaxies. Notable objects in the Virgo Cluster include Messier 87 (NGC 4486), Messier 86 (NGC 4406) and Messier 49 (NGC 4472). Messier 86 is an elliptical galaxy located at the centre of the Virgo Cluster. It is traveling towards the Milky Way, our galaxy, at a speed of 244 kilometers per second. Its distance from us is approximately 52 million light-years. Virgin Constellation's Bright Star Dominates Night Sky Learn how to spot the constellation Virgo in the night sky. Credit: Starry Night Software In our night sky, just one constellation is officially known as "The Queen" (the autumn star pattern Cassiopeia), but if we could assign an unofficial title of "Queen of Spring" for northern observers, then certainly it would have to go Virgo, the Virgin. Virgo currently covers much of the southern sky during the late evening hours (9 to 11 p.m. local daylight time) this week.

The constellation consists of a group of stars set in a large dim region that owes its importance mainly to its location within the zodiac. Among the 88 constellations, in terms of size (at least according to official boundaries that were established in 1930 by the International Astronomical Union), Virgo is the second largest, spanning 1,294 square degrees, or nearly 3 percent of the entire night sky. Only Hydra, the long and winding water snake, is larger. Virgo is supposed to represent Astraea, the daughter of the Greek god Zeus and Titaness Themis, the personification of the goddess of Justice who was the last of the deities to abandon the Earth at the end of the fabled Golden Age. The only conspicuously bright star in Virgo is Spica , a bluish-white star of great luminosity. Spica is so far away that its light requires 260 years to travel across the vast gulf of space that separates it from Earth. Since light travels at 186,282 miles (299,792 kilometers) per second, it is obvious that Spica must be far brighter than the sun but tremendously far away.

Indeed, Spica is a brilliant helium-type star, about 2,300 times brighter than our home star. [ Telescopes for Beginners ] Spica ranks as the 16th brightest star in the night sky and can be regarded as an almost perfect example of a star of the first magnitude. Astronomers refer to a star's magnitude to determine how bright it appears in the night sky. Put simply, the lower the magnitude of a star or object, the brighter it appears in the sky. As listed in the 2012 Observer’s Handbook of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, its magnitude is given as 0.98, though the star can actually vary slightly at irregular intervals from 0.95 to 1.05. It also has a tiny invisible companion that was discovered while analyzing its light with a spectroscope in the year 1890. Queen of Wheat The name Spica comes from the Latin "Spicum," and is said to signify a spike or ear of wheat. It is derived from the ancient allegorical drawings of the goddess, whose figure was somehow traced around the scattered stars by the imaginations of primitive stargazers .

In many parts of the classical world, she is the "Wheat-Bearing Maiden" or the "Daughter of the Harvest." The goddess was shown holding several spears of wheat in each hand and Spica is in one of the ears of grain hanging from her left hand, evidently representing the harvest time which occurred when the sun was passing this bright star. Interestingly, in another legend, Virgo supposedly represented Persephone, the daughter of the goddess of the harvest, Ceres, and as such, is typically associated with agricultural matters. The only astronomy reference book that outlines the stars of Virgo differently, and hence "goes against the grain" as to where Spica is located is in the popular guidebook "The Stars/A New Way to See Them" by the late H.A. Rey (1898-1977). [ Video: Which Telescope is Right for You? ] Rey pictured Virgo lying on her back and stretched out along the ecliptic. As for Spica, Rey referred to it as Virgo’s brightest jewel, but located "on an unusual spot." (For those who do not have a copy of Rey’s book, that "unusual spot" is her derrière).

This spring, Spica happens to have some company in the night sky. The planet Saturn, shining sedately with a yellow-white glow, currently gleams about six degrees above and to the left of Spica. (Your clenched fist held at arm’s length measures roughly 10 degrees.) Using a telescope magnifying at least 30-power will show Saturn's famous rings, which are now inclined 13-degrees to our line of sight. Saturn glows at magnitude +0.4, noticeably brighter than Spica. Prophetic Words from the ‘50s Henry M. Neely, who passed away in 1963, was known as "The Dean of New York Stargazers " and lectured until he was well into his 80s at New York's Hayden Planetarium. Among the various objects that he would point out during a typical planetarium lecture, Spica was among his favorites.

Back in the 1950s, Neely would often train his electric arrow-pointer on Spica and remark that: "Spica could have been totally destroyed at the time of the signing of our Declaration of Independence, yet men would still be seeing it shining serene and undisturbed in its accustomed place until the babies who are now in their mothers' arms are aged men, cursing their rheumatism and the younger generation in the same breath." Considering that the light that left Spica back in 1776 still has another 24 years to reach us, it probably will cause those "baby-boomers," born during the 1950's (like myself), who gaze at Spica tonight to pause and reflect on old Neely’s prophetic words! Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for The New York Times and other publications, and he is also an on-camera meteorologist for News 12 Westchester, New York.

Question: Which is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo?
Answer: SPICA