Virgo:
An
Astronomical
Introduction
Virgo
(Latin
for
"virgin")
is
the
second-largest
constellation
in
the
sky
and
one
of
the
12
constellations
of
the
zodiac.
It
is
visible
in
the
northern
hemisphere
from
late
spring
to
early
winter.
The
brightest
star
in
Virgo
is
〔研习更多 星座运势知识常识请关注 :星运网,wwW.iXinGyUN.Cc〗)Spica,
which
marks
the
"ear
of
wheat"
held
by
the
constellation.
Spica
is
actually
a
binary
system,
consisting
of
two
blue-white
stars
that
orbit
around
each
other
every
four
days.
It
is
located
approximately
250
light
years
away
from
Earth.
Virgo
is
also
home
to
the
Virgo
Cluster,
a
massive
cluster
of
galaxies
that
contains
over
1300
members.
It
is
the
nearest
cluster
of
galaxies
to
our
own
Milky
Way
and
spans
over
8
degrees
of
the
sky,
making
it
one
of
the
largest
known
structures
in
the
universe.
The
Virgo
Cluster
is
a
popular
target
for
astronomers
studying
galaxy
formation
and
evolution.
In
ancient
Greek
mythology,
Virgo
is
associated
with
the
goddess
of
agriculture,
Demeter.
The
constellation
is
also
linked
to
the
Virgin
Mary
in
Christian
iconography.
In
astrology,
Virgo
is
said
to
represent
practicality,
hard
work,
and
perfectionism.
If
you
are
interested
in
observing
Virgo,
it
is
best
to
do
so
on
a
clear,
dark
night
away
from
light
pollution.
Look
for
Spica,
which
is
easy
to
spot
in
the
southwestern
sky.
With
a
telescope,
you
can
also
try
to
spot
some
of
the
fainter
galaxies
in
the
Virgo
Cluster.
Happy
stargazing!