Constellation Virgo The Largest Of The 12 Zodiac Constellations

Known as Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter, she was taken by Hades Lord of the Underworld down to Tartarus. Demeter was distraught over the loss of her child and wouldn't allow seeds to germinate and grow.

This meant no crops for the people. Zeus intervened and decided that Persephone would spend time between both worlds.

Persephone descends into the underworld from mid-December bringing cold, dark, winter days until mid-March heralding the return of warmth and light in the Spring.

Also known as Astraea the goddess of justice. In this role she carried the scales of justice represented by the Libra constellation

Virgo Constellation

The Sombrero Hat galaxy(M104) is also seen in Virgo.

Virgo's brighest star is Spica. A blue-white star representing a sheaf of wheat that the maiden carries, about twice the size of our sun.

Right Ascension: 13 hours

Declination: 0 degrees

Visible between latitudes 80 and -80 degrees

Best seen in May (at 9:00 PM)

Named virgo Stars: SPICA (Alpha Vir) â Virginis (Zavijava), ã Vir (Porrima), ä Virginis (Auva) and å Virginis (Vindemiatrix) æ Virginis (Heze), ç Virginis (Zaniah), é Virginis (Syrma) and ì Virginis (Rijl al Awwa).

M70 an extrasolar planetary system has a known planet about 7.5 times the mass of Jupiter the planet

Virgo is the largest zodiac constellation and the second largest overall after Hydra.

Due to precession, The first point of Libra, which marks the autumnal exquinox, is now in Virgo.

constellation virgo to zodiac homepage

constellations and backyard stargazing