Virgo (constellation)

Virgo is one of the most significant constellations in the night sky. Its name comes from the Latin word for "maiden." It is a massive area of the heavens. In fact, it is the second-largest constellation overall, following only Hydra. Within the zodiac, it holds the title of the largest. The zodiac is the path the Sun appears to follow through the stars. Virgo sits between the constellations Leo to the west and Libra to the east.

Astronomers use specific points to map the sky. One important line is the ecliptic, which is the Sun's apparent path. Another is the celestial equator. These two lines intersect within Virgo and the constellation Pisces. This intersection creates the equinox points. At the September equinox, the Sun passes directly overhead of the celestial equator within Virgo. Because of the effects of precession, the autumn equinox point is currently located near the star Beta Virginis. This point will eventually shift into the constellation Leo around the year 2440.

Finding Virgo is simple if you look for its brightest star, Spica. The name Spica means "grain headed" in Latin. You can find it by following a specific curve in the sky. First, find the Big Dipper, also known as the Plough. Follow the curve of the Big Dipper to the star Arcturus in the constellation Boötes. If you continue along that same curve, you will reach Spica. Virgo is so large that the Sun takes 44 days to pass through it. This is a longer duration than any other zodiac constellation. From 1990 until 2062, the Sun will be in Virgo from September 16 to October 30.

Many stars make up the shape of Virgo. The seven main stars create two distinct patterns. Five of these stars—Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, and Eta Virginis—form an asterism called "The Bowl of Virgo." Together with Spica and Theta Virginis, they form a Y shape. Some stars in Virgo host incredible planetary systems. The star 70 Virginis has a confirmed planet with 7.5 times the mass of Jupiter. Another star, Chi Virginis, hosts a planet with a mass 11.1 times that of Jupiter. This is one of the most massive planets ever detected.

Humanity has told stories about Virgo for thousands of years. In ancient Babylon, parts of the constellation were known as "The Furrow." This represented the goddess Shala and an ear of grain. This connection to agriculture is why the star Spica keeps its name. Greek myths offered different identities. Some linked Virgo to Demeter, the goddess of wheat. Others saw the goddess of justice, Dike, holding the scales of Libra. In Hindu astrology, the sign is called Kanya. It is an earth sign ruled by the planet Mercury.

Virgo is a very busy region for deep-sky objects. It contains the Virgo Cluster, a large group of galaxies. This makes the constellation exceptionally rich in galaxies. Some notable examples include the elliptical galaxy Messier 49 and the spiral galaxy Messier 58. The Sombrero Galaxy, or M104, is a famous unusual spiral galaxy located near Spica. It is 28 million light-years from Earth. It features a prominent dust lane made of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Perhaps the most famous object in Virgo is the galaxy Messier 87. It is the largest galaxy in the Virgo Cluster. M87 contains a supermassive black hole at its center. This black hole has a mass of at least 7.2 billion times that of the Sun. On April 10, 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope project released the first direct image of this black hole's shadow. This was a massive milestone for astronomy. M87 also has a jet of electrons flung out by its central black hole.

Beyond galaxies, Virgo is home to many exoplanets. These are planets that orbit stars other than our Sun. There are 35 verified exoplanets orbiting 29 different stars in this constellation. For example, the star 61 Virginis has three known planets. One is a super-Earth, and the other two have the mass of Neptune. The constellation also contains the quasar 3C 273. This was the first quasar ever identified by scientists. It is the optically brightest quasar in the sky. Virgo remains a vital area for studying the scale of our universe.