Look Up

We’re observing the constellation of Virgo in west sky at around 9:30 p.m. This time we’ll learn about her stars. When you look west (and hopefully you have an obstructed view), it’s hard to miss the big bright star that’s close to the horizon. This is the brightest star in the constellation of Virgo and the 15th brightest star in the sky, called Spica but is also known as Alpha Virginis (α Virginis). In Latin spīca virginis means “Virgo’s ear of grain.” Spica is where the maiden is holding the bundle of wheat in her hand in an ancient constellation drawing. It’s about 260 light-years away but is also one of the closest double stars to our solar system. It’s classified as a blue giant although its primary star is in the middle of being a subgiant and giant. It’s also over 12,000 time brighter than our sun! Its component is a main sequence star that changes in brightness due to pulsations on its surface. They are non-eclipsing stars but are mutually distorted through their gravitational interaction, according to Constellation-Guide.com.

To the right or north of Spica is Porrima or Gamma Virginis (γ Virginis). It is the second brightest star in this constellation. It’s also a binary star that’s just over 38 light years away. At the top of the constellation is the third brightest star of Virgo and is named Vindēmiātrix or Epsilon Virginis (ε Virginis). Vindēmiātrix in Latin translates to “the grape gatherer” or “the grape harvestress.” It’s just a little over 109 light-years away and is about 77 times more radiant than the sun.