Virgo (constellation)
Virgo is a zodiac constellation which lies on the celestial equator. It is between Leo (at west) and Libra (at east).This constellation is large; the constellation is the second biggest constellation you can see on the sky. Legends say Virgo is Astraea.
 Click for larger image | |
| List of stars in Virgo | |
| Abbreviation: | Vir |
| Genitive: | Virginis |
| Symbology: | |
| Right ascension: | 13 h |
| Declination: | −4° |
| Area: | 1294 sq. deg. (2nd) |
| Main stars: | 9, 15 |
| Bayer/Flamsteed stars: | 96 |
| Stars known to have planets: | 29 |
| Bright stars: | 3 |
| Nearby stars: | 10 |
| Brightest star: | Spica (α Vir) (0.98m) |
| Nearest star: | Ross 128 ( ly) |
| Messier objects: | 11 |
| Meteor showers: | Virginids Mu Virginids |
| Bordering constellations: | Boötes Coma Berenices Leo Crater Corvus Hydra Libra Serpens Caput |
| Visible at latitudes between +80° and −80° Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of May | |
What you can see there
Virgo's most briliant and important star is Spica (α Virginis). This star helps to see Virgo. Other important stars are Zavijava (β Virginis), Porrima (ν Virginis) or Auva, also called Minelava.
Deep-sky notable objects
Because there is a galaxy cluster (the Virgo cluster) within its borders, this constellation is especially rich in galaxies.
- Messier 87, one of the biggest elliptical galaxies discovered, with a supermassive black hole, the first black hole imaged.
- Messier 49, The brightest galaxy in the Virgo Cluster
- NGC 4526, with NGC 4984. They are lenticular galaxies .
- Eliptical galaxies M59 and M60. M60 has a partner to the north (NGC 4647).
- Quasar 3C 273, very difficult to see.
- IC 1101, one of the largest galaxies known.
Virgo (constellation) Media
The shadow of the central black hole in the galaxy Messier 87 in Virgo, obtained by the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration. This is the first direct image of a black hole.
Virgo as depicted in Urania's Mirror, a set of constellation cards published in London c.1825
Depiction of Virgo, c.1000
The spiral galaxy NGC 5037
The elliptical galaxy Messier 87
"Seeing Quintuple" a phenomenon known as gravitational lensing.
This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows two of the galaxies in the galactic triplet Arp 248.
James Webb Space Telescope peers behind the bars to image the bright tendrils of gas and stars of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 5068. The galaxy lies around 17 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo.
.jpg)