Virgo the Virgin, a large but faint constellation
Of all the constellations that we see through the year over Butler, Virgo the Virgin is the second largest. The only problem is that it’s also one of the faintest. With a lot of visual digging, Virgo can be found in the low southeast evening sky this time of year.
Virgo does possess one bright star though. It’s Spica, very easy to see because it’s by far the brightest star in the low southeast. Even if you have to put up with light pollution you’ll have no trouble spotting Spica.
Virgo also is one of only three constellations that portray a woman. The other two are Andromeda the Princess, seen in the autumn and winter, and Cassiopeia the Queen, seen all year round in the northern sky.
Cassiopeia is a really bright constellation that looks like a “W.” This time of year, Cassiopeia is barely above the northern horizon in the early evening. It’s easily seen, since its stars are as bright as the stars that make up the Big Dipper.
By the way, that “W” allegedly outlines the throne that Queen Cassiopeia is tied into, because she boasted that she was more beautiful than all the hundreds of Nereids, the daughters of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. Poseidon had a tantrum, forced her onto her throne, bound her to it, and tossed her into the sky. He taunted Cassiopeia, telling her that she could now show off her “beauty” to everyone on Earth.
It’s never a good idea to tick off the Greek gods!
Admittedly, Virgo is not a constellation for beginners — it’s a real challenge. Although, this week you have a better chance of spotting it because there’s hardly any moonlight in the early evening sky.
Even after you’ve found Virgo, it’s beyond imagination how that oddball-shaped constellation is supposed to be a lady lying on her side holding a shaft of wheat.
The place to start your Virgo challenge is to find Spica, Virgo’s only bright star. That’s an easy task.
Start out by looking in the very high northeastern sky for the upside-down Big Dipper. Follow the curve of the Big Dipper’s handle beyond the handle and you’ll run right into the bright orange star Arcturus in the high southeast heavens. Arcturus is the brightest star in the constellation Bootes the Herdsman, and also the brightest star in the night sky right now.
Continue the arc beyond Arcturus, and the next brightest star you’ll run into will be Spica in the southern sky, which, more or less, marks the left hand of Virgo the Virgin.
The name Spica is a Latin name that roughly translates to English as “ear of grain.” The funny thing though, is that most interpretations of Virgo have the virgin holding the ear in her right hand — go figure.
Spica actually is a double star system around 250 light-years, or a little over 1,400 trillion miles, away from Earth. Both stars are way larger than our sun and kick out much more light. Both have surface temperatures well over 40,000 degrees F. Our home star, the sun, is only about 10,000 degrees.
Suppose you’re lucky enough to have access to a larger telescope, and you’re really out in the boonies. In that case, you can see at least a few of the many galaxies that make up the Virgo cluster of galaxies, about 60 million light-years from Earth.
As you can see in the diagram, these galaxies are a little to the right of the main constellation. Since Virgo is so faint, it’s easiest to use the star Spica as a bearing. The Virgo cluster will be 20 degrees, or about two fist-widths at arm’s length, to Spica’s upper right.
To be entirely aboveboard with you, you’ll probably be much less than overwhelmed with how these galaxies appear in your scope, even if you have a larger one. At best, they will be mainly fuzzy patches, but those fuzzy patches are entire stellar islands, some of which are made up of billions and billions of stars.
In Greek mythology, Virgo the Virgin is the daughter of Demeter, the goddess of the harvest and fertility of the earth. In many ancient cultures, the first sighting of Spica in Virgo was a cue to start their spring planting.
When Spica and Virgo leave the evening sky in late summer, the growing season is ending.
According to the story, when Virgo leaves the living land, she sets out on her annual search in the underworld for her slain husband, Tammuz. At last report, she hasn’t found him yet, but she resumes her search after every growing season.
The grand lady of the night sky doesn’t give up easily!
Mike Lynch is an amateur astronomer and professional broadcast meteorologist for WCCO Radio in Minneapolis/St. Paul. He is also the author of “Stars: a Month by Month Tour of the Constellations,” published by Adventure Publications and available at bookstores and at adventurepublications.net. Contact him at mikewlynch@comcast.net.
