Virgo (The Maiden)

Second-largest constellation and the largest of the zodiac, facing the great Virgo Cluster of galaxies.

Core Principles & Analysis

• At 1,294 square degrees only Hydra is larger.
• Behind its stars lies the Virgo Cluster, more than a thousand galaxies whose gravity binds our own Local Group at its outskirts.
• Spica, its brightest star, is a hot blue giant whose light is a standard of stellar classification.

Specifications & Metrics

• BRIGHTEST STAR: Spica (α Vir)
• HEMISPHERE: Both (zodiacal)
• BEST VIEWED: May