The constellation of Virgo, the Maiden // E. Slawik, NOIRLab, NSF, AURA, and M. Zamani
Click below to read some history about Virgo and some of the named stars in the constellation! There's also an annotated image!
Virgo, the Maiden, is one of the original 48 constellations listed by Greek astronomer Ptolemy. It is the second-largest constellation on the sky and the largest zodiac constellation. Early myths associated Virgo with a wheat goddess, such as the Babylonian goddess Shala and the Greek goddess Demeter. Later myths associated her with a virgin or the goddess of justice, Dike, with her scales of justice (Libra) nearby.
In order of brightness, the named stars are:
Spica (α Virginis) a binary system about 250 light years away. Its name comes from the Latin phrase spīca virginis meaning "the virgin's ear of grain." This is a holdover from when Virgo was seen as a goddess of wheat.
Porrima (γ Virginis) is a binary star system about 38 light years away. The name comes from Roman mythology: Porrima was one of the goddesses of prophecy. She was also a protector against the dangers of childbirth.
Vindemiatrix (ε Virginis) is a solitary yellow giant star about 110 light years away. Its name comes from the Latin word vindēmiātrix meaning "the grape-harvestress."
Heze (ζ Virginis) is a binary star system about 74 light years away. It was given its name in the 1951 book, Atlas Coeli, by Czech astronomer Antonín Bečvář. However, we don't know what it means.
Minelauva (δ Virginis) is a solitary red giant star about 198 light years away. It comes from the Arabic phrase min al-ʽawwāʼ meaning "in the lunar mansion of 'awwa", although we don't know what 'awwa means.
Zavijava (β Virginis) is a solitary yellow-white star about 36 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic phrase zāwiyat al-cawwa’ meaning "corner of the barking [dog]."
Zaniah (η Virginis) is a triple star system about 246 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic word zāwiyah meaning "corner."
Syrma (ι Virginis) is a binary star system about 72 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic word sirmā referring to a "train [of a garment]."
Kang (κ Virginis) is a solitary orange giant star about 255 light years away. Its name comes from the Chinese words Kàng Sù (亢宿) meaning "neck."
Khambalia (λ Virginis) is a binary star system about 173 light years away. Its name comes from the Greek word gampsotês meaning "crookedness."
Apamvatsa (74 Virginis) is a solitary red giant star about 400 light years away. Its name comes from Indian astronomy, the word Āpaṃvatsa meaning "calf of the waters."
Elgafar (φ Virginis) is a binary star system about 118 light years away. The name comes from the Arabic word al-ghafr of unknown meaning.
Finally, Lich (PSR B1257+12) is a pulsar with a planetary system! the name was decided by a planetarium in Italy, giving the name Lich to the pulsar, an undead creature. Meanwhile, its three planets were given the names Draugr, Poltergeist, and Phobetor, supernatural beings in Norse, German, and Greek mythology, respectively.
