The constellation Virgo and a short story about it. Constellation Virgo

Character, lifestyle, career, love of Virgo

...

Character Virgo Born under zodiac sign Virgos are born tidy people. When you first come to the house where the owner is Virgo, you may be surprised at how sterile cleanliness and order reign in this modest home.

...

As a rule, the behavior of a Virgo man can serve as a vivid illustration of the phrase “What smaller woman we love, the more she likes us.” Perhaps this does not apply to all females, but since a woman is interested in Virgo, then his inaccessibility and some coldness can greatly ignite her interest. Indeed, despite the fact that by nature Virgo is not inclined to pretend to be a hero-lover , his unusual restraint makes many beauties dream of a date with him. And in vain: the Virgo man is least of all in the world for fleeting romances. Love for him is, first of all, responsibility and care, and in his wife he is looking not so much for an ardent lover, but rather for a life partner and a faithful friend.

...

"IN still waters there are devils,” reads folk wisdom. And I must add that in the case of a Virgo woman, this saying is rather positive in nature, because outwardly such a reserved and even shy Virgo is ready to make any sacrifice for the sake of love! Yes, looking at the modest Virgo, it’s hard to believe, but passions that even the most “violent” signs can really rage in her soul are truly capable of raging. True, only the man of her dreams can awaken such feelings in a Virgo, that is, the person who which she had been waiting for all her life. Having met him, she will not even glance at what he has on his shoulders - a deputy’s jacket or an orange vest of a migrant worker. For his sake, she will move mountains, go to the ends of the world and even, as terrible as it is for her, if she was married, she will part with her former family. Virgo is honest and truthful: she will never maintain the illusion of a family hearth if for some reason it has gone out.

...

A modest, pragmatic, thoughtful Virgo child is born with enormous research potential and inexhaustible perfectionism. Despite their flexible nature, children of this zodiac sign are youth incredibly independent and persistent both in everyday affairs and in achieving large-scale goals. Get ready - you are about to raise a serious intellectual and tireless worker beyond his years. Virgo baby

...

Virgo may seem easy to find mutual language. Indeed, you don’t need any special wisdom to attract her attention. For the most part, people of this sign make contact easily, they are ready to listen, but their silence does not at all mean agreement. Virgo is just very diplomatic, and will express her opinion only if you ask her to do so.

...

Virgo is a big worker, and this makes her an indispensable worker. She is not only capable of perfectly performing the most painstaking, scrupulous work, but also has a sober, analytical mind. If you need to point perfect order in a responsible area of ​​work, no one can cope with this better than Virgo. All these qualities make Virgos excellent specialists in their field, however, lacking great ambition, they rarely reach career heights. Virgo can best prove themselves in professions related to accounting, publishing, the service sector, science and medicine, as well as as an assistant manager or in banking.

...

Virgo's love plays a silent game: it is impossible to understand from a representative of this zodiac sign whether he is in love. Sometimes there may even be a feeling that he is simply not capable of love. Virgo's courtship is always careful and unobtrusive, so you might think that there is none at all. Perhaps Virgo is already drawing plans for your life together, and you have not yet even realized that they are interested in you.

...

Willpower, a habit of work and organization give Virgos ironclad health. They have no time to relax, which means they have no time to get sick. If fatigue does take its toll, they may be susceptible to headaches, indigestion, insomnia, nervous diseases, pulmonary diseases, and leg diseases. However, if Virgo does get sick, her attentiveness will help her recognize the disease in its very bud, and self-discipline will help her take everything for treatment necessary measures. Thanks to this, Virgos’ illnesses are rarely protracted and chronic.

The constellation Virgo is not just the largest constellation among its zodiac relatives. It is also the second largest constellation in the entire starry sky after Hydra! Geographically, the Constellation Virgo took place on the equator, between the zodiacs of Leo and Libra. As a result of the precession of the earth's axis, it is in this constellation that the point of the autumnal equinox is located today.

Virgo can be best seen at the beginning of spring, namely in March - April, when it moves to the southern part of the horizon. Due to the fact that the constellation has an impressive size, the Sun is in it for more than a month - from September 16 to October 30. On ancient star atlases, Virgo was represented as a girl with an ear of wheat in right hand. However, not everyone is able to discern just such an image in a chaotic scattering of stars. However, finding the Virgo constellation in the sky is not that difficult. It contains a star of the first magnitude, thanks to the bright light of which Virgo can be easily found among other constellations.

How to find it

To discover a constellation, residents of the Earth's Northern Hemisphere must first find the Bucket in the constellation. Then simply draw an imaginary line down from its handle. First, an orange star from the constellation will come across the path, and then, along the continuation of this line, a blue-white star will appear - this is the brightest star in Aquarius. To be sure that you have found the correct constellation, find with right side a small square that is the constellation Raven.

We have already mentioned that Virgo is ranked second in scale among other stellar objects. No wonder, because this constellation occupied a third of the entire sky! In numbers, this can be expressed as 1295 square degrees of the starry sky. At good conditions Observations with the naked eye, you can see 171 stars from the composition of this zodiacal constellation. We will not describe each of them, but we will definitely touch on some of the most striking ones.

Alpha Virgo or Spica

Let's start with the most prominent star in Virgo - Spica. Its name is translated from Latin as “ear of wheat.” This star is the largest in the constellation in question. It is noteworthy that among the myriads of stars throughout the vast sky, Spica, due to its brightness, occupies an honorable sixteenth place. Its apparent magnitude is approximately 1.04m. Fun fact: Spica can be seen not only in the sky, but also on the Brazilian national flag.

It is interesting that the above magnitude is not constant - it fluctuates between +0.92m... +1.04m, and all because Spica is a variable star. In addition, this luminary is typical. Spica and its companion rotate relative to each other every four days. There is a fairly small distance between the two components - only 0.12, so both stars have an ellipsoidal shape. The latter is the reason that the surface area of ​​the radiation that faces us, observers, changes periodically. Such stars belong to the category of variable rotating ellipsoidal bodies. In this class of stars, Spica is the brightest representative.

Another interesting information about this celestial object: it was thanks to Spica that the phenomenon of precession was discovered. This luminary is located in close proximity to the ecliptic, so it happens that it can hide behind the Moon. It is less common to observe the occultation of Spica by planets. solar system. Last time this happened back in 1783. Then this star was “eclipsed” by Venus. The next planetary eclipse of Spica will be seen in September 2197. The wait is “not long.”

Another double star in the constellation Virgo

In second place in brightness after Alpha Virgo is its gamma, which is known in science as different names. In the atlas of astronomer A. Bechvar, the name Arikh is indicated, but the meaning of this name is unknown. The more common name is Porrima. This was the name of the companion ancient goddess predictions. Either way, Porrima is a double star with an apparent magnitude of 2.75m.

Today, the Virgo gamma can only be seen with fairly large optical instruments. Until 1990, it could be safely observed in amateur telescope, but today, due to the fact that the two components of Porrima have become very close, it is no longer so easy to see. Components of this dual system are practically twins. They belong to the category of yellow-white stars from the spectral class F0 V. The surface temperature of Porrima stars is significantly higher than the temperature of the Sun and is 7000 K. The distance between the components of this system is approximately 40 astronomical units. The rotation period of stars is as much as 170 years, so it is difficult for observers to notice how their relative positions change.

Currently, Porrima's components are three arcseconds apart. The closest approach occurred in 2007, and by 2020 the stars are expected to move away so much that both components can again be seen in small telescopes. The stars of this binary system are located on main sequence. As a result, thermonuclear reactions of combining hydrogen and helium occur in them. For this reason, each star individually is about one and a half times heavier than the Sun. Porrima, like Spica, is very close to the ecliptic, so lunar occlusions of the star also occur here, and planetary occlusions occur less frequently.

An amazing and mysterious star - Vindemiatrix

Epsilon Virgo has a rather complicated name, but it is translated from Latin quite simply – “winemaker”. The apparent magnitude of this star is 2.83m, and in brightness it is only slightly inferior to Porrima and Spica, described above. It is noteworthy that Vindemiatrix is ​​also a yellow giant star, and its spectral type is G8III. The surface temperature of Epsilon Virgo is slightly less than that of the Sun and is approximately 4990 K. At the same time, its luminosity is approximately 83 times stronger than the Sun. Let us also point out that 102 light years lay from us to Vindemiatrix. The combination of the above parameters allows us to estimate its radius, which is approximately twelve solar radii.

When observing this star from Earth, you will notice that it has a high speed of movement - approximately 1 arc second. And all because the main vector of movement, epsilon Virgo, is perpendicular to the line of sight. It is noted that the star is a strong source x-ray radiation. This circumstance indicates serious electromagnetic activity of Vindemiatrix. The strength of the total radiation of the star is approximately three hundred times higher than the Solar one, due to which Epsilon Virgo ranks third among similar cool giant stars.

Note also that Vindemiatrix belongs to the class of double stars. Its companion has a magnitude of 11.7m and has a spectral class of K0. In addition, this star is 15% richer than the Sun in elements heavier than hydrogen. By the way, it has almost used up its hydrogen reserves. Since epsilon Virgo is three times heavier than the Sun, there is a possibility that it was “born” as a blue-white star from class B. It may now be in the transitional stage of burning hydrogen to helium, or the conversion of helium to carbon has already begun to occur in its depths.

Astronomical objects of Virgo

Besides large quantity a wide variety of stars, this zodiac constellation is rich in some unusual objects in its composition. For example, here you can see such a very interesting astronomical phenomenon of deep space as.

Quasar 3C 273

In Virgo there is the brightest quasar called 3C 273 with the twelfth apparent magnitude, which is a full two billion light years away from Earth. It's hard to imagine that when we look at quasars, we see the same light that they emitted before the beginning of time - that is, when life on Earth was still emerging.

3C 273 is the first scientifically recognized quasar, and has been actively studied since its discovery in 1963 to the present day. It is curious that it was noticed by scientists back in 1959, but then it was considered just a serious radio source. At the moment, this object is considered a radio-loud quasar, and also one of the first extragalactic objects.

Numerous clusters of galaxies in the constellation

The constellation Virgo has always aroused interest among scientists, especially those who study galaxy clusters. If you look at the upper right corner of Virgo, formed by the stars delta, gamma and epsilon, you can see at least 2.5 thousand distant galaxies. This area of ​​the sky extends beyond the constellation in question and reaches the neighboring constellation - Coma Berenices. Such a cluster resembles a cloud that is so distant from us that its light reaches Earth only a little over a billion light years away. Like quasars, these galaxy clusters tell us about the past of our Universe.

Virgo Galaxy Cluster

A little closer, some 59 million light-years away, is the Virgo galaxy cluster, which contains an average of 1,500 galaxies. This galactic group is really close to Earth and is physically connected with the Local Group, that is, with the one that includes our native Milky Way galaxy. The most striking representatives of this cluster are considered to be Messier objects (M): 49, 58, 59, 60, 61, 84-91, 98-100. In the nearest intergalactic environment, this group of galaxies is dominant. Since it is the center of a local cluster of galaxies, due to the force of gravity it can not only influence surrounding galaxies, but also absorb those that were not previously associated with it.

The most famous "maiden" Messier objects

Galaxy M86

At the heart of the Virgo Cluster is this giant galaxy - Messier 86

There are at least one and a half thousand members in the Virgo galaxy cluster. But special attention deserve at least four. In fact, we will talk about them. The first in line is the elliptical galaxy M86. It occupies the very center of the Virgo galaxy cluster. This galaxy is rapidly approaching the Milky Way - at an average speed of 245 km/s, being 52 million light years from our planet.

Virgo Galaxy A

The next Messier object, number 87, is also called Virgo A. This galaxy is not only the largest galaxy in the Virgo cluster, it is also the largest among other nearby galaxies. M87 undoubtedly dominates this cluster; it is also an elliptical galaxy, 55 million light years away from Earth.

Galaxy M84 and M49

The Virgo cluster of galaxies, including M84 and M86. The total exposure time is about 7 hours. Posted by Shaun Reynolds

Object M84 is also classified as an elliptical galaxy. It is notable for the fact that scientists believe there is a huge black hole inside it. Another elliptical galaxy located 49 million light years from Earth is M49. Messier 49 is called the brightest galaxy in the group under consideration. In addition, a supernova was registered in it in 1949.

Galaxy M104

One of the largest constellations is coming - Virgo. Probably the most densely populated constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky with galaxies and clusters, for practical acquaintance with which you will need more than one night.

You will return to it repeatedly and discover more and more globular clusters or galaxies, and maybe planetary or diffuse nebulae.

Legend and history

The autumnal equinox is located in the constellation Virgo. Very little information has been preserved about the origin of the name. Many associate him with the daughter of Zeus's sister Demeter - Persephone- goddess Agriculture. One spring, Persephone was picking flowers in a field when Hades, the god of the underworld, drove by.

He saw Persephone, he liked her very much and decided to get married. With sweet speeches he lured her onto his chariot and took her to the underworld. When Demeter discovered that her daughter was missing, she began to look for her.

Day and night I did not sleep or eat, I wandered along the roads in search of my daughter. Finally she found out that Persephone was hidden in the underground kingdom. She came to him, but Hades (according to some sources he was also called Hades) did not even listen to her. The saddened Demeter abandoned all her affairs and a great crop failure began on earth.

A terrible famine began among the people. Zeus saw that hunger was intensifying and people were dying more and more, and asked Demeter to take care of the housekeeping. But she replied that nothing would grow on earth until she saw her daughter.

Zeus had no choice and went to persuade Hades to give Persephone. The Dungeon God agreed on the condition that she would go home only if she did not eat anything during her stay in his kingdom. Before releasing the captive, Hades asked not to forget him and eat a few pomegranate seeds.

Demeter and Persephone met again, but the happiness did not last long. She did not fulfill the terms of the contract. Then Gaia, the goddess of the Earth, explained that Persephone could live with her mother for eight months a year, and for four she must return to Hades.

Demeter accepted this condition and began to restore the farm. Prosperity returned to Earth again, but only for 8 months of the year. The rest of the time - four months - the goddess grieves and allows winter to rule the world.

Characteristics

In terms of size, the Hound Dogs occupy 2nd place in the celestial sphere and amount to 1294 square meters. degrees. The constellation is visible at latitudes from +68° to −75°. Located in the northern and southern hemispheres of the sky.

The best time for observation in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine is April. In general, be prepared, April is the most favorable and busy month for observing with a telescope.

The constellation Virgo has 2 bright stars (the magnitude of which is less than 3rd magnitude) - the star Spica (0.95 m) and the star Vindemiatrix (2.85 m).

Neighboring constellations by which you can navigate in the starry sky -,.

The abbreviation for Virgo in reference books is Vir. The Latin full name is Virgo.

The most noticeable and interesting objects to observe in the constellation Virgo

1. Virgo Galaxy Cluster

Galaxy cluster Virgo- the closest and large group galaxies, physically connected to the Local Group, which includes our galaxy, the Milky Way.

The brightest galaxies in this cluster are: M 49, M 58, M59, M 60, M 61, M 84, M 85, M 86, M 87, M 88, M 89, M 90, M 91, M 98, M 99 and M 100. We will consider each galaxy separately below.

This cluster of galaxies, through the gravitational forces of its enormous mass, affects all surrounding galaxies. Many galaxies that were not previously in the Virgo cluster were drawn into it. In the image above, a giant elliptical galaxy is visible near the center M 87.

There is no point in making separate atlases for each component of this cluster; take a look at the screenshot from the Stellarium program below and see what big number galaxies and star clusters can already be seen in a semi-professional and even amateur telescope:

2. Galaxy M 49 (NGC 4472)

M 49- elliptical galaxy type E4. It belongs to the Virgo galaxy cluster and is distant from us at a distance of 60 million light years. The major axis of the galaxy's ellipse is approximately 160 thousand light years long.

The available brightness - 8.4 m - allows you to view this galaxy even with an amateur telescope.

3. Galaxy M 58 (NGC 4579)

M 58- SBc-type barred spiral galaxy. Brightness - 9.7 m. Supernova explosions were observed in this galaxy in 1988 and 1989.

With an amateur telescope, you can only see the bright, saturated core in the form of a light speck. With a telescope aperture of 150 mm or more, it will be possible to see the arms of the galaxy.

4. Galaxy M 59 (NGC 4621)

Unfortunately in best quality I did not find this E5 type elliptical galaxy. It is noteworthy that M 59 is one of the largest elliptical galaxies. Its linear dimensions are approximately 90 thousand light years.

About 2 thousand globular star clusters have been discovered in this galaxy (though I don’t know how astronomers managed to see them). The brightness of the galaxy is 9.6 m.

5-6. Galaxies M 60 (NGC 4649) and NGC 4647

M 60- elliptical galaxy type E2. Located close to the previous galaxy, M 59. At low magnifications, both will be visible in the field of view of the eyepiece.

M 60 is located at a distance of 60 million light years from the Sun and has the linear dimensions of the major axis of the ellipse approximately equal to 120 thousand light years. Brightness - 8.8m.

A spiral galaxy is located very close to M 60 NGC 4647. To even notice, you will have to take a professional telescope. The brightness of NGC 4647 is 11.4 m.

7. Galaxy M 61 (NGC 4303)

The list of galaxies in the Virgo cluster continues with the SBbc-type barred spiral galaxy M 61. Linear dimensions comparable to our Milky Way galaxy. Brightness M 61 - 9.7 m (in some sources - 9.3 m).

In a small amateur telescope, you won’t be able to see any outlines or “branches” - just a foggy speck that becomes brighter towards the center.

This galaxy is located to the side (at the bottom) of a cluster of other galaxies.

8. Galaxy M 84 (NGC 4374)

M 84- S0 type lenticular galaxy. It is located in the center of the Virgo galaxy cluster. Studies of the galaxy have shown that two jets of gas visible in the radio range are ejected from the core at high speed.

At one time, the Hubble telescope closely observed and studied this galaxy in detail and discovered a very massive object at a distance of 26 light years from the nucleus, with a mass approximately equal to 300 million solar masses.

Three supernova explosions have been recorded in this galaxy - in 1957, 1980 and 1991. Brightness M 84 - 9.1 m.

9. Galaxy M 86 (NGC 4406)

M 86- S0 type lenticular galaxy. Of all the galaxies in the Virgo cluster, it has the highest blueshift, meaning that it moves with maximum speed to our galaxy. Brightness - 8.9 m.

When observing through a telescope, you will not be able to see any additional details.

10. Galaxy M 87 (NGC 4486)

M 87- elliptical galaxy type E1. Just like the galaxy M 84 is located in the very center of the Virgo cluster. This is a very large galaxy, it is also called Virgo A.

The linear diameter is about 120 thousand light years, located at a distance of 56 million light years from us.

In the M 87 galaxy, a lot of globular star clusters were found that surround it on the periphery. Scientists suggest that the number of clusters can reach 10 thousand (for comparison, there are only 200 in our galaxy).

In 1918, a gigantic ejection of gas masses from the galactic core was discovered.

Galaxy M 87 is a powerful source of radio and X-ray radiation. As a result of detailed observations, the Hubble telescope discovered a massive dark object in the galactic core, the mass of which is equal to 2-3 billion solar masses. This object extends over 60 light years and is surrounded by a rapidly rotating disk of gas.

Brightness M 87 - 8.6 m.

11-12. Galaxy M 89 (NGC 4552) and M 90 (NGC 4569)

M 89- elliptical galaxy of type E0. The shape resembles a ball (sphere). It is a weak source of radio emission. The ejection of gas from the galaxy can be observed at a distance of about 100 thousand light years from the center. Brightness - 9.8m.

M 90- Sb-type spiral galaxy. One of the largest spiral galaxies is in the constellation Virgo. The branches contain mostly old stars. The galaxy has low mass and low density. Brightness - 9.5 m.

At low telescope magnifications, both galaxies can be seen simultaneously in the field of view of the eyepiece.

13. Galaxy NGC 4216

NGC 4216- SBb-type barred spiral galaxy. Initially, Charles Messier did not notice this galaxy in the Virgo cluster and only later William Herschel examined it through his telescope. Notice how many galaxies are still visible in the background. Brightness - 10.3 m.

14. Galaxy NGC 4261

Such a nondescript elliptical galaxy NGC 4261 type E2 is located near the spiral galaxy M 61 and is also distant from the main group of galaxies in the Virgo cluster. Hubble Telescope discovered powerful radio emission and gas emissions in two directions from the galactic core. The brightness of the galaxy is 10.4 m.

15. Galaxy NGC 4429

Spiral galaxy NGC 4429 in the constellation Virgo has a visible magnitude of 10.2 m. It was discovered by William Herschel in March 1784.

It is almost impossible to find any data about her. If anyone has any more detailed information- write in the comments, and I will add it to the article.

16-17. The “Eyes” galaxies or NGC 4435 and NGC 4438

In foreign sources, both galaxies are called "Through the eyes"(Eyes Galaxies). The total apparent magnitude is approximately 10.0 m, individually the brightness approaches the 11th magnitude.

They are 52 million light years away from us. In a telescope, both galaxies fall into the field of view of the eyepiece. Has anyone observed them?

Tell me, is it possible to consider at least some details? We are waiting for April so that, armed with telescopes, we can point them at the Virgo cluster and search, find, examine and discover more and more new galaxies for ourselves. I wrote about how best to observe galaxies in a separate article.

18. Galaxy NGC 4526 (or NGC 4560)

Gorgeous lenticular galaxy NGC 4526 type SB0 has a visible magnitude of 9.6 m. It so happened that in the “New General Catalog” this object is listed twice, under numbers 4526 and 4560.

Why this is so is unknown. Any guess or if you know, write in the comments.

At the very center of this galaxy is a massive black hole weighing more than 400 million solar masses.

Well, we have looked at the main galaxies in the Virgo cluster. The less dim ones were left out of the scope of the review, although I think I will definitely add them in the future. Rest for a few minutes and continue exploring the following fascinating objects deep space.

19. Sombrero Galaxy (M 104 or NGC 4594)

“Raise your hand,” who has never heard of the Sombrero Galaxy? I don't believe there are such people! Probably in popularity this galaxy is on par with the Andromeda nebula. In many reference books, encyclopedias, and astronomical magazines, you can find this miracle of space on the covers. She is truly beautiful!

M 104- Sa type spiral galaxy. In its shape and appearance, this galaxy cannot be confused with any other. The dark dust disk in the central plane of the galaxy is clearly and clearly visible. According to modern calculations, this star system contains several hundred globular star clusters. Brightness "Sombrero" - 8.1 m.

IN good telescope, with an aperture of 200 mm it looks something like this:

The M 104 galaxy lies on the border of the constellation Raven. It is best to start your search with the brightest star in Virgo - Spica - and move eastward along the brightest stars.

An example route is shown below. Best time to search for this galaxy - mid-April at midnight. Then it is at the maximum height from the horizon and illumination will practically not interfere.

20. Galaxy NGC 4517

Spiral galaxy NGC 4517 is located at a distance of just over 50 million light years from us. The apparent magnitude is 10.4 m. I simply couldn’t find any information about this galaxy either on foreign or Russian sources. So let's try to find it in the starry sky and study it ourselves.

21. Galaxy NGC 4527

Agree, at first glance the galaxy is very similar to the Andromeda Nebula. So astronomers and scientists think so. Only unlike Andromeda in NGC 4527 Active star formation is still going on.

A supermassive black hole weighing 2.5 billion solar masses has been discovered at the center. The brightness of the galaxy is 10.4 m (although some sources reduce the brightness to 11th magnitude).

22. Galaxy NGC 4536

Another cute spiral galaxy NGC 4536 in the constellation Virgo, which is being sought in conjunction with the previous galaxy NGC 4527.

The brightness of the galaxy is 10.4 m. How to search - see the map above.

23. Galaxy NGC 4636

NGC 4636- elliptical galaxy of type E. Brightness - 9.4 m. This, like many other previous galaxies, was discovered by William Herschel in 1784.

On star map Above, the red arrows show the route along which, in my opinion, it will be easiest to find this galaxy through a telescope.

24. Galaxy NGC 4546

Spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo. Has a brightness of 10.3 m. We find the Porrim star (3.4 m) and from it, along the “path” of available prominent bright stars, it moves towards the desired galaxy NGC 4546.

25. Galaxy NGC 4697 (C 52)

NGC 4697- elliptical galaxy type E6. It was discovered by William Herschel in April 1784.

It has an apparent magnitude of 9.2 m. It is difficult to find it in a telescope. The whole difficulty lies in the fact that there are no nearby bright stars to navigate by.

Below is a map of the site starry sky. I have highlighted the most memorable areas with red lines, maybe it’s worth trying to find them by looking at them C 52.

26. Galaxy NGC 4699

NGC 4699- Sa type spiral galaxy. Brightness - 9.6 m (according to some sources, brightness drops to 10.7 m). The core of the galaxy stands out clearly against the background of the “branches”.

In the immediate vicinity you can find several more faint galaxies that can only be observed with powerful telescopes: NGC 4759, NGC 4764, NGC 4739, IC3826.

27. Galaxy NGC 4753

NGC 4753- irregular galaxy of type Ir. It has small sizes and brightness - 10.0 m. To somehow distinguish the core you will need a telescope with an aperture of 200 mm or more.

The search for this galaxy should start again from the star Porrima, only this time moving to the left.

28. Galaxy NGC 5247

Cute spiral galaxy NGC 5247 was discovered and opened only a year after Herschel began observing the constellation Virgo.

It has a brightness of 9.9 m (some sources reduce it to 10.5 m) and a weak surface brightness. To detect it through a telescope, ideal atmospheric conditions and the absence of any light from the city will be required.

Galaxy NGC 5247 is distant from all other galaxies in this constellation and is located in the southern part. It’s worth trying to start your search with the brightest star - Spica.

29. Star cluster NGC 5634

And here the “balloon” was caught in the survey of objects from the constellation Virgo. Globular star cluster NGC 5634 located between the stars Syrma and μ Vir. Brightness - 9.6 m, angular diameter - 4.9′. The approximate distance from the Sun is 70,400 light years.

30-31. Galaxies NGC 5846 and NGC 5850

Brighter galaxy NGC 5846-elliptical galaxy type E. Brightness - 10.1 m. Another galaxy falls into the field of view of the eyepiece - NGC 5850 - a spiral galaxy with a bar (bar) of the SBb type. Brightness - 10.8m. It can only be seen through a powerful telescope.

Well, our review has come to an end. Of course, many more galaxies and star clusters have not been considered. But their brightness is very weak; we will return to them a little later.

In the meantime, try to find all these deep space objects that have already been reviewed and described in constellation Virgo. I'm sure you'll spend more than one night. Now, in conjunction with the constellation Coma Berenices, you have general idea about galaxy clusters Virgo.

Page 2 of 2

The zodiacal constellation Virgo is divided into two approximately equal parts by the plane of the ecliptic. The constellation is a pentagon with two stars adjacent to it from the west. The main star, Spica (alpha Virgo), which means "spike" in Latin, has a brightness of 0.98. Its radiation is 600 times greater than that of the sun, and the star itself is variable. True, the brightness of the star changes slightly, by only 0.1, which is quite difficult to notice with the naked eye.

Between the stars Epsilon and Upsilon Virgo lies one of the largest clusters of galaxies. According to some astronomers, here is the center of the Supergalaxy, where the stars correspond to stellar systems. This is a whole cloud consisting of more than two and a half thousand star systems. Another notable object in the constellation is Gamma Virgo. She has given name Roman "goddess of prophecy" Porrima. This is one of the closest double stars to Earth, located at a distance of 32 light years. Studying it in 1718, the English astronomer James Bradley determined that Porrima consists of two identical yellowish-white components with an orbital period around a common center of 172 years.

Also in the constellation is the brightest quasar, number 3C273. The distance from Earth to it is one and a half billion light years. By observing quasars, we see the light that they emitted at a time when life was just beginning on Earth.

The ancient Greeks saw Demeter, the goddess of fertility and agriculture, in the constellation Virgo. The Thunderer Zeus promised to give his daughter Persephone, born of Demeter, as a wife to his brother Hades, the ruler of the underworld. When the time came, Hades kidnapped Persephone and took her to his underground kingdom. Having learned about this, Demeter mourned the separation from her beloved daughter in despair, and at that time hunger gripped the Earth. Moans and cries of people were heard everywhere, calling out to the gods.

Then Zeus realized that all people would die from the grief of the goddess Demeter. He ordered Hades to return Persephone to her mother. Zeus determined the fate of his daughter: for two thirds of the year she will live on earth, with her mother, and for one third she must return to her husband Hades in the underworld. This is how the myth about the emergence and change of seasons appeared. The flowering of nature begins with the arrival of Persephone on earth, the decline - when she descends back to the kingdom of Hades. In images of the starry sky, Virgo holds an ear of corn, which is located in the place of the star Spica.

Finding a constellation in the sky

The constellation is visible at latitudes from -80° to +80°. Best conditions for observations March and April. Virgo is clearly visible throughout Russia. IN modern era The autumn equinox point is located in the constellation. Neighboring constellations: Serpent, Coma, Coma Berenices, Leo, Chalice, Raven, Hydra, Libra.

In autumn, the period of morning visibility of Virgo begins, which will last until mid-spring. Its northern edge, which, however, does not contain bright stars, appears above the horizon after 3 am. The constellation rises above the horizon completely only at 8 o'clock in the morning.

In winter, Virgo begins to rise above the horizon at midnight. At this time, its northern part is visible, but the brightest star Spica is visible only after 2 am. Finding a constellation in the sky is not difficult. Above him is the Lion, and to the left is the Bootes. In spring, Virgo is located above the southern part of the horizon. The lion “goes” up and to the right, and Bootes takes a position above her. A good reference point for finding the constellation is Ursa Major. Virgo is found under the “handle” of her ladle.

From August 23rd, the kingdom of the Virgo constellation begins on the zodiac horizon. The time has come to get to know this constellation and its representatives on Earth better.

In the velvet black darkness
Southern skies
Eagle Altair shines
And the Southern Cross glows.

In the northern edge of the universe
Vega Lyra beckons,
The Virgin's spine flickers,
Swan Deneb is burning.

All skies are beautiful
In the secret of the night, deaf.
By a distant, unclear light
The stars are shining above you.

Get out of the house one day
Straight to the Milky Way
Strive for your starry dream,
But still, don’t forget the Earth.

Zodiac constellation Virgo (lat. Virgo) one of the largest in the starry sky, it is not just the largest constellation among its zodiac relatives, but also the second largest constellation (after Hydra) in the entire starry sky.

Geographically, the Constellation Virgo took place on the equator, between the zodiacs of Leo and Libra. As a result of the precession of the earth's axis, it is in this constellation that the point of the autumnal equinox is located in our era.

Due to the fact that the constellation has an impressive size, the Sun is in it for more than a month - from September 16 to October 30.
In mid-latitudes, the period of morning visibility of the constellation lasts from November to February; in spring it can be observed almost all night, in June and July - in the evening hours.


"Virgo" is translated from Latin as "maiden/virgin"

The ancient constellation is included in the catalog of the starry sky of Claudius Ptolemy “Almagest”.
There are 194 stars in the constellation Virgo, and the brightest of them is Spica (in 16th place in terms of the brightness of the starry sky).
Star Spica(α Virgo), which means "spike" in Latin, is a massive spectral binary of magnitude 0.98. The star Porrima (γ Virgo), which means “goddess of prophecy,” is one of the closest double stars to us (distance 32 light years)


Arcturus​​(from the constellation Bootes), Mars and Spica above the rock in national park Bryce Canyon, USA

Fun fact: Spica can be seen not only in the sky, but also on the Brazilian national flag.

Another interesting information about this celestial object: it was thanks to Spica that the phenomenon of precession was discovered. This luminary is located in close proximity to the ecliptic, so it happens that it can hide behind the Moon. It is less common to observe the coverage of Spica by the planets of the solar system. The last time this happened was back in 1783. Then this star was “eclipsed” by Venus. The next planetary eclipse of Spica will be seen in September 2197. The wait is “not long.”+

On ancient star atlases, the Virgin was depicted with a sheaf of ears of grain in her hands, where Spica should be - an “ear” as a symbol good harvest and fertility. And the ancient Egyptians believed that the stars Milky Way- grains of wheat scattered in the sky.

The constellation Virgo is famous for the giant cluster of galaxies that occupies the northern part of Virgo and the southern part of Coma Berenices. This closest supercluster of galaxies to us is located at a distance of 50 million light years and contains about two thousand objects.
Let's admire some of them:


Here is a beautiful but peculiar galactic pair - NGC 4438 and NGC 4435, nicknamed the Eyes. Virgo Eyes separated by 52 million light years.


Siamese twins(NGC 4567 and NGC 4568) – a pair of spiral galaxies


Infrared image of spiral galaxy M61.


Famous Galaxy Sombrero(M104) is a bright nearby spiral galaxy. The famous dust lane and halos of stars and globular clusters give it an unusual shape


A photograph of supernova 1994D (SN1994D) in the galaxy NGC 4526.

Passing through the center of the Virgo galaxy cluster is a remarkable string of galaxies known as Markarian chain
This constellation contains one of the most powerful radio sources, Virgo-A, and the first quasar discovered by man.

Mythology of the Virgo Constellation
Most often, the Greek was seen in the constellation goddess of justice Dike, daughter of Zeus and Themis.

According to myths Ancient Greece, Dike existed during the Golden Age of humanity. She was born mortal and lived on Earth to bring justice. At this time, peace and quiet reigned, and people did not know old age. When Zeus killed Cronus, the silver Age, in which everything did not go so smoothly. He created 4 seasons, and people stopped honoring the gods.
Dike opposed the innovations and threatened that terrible times were coming. She went to the mountains and turned her back to people. When did Bronze and Iron Age and people started wars, Dike gave up and left our Earth, settling near the constellation Libra. As you know, scales are today associated with justice.

The constellation Virgo is also associated with goddess of fertility Demeter, which is believed to have taught people to plow the land, sow fields, and patronized legal marriages. The myth of Demeter reflects the struggle between life and death.

Demeter's daughter Persephone was kidnapped by Pluto and taken to his kingdom, making her his wife. Demeter told Jupiter that until her daughter was returned to her, she would not care for the earth. And a cold sets in on the earth, threatening the death of humanity.


The Abduction of Persephone

Jupiter agrees to return Persephone to her mother, but Pluto uses a trick. He persuaded the unsuspecting Persephone to eat a few pomegranate seeds, which was considered the emblem of marriage, so that Persephone would lose the right to leave Pluto.
To resolve the dilemma, the gods in council decided that Persephone would spend two-thirds of the year on earth with her mother, and one-third underground, in Pluto's kingdom below the earth.
Now for two-thirds of the year everything blooms and turns green on the earth, then winter comes and nature goes into hibernation: the abandoned Demeter puts on mourning clothes and is sad.


Demeter and Persephone

Sometimes the Virgin is considered the Syrian goddess of fertility Erigon (daughter of Icarius), the girl hanged herself after the death of her father, who is associated with Bootes.


Syrian goddess of fertility Erigon.

Erastophenes and Hyginus associate the constellation with Tyche - the goddess of prosperity, who usually carried a cornucopia with her.


Tyukhe – goddess of prosperity

Another bright star of the constellation - Windemiatrix, (Vindemiatrix - Latin “winemaker”). It was believed that this was the young man Ampelus, transformed into a star, the beloved of Dionysus, the god of the fruitful forces of the earth and winemaking.


Ampelus, lover of Dionysus

Virgo in astrology

Virgo is one of the 12 zodiac constellations recorded by Ptolemy in the second century
Virgo - the sixth constellation of the Zodiac circle
August 23 - September 23

Polarity - yin/feminine sign, negative sign.
Colors - brown, gray.
Metal – tin.
Stones - jasper, cat's eye, agate, carnelian.
Plants - asters, poppies, pansies, chamomile, coltsfoot, mint, all medicinal herbs and grains.
Animals - dogs and all domestic animals.

Virgos born in different decades are different from each other.
1. Virgos born in the first ten days - from August 24 to September 2 - are influenced by the Sun. They are calm, intelligent, hardy, stable, and have a sense of duty.

2. Virgos born in the second decade - from September 3 to 11 - are influenced by Venus. They are secretive, shy, indecisive, and pedantic.

3. Virgos born in the third decade - from September 12 to 22 - are influenced by Mercury. They are resourceful, cunning, pragmatic, lazy, and start a family late.

In astrology, Virgo is a symbol of chastity and virtue, as well as purity and justice. Perhaps this is why people born under this sign have very high demands on their partners. It is difficult for a mere mortal to live up to her high ideals.

Virgos perceive the world not with feeling, but with reason. Moreover, they do not think, but analyze.
Suffice it to say that a prominent representative of those born in this sign is Agatha Christie.
They believe that everything in the world should have meaning and be useful. In everything they strive for maximum order.
They calculate, provide for, systematize everything - at work and at home.
Virgos have their feet firmly on the ground. Their thoughts do not rush to the heavenly spheres, but hover around earthly problems. Changing an established way of life is not in their rules.

As a rule, meticulous to the smallest detail, representatives of this sign know how to put everything into order, although sometimes they do not see the main thing.

Most Virgos are thrifty and like to save for a rainy day. They need their desire to accumulate material values ​​for confidence in the future and for a secure old age.
Favorite words are efficiency and economy.
Virgos make excellent hosts.
Where the Virgins live, reigns full order.

Virgo's mission is to fight chaos and restore order in the Universe.

http://spacegid.com/sozvezdie-deva.html
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgo_(constellation)
http://v-kosmose.com/sozvezdie-deva/
http://2i.by/virgo/
http://rozamira.ucoz.ru/publ/astrologija/sozvezdija/deva/52-1-0-1084
https://vgoroskope.ru/astrowiki/deva-sozvezdie#
http://tvoimir.eu/sun-in-zodiac-signs-virgo/
https://www.chitalnya.ru/work/293422/
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find out the author of the poem.