Virgo Zodiac Star Map
Virgo, the sixth sign of the zodiac, is the largest zodiacal constellation and the second-largest in the entire sky. Governed by Mercury, it embodies precision, analysis and attention to detail. Give a star map that immortalises this majestic constellation as it appeared at a precious moment in their life.
The perfect gift for a Virgo: a personalised star map that appeals to their taste for perfection. Whether for a birthday between August 23 and September 22, a graduation or a retirement, this map captures the sky with the precision they appreciate. A present as elegant as their mind.
Key Stars
Spica
Alpha Virginis, magnitude 1.0. The brightest star in Virgo and the fifteenth-brightest in the night sky. Spica is actually a binary system of two massive blue stars so close together that they deform each other. Its Latin name means “ear of wheat,” referring to the sheaf the Maiden holds in her hand.
Vindemiatrix
Epsilon Virginis, magnitude 2.8. Its Latin name means “the grape-gatherer”: its heliacal rising once heralded the start of the grape harvest in the Mediterranean. Located 102 light-years away, it is a yellow giant marking the right arm of the Maiden. It serves as a useful landmark for locating the Virgo Cluster of galaxies.
Porrima
Gamma Virginis, magnitude 2.7. Porrima is a superb double star composed of two nearly identical stars orbiting each other over 169 years. Named after a Roman goddess of prophecy and childbirth, it is a delight for telescope observers when the two components are well separated.
Mythology
In Greek mythology, the constellation Virgo is most commonly associated with Astraea, goddess of justice and innocence. Daughter of Zeus and Themis, Astraea lived among mortals during the Golden Age, a blessed era when humanity dwelt in harmony with nature and the gods. She was the last of the immortals to remain on Earth.
But as the ages passed — Silver, Bronze, then Iron — humans grew ever more corrupt and violent. Disgusted by humanity’s moral decay, Astraea left Earth for the heavens, where she became the constellation Virgo. The scales of justice she carried became the neighbouring constellation Libra.
Other traditions identify Virgo with Persephone, daughter of Demeter, whose abduction by Hades explains the cycle of the seasons. When Persephone dwells in the Underworld, her mother plunges the world into winter; when she returns, the earth blossoms anew. The star Spica, the ear of wheat held by the Maiden, recalls this ancient link to harvest and fertility.
When to observe
The Virgo constellation is visible from April to July in the northern hemisphere. In May and June it culminates high in the evening sky. Spica, its brightest star, is easy to locate: follow the arc of the Big Dipper’s handle to Arcturus in Boötes, then continue the curve to Spica. This is the well-known “arc to Arcturus, spike to Spica” technique.