Virgo (astronomy)

Virgo (astronomy) (Latin for “the virgin”), a constellation, usually represented as a maiden holding a sheaf of grain. It is a zodiacal constellation—that is, a constellation located along the ecliptic (the apparent annual path of the sun across the sky) (see Zodiac). Virgo was known in ancient times as a fertility or a harvest symbol. It contains the first-magnitude star Spica or a Virginis, and a large number of variable stars (see Star). It is famous for its nebulas, of which over 500 have been identified. See Nebula.