Virgo is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for maiden, and its old astronomical symbol is . Between Leo to the west and Libra to the east, it is the second-largest constellation in the sky and the largest constellation in the zodiac. The ecliptic intersects the celestial equator within this constellation and Pisces. Underlying these technical two definitions, the sun passes directly overhead of the equator, within this constellation, at the September equinox. Virgo can be easily found through its brightest star, Spica.
The constellation Virgo
The Lenticular galaxy Sombrero Galaxy
The shadow of the central black hole in the galaxy Messier 87 in Virgo, obtained by the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration. This is the first direct image of a black hole.
Virgo as depicted in Urania's Mirror, a set of constellation cards published in London c.1825
The zodiac is a belt-shaped region of the sky that extends approximately 8° north and south of the ecliptic, the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. Also within this zodiac belt appear the Moon and the brightest planets, along their orbital planes. The zodiac is divided along the ecliptic into 12 equal parts ("signs"), each occupying 30° of celestial longitude. These signs roughly correspond to the astronomical constellations with the following modern names: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.
The Earth's orbit around the Sun causes the apparent motion of the latter along the ecliptic (red). Earth is axially tilted 23.4° relative to this plane; its equator, extended to the stars, is shown in light blue.
Astrophotos of the twelve zodiac constellations
A sixth-century mosaic zodiac wheel in synagogue Beth Alpha incorporating Greek-Byzantine elements, Israel
The 1st century BC Dendera zodiac (19th-century engraving)
