Alpha Virginis A/B

Spica in conjunction with the Sun (the dot below the Sun, not the brighter dot to the left of the Sun) each year around 17 October. Photo: NASA SOHO.
Observation data Epoch J2000
Constellation	Virgo
Right ascension	13h 25m 11.6s
Declination	-11° 09' 41"
Apparent magnitude (V)	+0.98
Characteristics
Spectral type	B1III-IV/B2V
B-V color index	-0.23
U-B color index	-0.93
Variable type	Beta Cephei, Eclipsing binary
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)	+1 km/s
Proper motion (μ)	RA: -42.50 mas/yr Dec.: -31.73 mas/yr
Parallax (π)	12.44 ± 0.86 mas
Distance	262 ly (80 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)	-3.55
Details
Mass	11/7 M☉
Radius	7.8/4.0 R☉
Luminosity	13,400/1,700 L☉
Temperature	22,400/18,500 K
Metallicity	?
Rotation	?
Age	? years
Other designations
Spica, Azimech, 角宿一, Spica Virginis, Alaraph, Dana, α Virginis, 67 Virginis, HR 5056, BD -10°3672, HD 116658, GCTP 18144, FK5 498, CCDM 13252-1109, SAO 157923, HIP 65474.

Spica (α Vir / α Virginis / Alpha Virginis) is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo, and one of the brightest stars in the nighttime sky. Image File history File links Spica-sun-soho. ... NASA Logo Listen to this article · (info) This audio file was created from the revision dated 2005-09-01, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ... The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) is a spacecraft launched in 1995 to study the sun. ... In astronomy, an epoch is a moment in time for which celestial coordinates or orbital elements are specified. ... Orion is a remarkable constellation, visible from most places on the globe (but not always the whole year long). ... See VIRGO (physics) for a French-Italian project in physics. ... Right ascension (RA; symbol α: Greek letter alpha) is the astronomical term for one of the two coordinates of a point on the celestial sphere when using the equatorial coordinate system. ... In astronomy, declination (dec) is one of the two coordinates of the equatorial coordinate system, the other being either right ascension or hour angle. ... The apparent magnitude (m) of a star, planet or other heavenly body is a measure of its apparent brightness; that is, the amount of light received from the object. ... In astronomy, stellar classification is a classification of stars based initially on photospheric temperature and its associated spectral characteristics, and subsequently refined in terms of other characteristics. ... Shanil Davendra Singh rules 4 life! ... Shanil Davendra Singh rules 4 life! ... Most stars are of nearly constant luminosity. ... Astrometry is a part of astronomy and deals with the positions of stars and other celestial bodies, their distances and movements. ... Radial velocity is the velocity of an object in the direction of the line of sight. ... kilometre per second is an SI derived unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector), signified by the symbol km/s or km s-1. ... The proper motion of a star is the motion of the position of the star in the sky (the change in direction in which we see it, as opposed to the radial velocity) after eliminating the improper motions of the stars, which affect their measured coordinates but are not real... A milliarcsecond (m, mas) , or a thoundsanth of an arcsecond. ... A year is the time between two recurrences of an event related to the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. ... A milliarcsecond (m, mas) , or a thoundsanth of an arcsecond. ... A year is the time between two recurrences of an event related to the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. ... Parallax (Greek: παραλλαγή (parallagé) = alteration) is the change of angular position of two stationary points relative to each other as seen by an observer, due to the motion of said observer. ... A milliarcsecond (m, mas) , or a thoundsanth of an arcsecond. ... The distance between two points is the length of a straight line segment between them. ... A light year, abbreviated ly, is the distance light travels in one year: roughly 9. ... The parsec (symbol pc) is a unit of length used in astronomy. ... In astronomy, absolute magnitude is the apparent magnitude, m, an object would have if it were at a standardized distance away. ... Mass is a property of physical objects that, roughly speaking, measures the amount of matter they contain. ... In astronomy, the solar mass is a unit of mass used to express the mass of stars and larger objects such as galaxies. ... RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial In User Service) is an AAA (authentication, authorization and accounting) protocol for applications such as network access or IP mobility. ... In astronomy, the solar radius is a unit of length used to express the size of stars and larger objects such as galaxies. ... Luminosity has different meanings in several different fields of science. ... The solar luminosity is a unit of luminosity (power emitted in the form of photons) conventionally used by astronomers to give the luminosities of stars. ... Temperature is the physical property of a system which underlies the common notions of hot and cold; the material with the higher temperature is said to be hotter. ... The kelvin (symbol: K) is the SI unit of temperature, and is one of the seven SI base units. ... In astronomy, the metallicity of an object is the proportion of its matter made up of chemical elements other than hydrogen and helium. ... Rotation of a planar figure around a point Rotation of a planar body is the movement when points of the body travel in circular trajectories around a fixed point called the center of rotation. ... The Pleiades star cluster A star is a massive body of plasma in outer space that is currently producing or has produced energy through nuclear fusion. ... A year is the time between two recurrences of an event related to the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. ... In astronomy, many stars are referred to simply by catalogue numbers. ... In astronomy, many stars are referred to simply by catalogue numbers. ... In astronomy, many stars are referred to simply by catalogue numbers. ... The Henry Draper Catalogue is an astronomy catalogue with astrometric and spectroscopic data about more than 225,000 stars. ... In astronomy, many stars are referred to simply by catalogue numbers. ... The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) is a research institute of the Smithsonian Institution headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where it is joined with the Harvard College Observatory (HCO) to form the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA). ... In astronomy, many stars are referred to simply by catalogue numbers. ... Alpha (uppercase Α, lowercase α) is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. ... Orion is a remarkable constellation, visible from most places on the globe (but not always the whole year long). ... See VIRGO (physics) for a French-Italian project in physics. ... Bright stars can be bright because they produce more light, because they are closer to us, or both. ...

In Chinese astronomy, the stars is known as Jiao Xiu 1 (角宿一) in Jiao Xiu, one of the Chinese constellations. In Hindu astronomy, Spica corresponds to the Nakshatra Chitra. Horn Mansion (角宿) is a constellation in Chinese astronomy. ... Chinese constellations are different from the western constellations, due to the independent development of ancient Chinese astronomy. ... A Hindu is an adherent of Hinduism, the predominant religious, philosophical and cultural systems of Bharat (India) and Nepal. ... The Hindu calendar is of two types: the solar calendar or the saura māna the lunisolar calendar or the chāndra māna Both are described in this article. ... In Astrology the lunar mansions are a division of the Ecliptic similar to the Zodiac. ...

Spica is believed to be the star that provided Hipparchus with the data which enabled him to discover precession of the equinoxes. A temple to Menat (an early Hathor) at Thebes was oriented with reference to Spica when it was constructed in 3200 BC and, over time, precession resulted in a slow but noticeable change in the location of Spica relative to the temple. Nicolaus Copernicus made many observations of Spica with his home-made triquetrum for his researches on precession. Hipparchus (Greek Ἳππαρχος) (ca. ... There are two types of precession, torque-free and torque-induced, the latter being discussed here in more detail. ... Illumination of Earth by Sun on the day of equinox In astronomy, an equinox is defined as the moment when the sun reaches one of two intersections between the ecliptic and the celestial equator. ... The word temple has different meanings in the fields of architecture, religion, geography, anatomy, and education. ... Statue of Hathor (Luxor Museum) // The divine waterway In Egyptian mythology, Hathor (Egyptian for house of Horus) was originally a personification of the Milky Way, which was seen as the milk that flowed from the udders of a heavenly cow. ... Thebes [Θηβαι Thēbai] is the Greek designation of ancient Egyptian niwt (The) City and niwt-rst (The) Southern City. It is located about 800 km south of the Mediterranean, on the east bank of the Nile. ... (33rd century BC - 32nd century BC - 31st century BC - other centuries) (5th millennium BC - 4th millennium BC - 3rd millennium BC) Events Ancient Egypt: Earliest known Egyptian hieroglyphs Crete: Rise of Minoan civilization Neolithic settlement built at Skara Brae in the Orkney Islands, Scotland New Stone Age people in Ireland build... Mikołaj Kopernik (February 19, 1473–May 24, 1543), more commonly known by the Latin form Nicolaus Copernicus, was a Polish astrologer, astronomer, mathematician and economist, mainly remembered for developing a scientifically useful heliocentric (Sun-centered) theory of the solar system. ... Drawing of a triquetrum by Wilhelm Schickard, Basel University Library A triquetrum, or three-staff, is an ancient astronomical instrument developed by Ptolemy in the 2nd century A.D. Comprised of two intersecting arms hinged to a vertical post, the triquetrum enabled calculation of the angular elevation of a heavenly...

The name Spica derives from Latin spīca virginis "Virgo's ear of grain" (usually wheat). Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Species T. boeoticum T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta References:   ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 Wheat (Triticum spp. ...

Spica is an eclipsing binary like Algol. Its apparent magnitude varies between +0,92 and +0,98, with a period of 4.0142 days. This slight dip in magnitude is barely noticeable visually. It is also a variable of the Beta Cephei type. An eclipsing binary star is a binary star in which the orbit plane of the two stars lies so nearly in the line of sight of the observer that the components undergo mutual eclipses. ... ALGOL (short for ALGOrithmic Language) is a family of imperative computer programming languages originally developed in the mid 1950s which became the de facto standard way to report algorithms in print for almost the next 30 years. ... The apparent magnitude (m) of a star, planet or other heavenly body is a measure of its apparent brightness; that is, the amount of light received from the object. ... The orbital period is the time it takes a planet (or another object) to make one full orbit. ... Most stars are of nearly constant luminosity. ... Beta Cephei variables are variable stars which exhibit variations in their brightness due to pulsations of the stars surfaces. ...

Located close to the ecliptic, Spica can be eclipsed by the Moon and (rarely) by the planets. The last planetary eclipse of Spica occurred when Venus passed in front of the star (as seen from Earth) on November 10, 1783. The next eclipse will occur September 2, 2197, when Venus again passes in front of Spica. The plane of the ecliptic is well seen in this picture from the 1994 lunar prospecting Clementine spacecraft. ... Photo taken during the French 1999 eclipse An eclipse (Greek verb: ecleipo, to cease existing or calypse, to cover ) is an astronomical event that occurs when one celestial object moves into the shadow of another. ... Crust composition Oxygen 43% Silicon 21% Aluminium 10% Calcium 9% Iron 9% Magnesium 5% Titanium 2% Nickel 0. ... A planet is generally considered to be a relatively large mass of accreted matter in orbit around a star that is not a star itself. ... (*min temperature refers to cloud tops only) Atmospheric characteristics Atmospheric pressure 9. ... Earth, also known as Terra, and (mostly in the 19th century) Tellus, is the third-closest planet to the Sun. ... 1783 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... September 2 is the 245th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (246th in leap years). ... An omnibus album created under the direction of Mr. ...

An easy way to find Spica is to follow the arc of the handle of the Big Dipper to Arcturus, and then continue on the same distance to Spica ("follow the arc to Arcturus and speed on to Spica"). Ursa Major is a constellation visible throughout the year in the northern hemisphere. ... Arcturus Are you looking for the musical ensemble Arcturus (band)? Are you looking for the star Arcturus (star)? This is a disambiguation page — a list of articles associated with the same title. ...

In medieval astrology, it was a Behenian fixed star, associated with the emerald and sage. In his De Occulta Philosophia, Cornelius Agrippa attributes its kabbalistic symbol to Hermes Trismegistus. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ... An astrological chart (or horoscope) - Y2K Chart — This particular chart is calculated for January 1, 2000 at 12:01:00 A.M. Eastern Standard Time in New York City, New York, USA. (Longitude: 074W0023 - Latitude: 40N4251), using the tropical zodiac Astrology (from Greek: αστρολογία = άστρον, astron, star + λόγος, logos, word) is... List of Behenian Stars Caput Algol (Algols head, associated with the head of Gorgona), Pleiades (actually, several stars), Aldebaran, Alhayhoch, Canis Maior (actually, a constellation, like the next one), Canis Minor, Cor Leonis (Hearth of the Lion), Cauda Urse (Tail of the Bear), Ala Corvi (Wing of the crow... For other things of this name, see Emerald (disambiguation). ... Species see List of Salvia species Sage is a term used for plants of the genus Salvia of the mint family, Lamiaceae. ... Libri tres de occulta philosophia (Latin: Three Books about Occult Philosophy) is Heinrich Cornelius Agrippas penetrating study of Occult Philosophy, widely acknowledged as a significant contribution to the Renaissance philosophical discussion concerning the powers of magic and its relationship with religion. ... Cornelius Agrippa, as portrayed in Libri tres de occulta philosophia Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim (born in Köln September 14, 1486 - died in Grenoble February 18, 1535) was a magician and occult writer, astrologer, and alchemist. ... The tree of life Kabbalah (קבלה Reception, Standard Hebrew Qabbala, Tiberian Hebrew Qabbālāh; also written variously as Cabala, Cabalah, Cabbala, Cabbalah, Kabala, Kabalah, Kabbala, Qabala, Qabalah) is a religious philosophical system claiming an insight into divine nature. ... Image File history File links after Agrippa File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Hermes Trismegistus (Greek for Hermes the thrice-greatest, Greek: Ερμης ο Τρισμεγιστος) or Mercurius ter Maximus in Latin, is the syncretism of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian Thoth. ...

Other uses

Spica is also a character in the Matantei Loki Ragnarok Manga by Sakura Kinoshita. She plays as Loki's lost wife and also a Giantess.

External links

• Spika, the first Slovene astronomical magazine, edited by Bojan Kambič and published since 1995 (Slovene)
• Astrospica, an astronomical image gallery named for Spica. (Spanish)
• Tables of past and future eclipses of bright stars by the inner planets. (German).
• Bright Star Catalogue