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Virgo the Modest Maiden

VirgosymbolThe Oracles Library reveals the next zodiac sign—Virgo. The astrological sign Virgo is now associated with the autumn equinox when the hours of daylight and darkness of night become balanced. This role is traditionally reserved for Libra ‘the balance’, but precession has caused the autumn equinox to drift into the constellation Virgo. The appearance of Virgo now shifts us into the hours of dark, when the night becomes longer than the day. Virgo is Latin for ‘virgin’ in the way it translates to ‘self-contained’ or ‘self-sufficient’—the maiden who bears the sixth sign of the Tropical Zodiac. Virgo spans from 150° to 180° on the Zodiac Belt, as it as it welcomes the harvest season and the second half of each year.

Virgo Zodiac Sign Profile

In Sidereal Astrology, if you were born between September 16th and October 15th your Sun sign is Virgo. This means the Sun transited through the constellation Virgo at the given time of birth. In Tropical Astrology, the sign Virgo is given to anyone born from the dates August 23rd to September 22nd.

Virgo is an Earth sign that initiates the change of seasons when the heat of summer mellows down to the subtle warmth of autumn. The Earth at this time comes to life with color, as the harvest blossoms and autumn leaves fire with brilliant hues of red, yellow and orange. The tropical zodiac sign Virgo is ruled by the planet Mercury. Those born under Virgo are independent folk with a nurturing attitude and a calming aura. The Maiden is the first to relate to others and prefers to keep matters organized and refined.

Myths and Legends of the Maiden

Across many myths of the ancient world, the constellation Virgo is a sign of purity and fertility represented by the maiden. In Greek myth, Virgo is often associated with the harvest goddess Persephone daughter of Demeter who is stolen by god of the Underworld Hades. Demeter then spoils the harvest in distress, until the maiden returns once again with the season of spring. Persephone must live a third of the year in the Underworld which causes her mother to neglect the crops each winter. This tale coincides with the appearance of Virgo in the March skies and the disappearance of the constellation in August—a symbol of the seasons. Another rendition of this telling existed in ancient Babylon with Ishtar as the goddess who descended to the Underworld to find her husband Tammuz god of the Harvest.

The Mesopotamian constellation “The Furrow” is also seen as Virgo represented by the common symbol of the maiden—the ear of grain of the goddess Shala. The brightest star Spica thus translates to ‘ear of grain’ in Latin. In another way, Virgo is associated with lady justice. Astraea is the virgin maiden who stands for justice and nurtures humanity. She ascended to the stars to become the constellation Virgo and her scales to weigh justice were placed alongside her in the constellation Libra.

Stargazing the Constellation Virgo

Virgo is the largest zodiac constellation and second in the sky marked with the brilliant star Spica. It is located on the cross of the celestial equator and holds many interesting astronomical objects.

The stars of Virgo are rich in extrasolar planetary systems. The star Chi Virginis is home to one of the largest planets ever found—over 11 times the size of our own giant Jupiter! A star much like our Sun—61 Virginis holds a super-Earth along with two Neptune size planets. The constellation is also rich in galaxies packed in tight clusters with the most famous Virgo Cluster—ranging from elliptical to spiral such as the unique Sombrero Galaxy. In addition, Virgo is a noisy source of radio emissions which are assumed to be sourced from the center of each galaxy where resides in each, a super-massive black hole. Virgo also holds the first quasar ever identified known as 3C 273—also the brightest to the naked eye.

The Virginid meteors can be seen emanating from the constellation Virgo between February and May. These meteors peak in March and April with about one to two meteors per hour. Virgo can be spotted by drawing the curved handle of the Big Dipper all the way through Arcturus in Bootes to the bright star Spica. The constellation Virgo is located between Leo and Libra. It is best viewed during the late spring and early summer months in the Northern Hemisphere.

Thank you for reading at the Oracle’s Library! Are you a Virgo? Please comment and share your thoughts on the Maiden.

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