| Virgo (The Virgin) |
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A zodiacal constellation and the second-largest in the sky. It is one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy (c. AD 140). The brightest star is the first magnitude Spica, and there are seven others brighter than fourth magnitude. The constellation contains the rich and relatively nearby Virgo Cluster of galaxies. Eleven of the brighter galaxies are listed in the Messier Catalogue. See also: Table 4. |