The primary star in the system is halfway between a subgiant and giant on the evolutionary scale. With a mass more than 10 times that of the Sun, Spica A is one of the nearest stars to Earth that are massive enough to end their life in a Type II supernova event.
The primary component is responsible for about 80 percent of the light that comes from the star system. Spica is classified as a Beta Cephei variable. It exhibits variations in brightness over a 0. The two components in the Spica star system are so close together — only 0. As a result of their proximity, the gravity distorts both stars into an egg-like shape, with their pointed ends facing each other. Spica in Virgo constellation. Image: Torsten Bronger.
The stars have different orientations during different phases of their orbits and, as they are distorted in shape, their apparent diameter changes over the course of an orbit.
Spica is a rotating ellipsoidal variable, which means that the two stars in the system are distorted by their gravitational interaction. The system is a non-eclipsing binary, with neither star passing in front of the other from our point of view. Spica exhibits variations in magnitude of 0.
Spica B, the secondary member of the star system, belongs to the spectral class B2 V, which means that it is still on the main sequence. It is smaller and less massive than the main component, with only 7 solar masses. Elizabeth Howell is a contributing writer for Space. She is the author or co-author of several books on space exploration.
Elizabeth holds a Ph. She also holds a bachelor of journalism degree from Carleton University in Canada, where she began her space-writing career in Besides writing, Elizabeth teaches communications at the university and community college level, and for government training schools. To see her latest projects, follow Elizabeth on Twitter at howellspace.
Elizabeth Howell. It formally applies only to the component Alpha Virginis Aa. The star has been known by many other names throughout history. The German uranographer Johann Bayer used the name Arista. The asterism occupied about a third of the sky. Spica is part of two prominent spring asterisms, the Spring Triangle and the Great Diamond , also known as the Diamond of Virgo.
Spica is located in the constellation Virgo. Like other zodiac constellations , Virgo is one of the Greek constellations , first listed by Ptolemy in the 2nd century CE.
It is the second largest constellation in the sky, after Hydra , occupying an area of 1, square degrees. Virgo contains as many as 11 Messier objects bright deep sky objects catalogued by the 18th century French astronomer and comet hunter Charles Messier , most of them part of the Virgo Cluster , the nearest large galaxy cluster to our galaxy.
Its brightest members are visible in small telescopes. The centre of the cluster is found within the Spring Triangle , about halfway between Denebola in Leo and Vindemiatrix in Virgo. Virgo is also home to the famous Sombrero Galaxy Messier , located The best time of year to observe the stars and deep sky objects of Virgo is during the month of May. The 10 brightest stars in Virgo are Spica Alpha Vir, mag. Spica by admin Register Don't have an account? Edit source History Talk 0.
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