Online Encyclopedia

VIRGO (" the Virgin ")

Online Encyclopedia
Originally appearing in Volume V28, Page 127 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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VIRGO (" the Virgin ")  , in astronomy, the
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sixth sign of the zodiac (q.v.), denoted by the symbol l[p . It is also a constellation mentioned by
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Eudoxus (4th century B.C.) and
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Aratus (3rd century B.C.); Ptolemy catalogued 32 stars, Tycho Brahe 33, Hevelius 50 . The Greeks represented this constellation as a virgin, but different fables are current as to the identity of the maid . She is variously considered to be: Justitia, daughter of Astraeus and Ancora, who lived before man sinned, and taught him his duty, and when the
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golden age ended she returned to heaven; according to
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Hesiod the virgin is the daughter of
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Jupiter and
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Themis; others make her to be
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Erigone, daughter of Icarius, or Parthene, daughter of Apollo . The most interesting stars of this constellation are: a Virginis, or Spica, a
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star of the first magnitude with a very faint companion; and ti Virginis, a binary star, having components of the third magnitude .

End of Article: VIRGO (" the Virgin ")
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LUCIUS VIRGINIUS RUFUS (A.D. 15-97)
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CHRISTOBAL DE VIRUS (1550?-1615?)

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