Spica

Spica (meaning ear of corn ), also α Virginis, Azimech or Alaraph called, is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo, and the fünfzehnthellste star in the night sky.

In the constellation Virgo is Spica, the ear of corn in the hand of the Virgin dar. In Mesopotamia Spica was under dšala šubultu (God / Goddess Schala, the ear of corn ), and later the divine virgin ear of corn, known. The Romans believed to see in Spica the goddess Ceres. Roman names are Spicum, Spigha, Stachys (from gr stakhum ear of corn ) and Aristae Puella ( Kornmädchen ).

Spica is an eclipsing variable star, similar to the Beta Cephei stars as Algol. The brightness of Spica changed with a period of 4.0142 days between 0.92 and 0.98 might like. This low brightness variation is visually barely noticeable.

Both components of Spica belong to spectral type B (B1 to B4), with the brighter star is near the end of its stable time as a main sequence star. The two stars are among the hottest of the bright stars in the night sky. Due to the high temperature, a large part of the light is emitted in the invisible ultraviolet region.

The brighter star has a temperature of 22,400 K and a 13,500 -fold solar luminosity. The radius is 7.8 times the solar radius and extends to almost 30 % of the distance of the two stars. The mass of the brighter star is eleven times the sun. That's enough to leave only the star as a supernova.

The not so known less bright companion star has a surface temperature of 18,500 K, 1,700 times the solar luminosity, four times the solar radius and slightly less than seven times the sun's mass.

Spica can (very rarely) be covered by the planet as ekliptiknaher star from the moon and. The last time was covered by a planetary Spica on November 10, 1783 by Venus, the next occultation will take place on September 2, 2197 again by Venus.

Spica is displayed in the flag of Brazil, where he represented the state of Pará.

  • Virgo ( constellation )
  • Binary star
  • Individual star of first magnitude and brighter

Pictures of Spica

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