Spica, a bright and somewhat mysterious star in the constellation Vir, is located approximately 228 light-years from Earth and known as a ‘67Alp Vir’ stellar designation. Its magnitude of 0.98 places it firmly in the apparent brightness category of stars

The readily recognized star Spica's notoriety stems from its peculiar arrangement within the Vir constellation. It stands out as a relatively prominent star within this constellation, exhibiting a roughly elliptical shape. This feature is significant in the context of stellar evolution, as even brighter stars tend to be less prominent. Observations reveal that Spicas movement across the sky is relatively constant over time, leading to a subtle, albeit noticeable, visual effect in astronomical observations.

Often considered a visual landmark, the discovery of Spica’s location provides a key identifier for viewers studying the overall structure and arrangement of the Vir constellation. This particular alignment suggests a potential rotational relationship between several constellations, which has been studied by astronomical societies over years.

Given the relatively modest magnitude of the star, there is a possibility a relatively low concentration of stars in the region could impact the clarity of its view. Without a robust and carefully calibrated visual survey, its visibility to casual observers remains somewhat challenging to comprehensively quantify, though its location within the Vir constellation guarantees it is visible to most.

How to see it

Spica has a visual magnitude of about 0.98: under a reasonably dark sky it is typically reachable with the unaided eye.

Sky position

Equatorial coordinates for Spica: right ascension 13h 25m 12s, declination −11° 9′ 41″ (J2000), in the region of the Virgo constellation (IAU figure Vir).

Virgo — Explore by constellation

Catalog context

Spica. It appears in classical and modern catalogs as Bayer/Flamsteed designation 67Alp Vir, HIP 65474, HD 116658, Gaia DR3 HYG-HIP-65474. In the SkyKeepsake Virgo (Vir) browse hub it sits with other stars of the same IAU figure.

Catalog identifiers

Gaia

Gaia DR3 HYG-HIP-65474

HIP

65474

HD

116658

gaia_dr3

HYG-HIP-65474

Bayer / Flamsteed

67Alp Vir

Also known as

• 67Alp Vir
• Gaia DR3 TOP 5M HYG-HIP-65474
• HD 116658
• HIP 65474
• HYG-HIP-65474

Observed properties

Visual magnitude

0.98