Virgo

Virgo as defined in the 1920s. IAU and Sky & Telescope

Virgo, The Maiden, is a constellation in the zodiac. It is documented since the 4th century BCE (at least). Prior to this, there had been the constellation of The Furrow at this place.

Etymology and History of the Constellation Name

Who is depicted here?

History of Naming the Region

Mediaeval and Renaissance Time

Origin of Constellation

Leo and Virgo above the MUŠ-Dragon, two claytablet drawings from the Seleucid era (roughly 2nd century BCE), CC BY SMH based upon the drawings by E. Weidner (1967) and Thureau-Dangin (1922).

Kugel Globe: Cancer, Leo, Hydra, Virgo (drawing by SMH 2024)

Almagest

id	Greek (Heiberg 1898)	English (Toomer 1984)	ident.
1
2
3
4
5
6

Transformation of constellation image

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  Sco-Lib+Furrow+Leo in Stellarium "MUL.APIN"

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  Leo and Virgo above the MUŠ-Dragon, two claytablet drawings from the Seleucid era (roughly 2nd century BCE), CC BY SMH based upon the drawings by E. Weidner (1967) and Thureau-Dangin (1922).

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  Leo+Hya+Vir drawings of VAT7847+AO6884 on Stellarium map

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  Drawing of the Babylonian version of the Maiden constellation by Papke (1987)

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  Leo and Vir above Hydra on the circular Dendera Zodiac, mapped to Stellarium

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  Cancer, Leo, Virgo above Hydra on Greek Kugel Globe (1st century)

Weblinks

• Ridpath, Ian, “Star Tales: online edition”.