Virgo is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for maiden, and its old astronomical symbol is . Between Leo to the west and Libra to the east, it is the second-largest constellation in the sky and the largest constellation in the zodiac. The ecliptic intersects the celestial equator within this constellation and Pisces. Underlying these technical two definitions, the sun passes directly overhead of the equator, within this constellation, at the September equinox. Virgo can be easily found through its brightest star, Spica.
Hydra is the largest of the 88 modern constellations, measuring 1303 square degrees, and also the longest at over 100 degrees. Its southern end borders Libra and Centaurus and its northern end borders Cancer. It was included among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy. Commonly represented as a water snake, it straddles the celestial equator.
The Virgo Cluster is a large cluster of galaxies whose center is 53.8 ± 0.3 Mly away in the constellation Virgo. Comprising approximately 1,300 member galaxies, the cluster forms the heart of the larger Virgo Supercluster, of which the Local Group is a member. The Local Group actually experiences the mass of the Virgo Supercluster as the Virgocentric flow. It is estimated that the Virgo Cluster's mass is 1.2×1015M☉ out to 8 degrees of the cluster's center or a radius of about 2.2 Mpc.
Messier 91 is a barred spiral galaxy that is found in the south of Coma Berenices. It is in the local supercluster and is part of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies. It is about 63 million light-years away from our galaxy. It was the last of a group of eight "nebulae" – the term 'galaxy' only coming into use for these objects once it was realized in the 20th century that they were extragalactic – discovered by Charles Messier in 1781. It is the faintest object in the Messier catalog, with an apparent magnitude of 10.2.
The Sculptor Galaxy is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Sculptor. The Sculptor Galaxy is a starburst galaxy, which means that it is currently undergoing a period of intense star formation.
A Hickson Compact Group is a collection of galaxies designated as published by Paul Hickson in 1982.
NGC 5829 is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Boötes. It is 281 million light-years away from Earth and was discovered by astronomer, Edouard Stephan in May 1882.
NGC 3718, also called Arp 214, is a galaxy located approximately 52 million light years from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major. It is either a lenticular or spiral galaxy.
NGC 4699 is an intermediate spiral galaxy located in the constellation Virgo. It is located at a distance of about 65 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 4699 is about 85,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1786. It is a member of the NGC 4699 Group of galaxies, which is a member of the Virgo II Groups, a series of galaxies and galaxy clusters strung out from the southern edge of the Virgo Supercluster.
NGC 4429 is a lenticular galaxy located about 55 million light-years away in the constellation of Virgo. NGC 4429 is tilted at an inclination of about 75° which means that the galaxy is tilted almost edge-on as seen from Earth. NGC 4429 was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on March 15, 1784. The galaxy is a member of the Virgo Cluster.
NGC 1191 is a lenticular galaxy approximately 406 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation of Eridanus. It was discovered by American astronomer Francis Leavenworth on December 2, 1885 with the 26" refractor at Leander McCormick Observatory.
NGC 1192 is a lenticular galaxy approximately 417 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation of Eridanus. It was discovered by American astronomer Francis Leavenworth on December 2, 1885 with the 26" refractor at Leander McCormick Observatory.
NGC 3893 is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Ursa Major. It is located at a distance of circa 50 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 3893 is about 70,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on February 9, 1788. NGC 3893 interacts with its satellite, NGC 3896.
NGC 4665, also catalogued as NGC 4624 and NGC 4664, is a barred lenticular or spiral galaxy located in the constellation Virgo. It is a member of the Virgo II Groups, a series of galaxies and galaxy clusters strung out from the southern edge of the Virgo Supercluster. It is located at a distance of circa 60 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 4665 is about 75,000 light years across. NGC 4665 lies 2 and 3/4 degrees east-south east of Delta Virginis and 50 arcminutes southwest of 35 Virginis. It can be viewed through a moderately sized telescope with 23x magnification, forming a pair with an 11th magnitude star 1.5 arcminutes southwest. It is part of the Herschel 400 Catalogue.
NGC 5363 is a lenticular galaxy located in the constellation Virgo. It is located at a distance of circa 65 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 5363 is about 100,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on January 19, 1784. It is a member of the NGC 5364 Group of galaxies, itself one of the Virgo III Groups strung out to the east of the Virgo Supercluster of galaxies.
NGC 3748 is a lenticular galaxy with a bar located in the Leo constellation. It is located 440 million light-years away from the Solar System and was discovered by Ralph Copeland on April 5, 1874, but also observed by Hermann Kobold, Lawrence Parsons and John Louis Emil Dreyer.
NGC 7609 or known as Arp 150 and HCG 95A, is a large elliptical galaxy located in Pegasus. Its speed relative to the cosmic microwave background is 11,879 km/s, which corresponds the galaxy to be located 554 million light-years away from Earth. NGC 7609 was discovered on October 5, 1864, by Albert Marth and included in Halton Arp's, Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies in galaxies that produces jets.
NGC 3187, also known as HGC 44D, is a large barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Leo. Its velocity relative to the cosmic microwave background is 1,901 ± 22 km/s, which corresponds to a Hubble distance of 28.0 ± 2.0 Mpc. NGC 3187 was discovered by Irish physicist George Stoney in 1850.
NGC 3833 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Virgo, about 280 million light-years from Earth. Discovered by astronomer William Herschel on April 15, 1784, NGC 3833 has a Hubble classification of "Sc," indicating loosely wound spiral arms and a relatively small central bulge. The galaxy spans roughly 1.4 by 0.7 arcminutes in the night sky and shines with an apparent magnitude of around 13.5, making it a faint object suitable for observation with larger telescopes.
NGC 3843 is a lenticular galaxy located in the constellation Virgo, first cataloged by the German-British astronomer William Herschel. Classified as type S0-a, it shows characteristics intermediate between elliptical and spiral galaxies, without prominent spiral arms. The galaxy has a visual magnitude of approximately 13.5, making it relatively faint and challenging to observe without larger telescopes. With an angular size of about 0.9 by 0.4 arcminutes, NGC 3843 is around 270 million light-years from Earth, determined by its redshift of 0.0197.
