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Virgo

Virgo is a prominent constellation of the zodiac, representing a maiden and situated between Leo to the west and Libra to the east in the southern sky.^[1] It ranks as the second-largest constellation overall, spanning 1,294 square degrees of the celestial sphere, and is the largest among the twelve zodiacal constellations.^[2] Its brightest star, Spica (Alpha Virginis), is a blue-white variable star with an apparent magnitude of 0.98, making it one of the 15 brightest stars visible from Earth.^[2] In astronomical terms, Virgo lies along the ecliptic and is centered at right ascension 13 hours and declination −2 degrees, allowing it to be visible from latitudes between +80° and −80°.^[1] The constellation hosts the Virgo Cluster, a massive gathering of over 1,300 galaxies located approximately 50 million light-years away, including notable deep-sky objects such as the elliptical galaxy Messier 87 (M87) and the Sombrero Galaxy (M104).^[2] Other prominent stars include Vindemiatrix (Epsilon Virginis), a yellow giant, and Porrima (Gamma Virginis), a binary star system resolvable with small telescopes.^[1] Virgo also features several confirmed exoplanets, such as the hot Jupiter WASP-39b orbiting its host star.^[1] Mythologically, Virgo has been associated with figures of justice and harvest across cultures; in Greek tradition, it often depicts Dike, the goddess of justice who fled a corrupt humanity and was placed among the stars, or Demeter (Persephone's mother), symbolizing agricultural bounty.^[2] The constellation's name derives from the Latin virgo meaning "virgin," and its symbol ♍ reflects this imagery.^[2] In the Northern Hemisphere, Virgo is prominent during spring and early summer evenings, rising highest in April, while in the Southern Hemisphere, it appears in autumn and winter.^[1] As a zodiac constellation, Virgo's position along the Sun's apparent path marks the astrological sign spanning late August to late September, though its astronomical significance far exceeds astrological interpretations.^[1]

Natural Sciences

Astronomy: Constellation

Virgo is one of the twelve constellations of the zodiac, recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) as a modern constellation covering an area of 1,294 square degrees, making it the second-largest in the sky after Hydra.^[2] It lies along the ecliptic and is visible to observers at latitudes from +80° to -80°, spanning the celestial equator in the southern sky.^[2] The constellation's boundaries were officially defined by the IAU in 1922, formalizing its inclusion among the 88 modern constellations, though it was originally cataloged as one of the 48 ancient constellations by Ptolemy in the 2nd century CE. The brightest star in Virgo is Alpha Virginis, commonly known as Spica, a binary blue giant system with spectral types B1 III-IV and B2 V, apparent magnitude 0.98, located approximately 260 light-years from Earth, and exhibiting a proper motion of about 44 mas/year in right ascension and -31 mas/year in declination.^[2] Beta Virginis, or Zavijava, is a yellow-white main-sequence star of spectral type F9 V, with an apparent magnitude of 3.59, situated 36 light-years away, and proper motion of 740 mas/year in right ascension and -272 mas/year in declination.^[3] Gamma Virginis, known as Porrima, is a binary system of two F0 V stars, combined apparent magnitude 2.74, at a distance of 38 light-years, with proper motion of -615 mas/year in right ascension and +61 mas/year in declination.^[4] These stars form key points in the constellation's Y-shaped asterism, aiding in its identification. Virgo hosts numerous deep-sky objects, including several from Charles Messier's catalog, such as the elliptical galaxies M49, M58, M59, M60, and M61 in the Virgo Cluster region, as well as M84, M86, and the supergiant elliptical M87, which contains a supermassive black hole imaged in 2019 by the Event Horizon Telescope.^[5]^[6] The constellation is best observed in the evening sky during May in the Northern Hemisphere, when it reaches culmination. It encompasses the autumnal equinox point near Beta Virginis, serving as a reference for the ecliptic in celestial navigation, though no major meteor showers originate from it; the minor April rho Virginids produce a few meteors per hour around late April.^[2] The Virgo Cluster, a dense concentration of over 1,300 galaxies centered near M87, lies within the constellation's boundaries and represents a key structure in studies of local cosmic expansion.^[7] In mythology, Virgo is depicted as a maiden, a representation explored further in the mythology section.

Astronomy: Galactic Structures

The Virgo Cluster represents the nearest major concentration of galaxies to the Milky Way, situated at an approximate distance of 16.5 megaparsecs (about 54 million light-years), and serves as a key laboratory for studying galaxy cluster dynamics on extragalactic scales.^[8] This cluster harbors over 1,300 confirmed member galaxies, spanning a diverse morphological mix dominated by elliptical and lenticular types in the core, with spirals more prevalent in the outskirts.^[9] A prominent example is the giant elliptical galaxy M87, located near the cluster's center, which features a relativistic jet extending thousands of light-years and hosts a supermassive black hole whose shadow was directly imaged in 2019 using the Event Horizon Telescope.^[10] The cluster's recession velocity averages around 1,100 km/s, reflecting its participation in the Hubble flow while exhibiting deviations due to local gravitational influences.^[11] The dynamics of the Virgo Cluster are shaped by a combination of visible baryonic matter, dark matter, and the hot intracluster medium (ICM), a diffuse plasma of ionized gas reaching temperatures of approximately 10^7 K and filling the intergalactic space. X-ray observations reveal this ICM as a glowing halo of thermal bremsstrahlung emission, particularly concentrated in the core around M87, where the gas pressure provides hydrostatic support against the cluster's gravitational potential.^[12] Dark matter, inferred to constitute about 85% of the total mass from velocity dispersions and weak gravitational lensing surveys, dominates the gravitational binding, with evidence from the cluster's non-virialized infall patterns indicating ongoing accretion of surrounding groups.^[13] These lensing effects, observed through distortions in background galaxy shapes, map the dark matter distribution and confirm the cluster's total mass exceeds 10^14 solar masses, underscoring its role in probing the cosmic web's filamentary structure.^[14] Encompassing the Virgo Cluster as its central hub, the Virgo Supercluster—also known as the Local Supercluster—forms a vast assemblage approximately 110 million light-years in diameter, containing the Local Group (which includes the Milky Way) along with over 100 galaxy groups and clusters.^[15] First delineated in the 1950s by Gérard de Vaucouleurs through analysis of galaxy distributions and radial velocities, this structure highlights the hierarchical organization of the universe on scales beyond individual clusters.^[16] Redshift surveys, such as the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey, have refined its mapping by measuring peculiar velocities and revealing filamentary connections that channel matter toward the Virgo core.^[17] In 2014, the Virgo Supercluster was reclassified as part of the larger Laniakea Supercluster, defined by coherent galaxy flows toward the Great Attractor, extending the known extent to over 500 million light-years and emphasizing the embedded nature of local structures within the cosmic web.^[18]

Physics: Interferometer

The Virgo interferometer is a ground-based gravitational-wave detector operated by the Virgo Collaboration at the European Gravitational Observatory (EGO) in Cascina, near Pisa, Italy.^[19] It functions as a Michelson interferometer with two perpendicular arms, each 3 kilometers long, designed to detect minute distortions in spacetime caused by passing gravitational waves from astrophysical sources such as merging black holes or neutron stars.^[19] Commissioning began in 2003, with initial scientific observations starting in 2007, marking it as Europe's primary instrument for gravitational-wave astronomy.^[20] The detector achieves a peak sensitivity to gravitational-wave strains on the order of $10^{-21} in the frequency band of 10–1000 Hz, enabling the observation of events at cosmological distances.^[21] At its core, Virgo employs laser interferometry to measure gravitational waves, which manifest as ripples altering the relative lengths of the interferometer arms. A high-power laser beam is split by a beam splitter and sent along the two arms, where it reflects off suspended mirrors before recombining; any gravitational wave induces a phase shift in the recombined beams due to the differential arm length change \Delta L. The fractional strain h is approximated by the equation

h \approx \frac{\Delta L}{L},

where L = 3 km is the arm length, allowing detection of displacements as small as a fraction of a proton's diameter.^[19] To minimize noise, the 3-km arms are enclosed in ultra-high vacuum chambers spanning 20,000 cubic meters at pressures below $10^{-6} mbar, preventing acoustic and thermal disturbances from interfering with the laser paths.^[21] Seismic isolation is provided by the Superattenuator system, a multi-stage pendulum suspension that attenuates ground vibrations above 1 Hz by factors exceeding $10^6, while the end mirrors are hung from cascaded steel wires and blades to further dampen microseismic and Newtonian noise.^[22] These engineering features collectively suppress environmental noise, enabling Virgo to isolate gravitational signals amid dominant terrestrial disturbances.^[23] The initial Virgo detector operated from 2007 to 2011, collecting data but without confirmed detections due to limited sensitivity.^[20] Upgrades to Advanced Virgo, approved in 2009 and completed by 2017, incorporated frequency-dependent squeezing of the laser light, improved mirror coatings, and enhanced seismic isolation, boosting sensitivity by a factor of 3–10 across frequencies and extending the observable volume by over 1000 times for binary neutron star mergers.^[20] Virgo's first gravitational-wave detection came in 2017 with GW170814, a binary black hole merger observed jointly with the LIGO detectors, confirming the instrument's capability in the global network.^[24] Since joining the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA (LVK) Collaboration, Advanced Virgo has contributed to over 90 detections by the end of 2023; as of August 2025, the total number of confirmed events has reached 218 (GWTC-4 catalog), primarily from compact binary coalescences.^[25] In August 2025, the LVK collaboration released the GWTC-4 catalog, which includes 128 new confirmed events from the early phase of O4. These joint observations leverage the detectors' spatial separation for sky localization and improved signal-to-noise ratios.^[26] Among Virgo's landmark contributions is the detection of GW170817 on August 17, 2017, the first observed binary neutron star merger, which produced a gravitational wave signal followed 1.7 seconds later by a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and subsequent electromagnetic counterparts.^[24] This event ushered in the era of multi-messenger astronomy, allowing precise measurement of the merger's distance (about 40 Mpc) and speed of gravitational waves, which matched the speed of light to within 1 part in $10^{15}, providing stringent tests of general relativity.^[27] The signal's strain amplitude reached approximately $10^{-21}, and its analysis constrained the neutron star equation of state while revealing kilonova emissions from heavy element synthesis.^[24] Subsequent detections have further validated general relativity in strong-field regimes and populated the catalog of stellar-mass black holes and neutron stars.^[25] Virgo's Observing Run 4 (O4), initiated in May 2023, detected over 200 candidates by March 2025 and is scheduled to conclude on November 18, 2025.^[28]^[29] Looking ahead, preparations for Observing Run 5 (O5), expected around 2027–2028, include further upgrades such as increased laser power to 125 W, advanced squeezing for quantum noise reduction, and Newtonian noise cancellation, aiming to double the sensitive distance and detect tens of neutron star mergers per year.^[30] These enhancements will deepen tests of fundamental physics and expand multi-messenger observations, building on Virgo's role in the LVK network at the Cascina site.^[29]

Cultural and Mythological Aspects

Astrology

In astrology, Virgo is the sixth sign of the tropical zodiac, encompassing the period from August 23 to September 22.^[31] It belongs to the earth element, which emphasizes practicality and stability, and operates under the mutable modality, signifying adaptability and flexibility.^[32] Traditionally ruled by the planet Mercury, associated with communication and intellect, some modern astrological systems propose Ceres as an alternative ruler to highlight themes of nurturing and agriculture.^[33] The sign's glyph, often interpreted as an inverted "M" or the stylized form of a maiden's reproductive organs with an inward-curving tail, symbolizes purity, introspection, and enclosure from external chaos.^[34] Virgo's symbolic traits revolve around analytical precision, detail-orientation, and a practical approach to life, often manifesting as perfectionism and a strong sense of service to others.^[35] Individuals influenced by Virgo are typically associated with health consciousness, meticulous organization, and a critical eye that seeks improvement, though this can sometimes lead to self-criticism or nitpicking.^[31] The sign embodies the archetype of the virgin maiden, representing innocence, diligence, and a dedication to refining the material world through intellect and effort.^[32] The historical development of Virgo in astrology traces its roots to Babylonian astronomy, where the constellation was known as "The Furrow," linked to fertility and agricultural deities.^[36] This concept was formalized during the Hellenistic period (3rd century BCE to 3rd century CE), when Greek astrologers integrated Babylonian star lore with zodiacal sign interpretations, assigning Virgo its mutable earth qualities and Mercury rulership.^[37] In terms of compatibility, Virgo harmonizes well with fellow earth signs like Taurus and Capricorn, sharing grounded values, reliability, and a mutual appreciation for structure and productivity.^[38] In modern Western horoscopes, Virgo significantly shapes personality traits such as modesty, humility, and a methodical mindset, influencing individuals to excel in roles requiring precision and problem-solving.^[33] Career-wise, Virgos are often drawn to analytical professions like accounting, editing, healthcare, or research, where their organizational skills and attention to detail provide tangible benefits.^[39] The sign is divided into three decans for nuanced interpretations: the first decan (August 23 to September 2), ruled by Mercury, amplifies intellectual curiosity; the second (September 3 to 12), influenced by Saturn, stresses discipline and endurance; and the third (September 13 to 22), under Venus, adds creativity and relational harmony.^[40] Cusps, such as the Virgo-Libra transition around September 22–23, blend Virgo's practicality with Libra's diplomacy, fostering balanced decision-making in those born on the boundary.^[41] Cultural variations appear in Vedic astrology, where Virgo is known as Kanya Rashi, retaining similar traits of analytical thinking, service-oriented diligence, and Mercury's influence but aligned to the sidereal zodiac with dates from approximately September 17 to October 17.^[42] This system emphasizes Virgo's role in themes of purity and intellectual pursuit, often guiding predictions for health, daily routines, and professional growth.^[43]

Mythology

The name Virgo originates from the Latin word for "virgin" or "maiden," reflecting its adoption in Roman astronomy to designate the zodiacal constellation.^[44] Etymologically, "virgo" is linked to concepts of youth and enclosure, possibly deriving from associations with a young shoot or twig, as noted in classical linguistic analyses.^[45] In Greek mythology, Virgo is frequently identified with Astraea, the goddess of justice and innocence, who resided among humans during the Golden Age but abandoned Earth in revulsion at the Bronze Age's wickedness, ascending to the stars as the last immortal to depart, as described in Hesiod's Works and Days.^[46] Alternatively, the constellation represents Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and harvest, or her daughter Persephone, symbolizing the cycle of grain sowing and reaping, with Virgo's appearance signaling the end of the harvest season.^[47] Roman traditions further align Virgo with Justitia, the embodiment of justice, depicted in Ovid's Metamorphoses as the figure who flees earthly corruption and takes her place in the heavens, often shown holding the scales that became the neighboring constellation Libra.^[46] Earlier Mesopotamian lore, recorded in the Babylonian astronomical compendium MUL.APIN (c. 10th century BCE), portrays part of the constellation as "The Furrow," tied to the grain goddess Shala and her emblematic ear of corn, underscoring agricultural fertility.^[48] Iconographically, Virgo appears as a winged maiden bearing a sheaf of wheat, with the prominent star Spica—Latin for "ear of grain"—representing the harvested crop in her hand, a motif rooted in ancient depictions of harvest deities.^[49] Positioned in the zodiac after Leo and before Libra, it marks the post-harvest period, evoking themes of abundance and renewal in agrarian societies.^[46] During the medieval and Renaissance periods, artistic representations of Virgo emphasized purity through symbols like the lily, palm frond, or mirror, portraying her as a chaste figure amid zodiacal cycles in illuminated manuscripts and frescoes.^[50] This iconography influenced heraldry, where the maiden motif symbolized virtue, justice, and unblemished lineage in European coats of arms and emblematic designs.^[45]

Military and Nautical Uses

Royal Navy Ships

The Royal Navy has not commissioned any vessels named HMS Virgo. Ship names in the Royal Navy are selected by the Ships' Names and Badges Committee, which proposes options drawing from British history, mythology, geography, virtues, and occasionally astronomical or astrological themes to reflect tradition and symbolism.^[51] Despite the constellation Virgo's prominence in the zodiac and its representation as a maiden holding wheat, it has not been adopted for any Royal Navy ship, unlike other celestial names such as HMS Sirius or HMS Orion that have appeared across multiple classes. This omission aligns with the service's selective use of astrological motifs, prioritizing names with historical naval precedence or cultural resonance.

Other Vessels

The USS Virgo (AKA-20), later reclassified as AE-30, was a World War II-era attack cargo ship built on an Andromeda-class hull by Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. in Kearny, New Jersey, and launched on 4 June 1943. She was commissioned on 16 July 1943 and primarily supported amphibious operations in the Pacific Theater, including transports to Leyte Gulf and Okinawa, earning 7 battle stars in WWII, 9 in Korea, and 10 in Vietnam; she was reclassified as an ammunition ship (AE-30) on 1 November 1965, decommissioned on February 18, 1971, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard and subsequently transferred to the Maritime Administration for disposal, sold for scrapping on 19 November 1973.^[52] This vessel exemplified the auxiliary role of cargo ships in sustaining naval logistics during and after the war, with her service highlighting the transition from combat support to peacetime ammunition transport until the 1950s when her operational focus shifted amid post-war fleet reductions. In the commercial sector, several modern merchant vessels bear the name Virgo, often registered under flags of convenience for international trade. For instance, the MV Virgo (IMO 9417218), a chemical and oil products tanker built in 2010 by Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in South Korea, operates under the Liberian flag with a length overall of 183 meters, beam of 32.2 meters, and deadweight tonnage of 50,997 metric tons, facilitating the transport of refined petroleum products and chemicals across global routes.^[53] Another example is the MT Virgo (IMO 9236250), a crude oil tanker constructed in 2002 by Hyundai Heavy Industries, now sailing under the Gambian flag with a capacity suited for long-haul energy shipments, though it has undergone multiple ownership changes and flag transfers since its commissioning.^[54] These ships underscore the practical utility of Virgo-named vessels in contemporary bulk liquid cargo operations, tracked via International Maritime Organization numbers for regulatory compliance and safety oversight. Private and specialized vessels named Virgo include luxury yachts designed for leisure and charter services. The motor yacht Virgo I, a custom-built 26.8-meter vessel completed in 2015, accommodates up to six guests in three staterooms and features amenities for Mediterranean charters, emphasizing opulent private navigation rather than commercial freight.^[55] Smaller sailing examples, such as the Newbridge Virgo Voyager series from the 1970s and 1980s, represent affordable coastal cruisers around 7 meters in length, built in fiberglass for recreational sailing in European waters.^[56] While no verified NOAA survey boats named Virgo appear in official records, the name occasionally graces auxiliary research craft in private oceanographic expeditions, though such uses remain limited and undocumented in federal fleets as of 2025. As of 2025, recent additions to the Virgo-named fleet include the MSC Virgo (IMO 9857171), a large container ship built in 2020 by Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan, South Korea, operating under the Portuguese flag (Madeira registry) with a capacity exceeding 14,000 TEU, serving major transpacific and European trade lanes.^[57] Decommissioning trends in merchant fleets have affected older Virgo vessels, such as the oil products tanker Virgo I (IMO 9176412), which continues limited operations under the Panamanian flag but faces scrapping pressures amid aging infrastructure and environmental regulations.^[58] In maritime nomenclature, Virgo draws from the zodiac constellation symbolizing purity and the harvest maiden, a tradition echoed in naval naming conventions for evoking reliability and precision in auxiliary roles.^[52]

Arts and Entertainment

Music

The Virgo Four, a Chicago-based house music collective formed by Eric Lewis and Merwyn Sanders, emerged in the late 1980s as pioneers of the deep house genre. Active primarily from 1989 to 1992, the duo released their self-titled debut album in 1989 on Radical Records in the UK, compiling tracks from earlier EPs that blended introspective, mournful synth lines with sensual disco elements. Key single "In a Vision" (1989) exemplifies their sound, featuring ethereal pads and subtle percussion that influenced subsequent deep house productions by emphasizing emotional depth over high-energy club tracks. In jazz, Virgo has inspired zodiac-themed compositions, notably Mary Lou Williams's Zodiac Suite (1945), a groundbreaking 12-movement work fusing jazz improvisation with classical structure, premiered at New York's Café Society. The "Virgo" movement portrays the sign's intellectual and analytical traits through flowing rhythms, running piano chords, and alternating written sections with solos, performed initially by Williams on piano with a small ensemble including Ben Webster on tenor saxophone. This piece, part of Williams's innovative long-form jazz explorations, highlights Virgo's meticulous personality via its precise yet swinging interplay, and has been reinterpreted in orchestral settings since its debut.^[59]^[60] Contemporary pop music features Virgo as a thematic motif, particularly in Beyoncé's "Virgo's Groove" from her 2022 album Renaissance, a sultry disco-R&B track celebrating sensuality and self-assurance tied to the artist's Virgo sun sign (born September 4, 1981). The song's extended groove, with layered vocals and funky basslines evoking late-1990s R&B, serves as an anthem for the sign's earthy, passionate side, earning a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Performance in 2023. In hip-hop, Nas's "Virgo" (2004) from Street's Disciple, featuring Ludacris and Doug E. Fresh, uses the sign as a metaphor for charm and allure in romantic pursuit, with beatboxing and confident flows underscoring Virgo's grounded charisma.^[61]^[62] As of 2025, Virgo continues to inspire emerging indie acts, such as the Winnipeg-based indie rock band Virgo Rising, formed in 2018 by Emily Sinclair, Jenna Wittmann, Lauren Wittmann, and Isaac Tate. Their 2023 EP Vampyre Year showcases dreamy, guitar-driven tracks like "Nail Biter" and "Headlights," blending shoegaze influences with introspective lyrics that resonate with the sign's detail-oriented ethos, gaining traction in Canadian alternative scenes through live performances and Bandcamp releases.^[63]

Video Games and Media

In the Grand Theft Auto series, the Virgo is a recurring two-door coupe vehicle, first introduced in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City in 2002, where its design draws inspiration from real-world models such as the 1977-1979 Mercury Cougar, 1977-1979 Lincoln Continental Mark V, and 1981-1989 Lincoln Town Car.^[64] The vehicle reappears in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, maintaining its full-size luxury aesthetic. In Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online, the Albany-manufactured Virgo was added via the Ill-Gotten Gains Part 1 update in 2015, offering extensive customization options at Los Santos Customs, including performance upgrades, liveries, and aesthetic modifications that have remained available through ongoing platform updates as of 2025. Players have praised its handling and vintage appeal in community discussions, though its production notes highlight Rockstar Games' focus on blending 1970s American muscle car styling with modern gameplay mechanics for immersive open-world driving.^[65] Virgo appears as a zodiac-themed character in several video games and related media. In the anime and manga series Fairy Tail, Virgo is a Celestial Spirit of the Maiden, summonable by the protagonist Lucy Heartfilia using her Golden Zodiac Key; depicted as a loyal, maid-like figure with earth-based magic abilities, she undergoes an Eclipse form alteration during key arcs, emphasizing themes of servitude and combat prowess.^[66] This character extends to Fairy Tail video games, such as Fairy Tail Gekitotsu! Kardia Daiseidou, where Virgo serves as a support unit for Lucy, utilizing her Diver skill for underground attacks.^[66] In the 2019 JRPG Virgo Versus the Zodiac, developed by Moonana and published on platforms including Steam and Nintendo Switch, players control Virgo as an obsessive villain purging the galaxy of zodiac heretics in a sci-fi/fantasy narrative inspired by Mario & Luigi and Mother series, featuring turn-based combat with real-time elements like blocking and timing.^[67] In comics, Virgo is a villainous member of the Zodiac criminal organization in Marvel Comics, with the primary incarnation being Elaine McLaughlin, who first appeared in Avengers #72 (1970) as a professional criminal wielding advanced weaponry and tactical skills aligned with the group's astrological motif.^[68] Later versions include a Life Model Decoy (LMD) variant in Zodiac stories, portraying Virgo as a robotic operative in various schemes.^[69] Virgo has minor but notable references in film and television, often tied to zodiac or constellation motifs. The 2023 Prime Video series I'm a Virgo, created by Boots Riley, follows a 13-foot-tall young man navigating life in Oakland, using the sign's meticulous and introspective traits to explore themes of identity and societal norms through surreal storytelling.^[70] Constellation references appear sporadically in sci-fi, such as navigational or astronomical nods in space exploration narratives, though Virgo's large galactic cluster provides conceptual backdrop without direct plot centrality.^[1]

Other Uses

Technology and Software

Eclipse Virgo is an open-source, modular Java application server based on the OSGi framework, designed to run enterprise Java applications and Spring-powered OSGi bundles with high reliability and flexibility.^[71] Originally developed as SpringSource dm Server, it was donated by SpringSource to the Eclipse Foundation in January 2010, forming the Virgo project to foster community-driven development under the Eclipse Public License.^[72] The server supports deployment of OSGi bundles, unmodified Java web applications via a Tomcat-based web container, hot deployment, and features like an admin console for artifact management and diagnostics, as well as integration with Spring Framework version 3 and Logback logging.^[71] Its user region isolates kernel operations from applications, enabling secure and scalable enterprise deployments, such as web application hosting in modular environments. Governed by the Eclipse Foundation since its inception, Virgo's development relies on community contributions from committers and users, with a focus on enhancing OSGi compatibility and tooling for Java developers.^[71] It integrates seamlessly with Eclipse IDE through Virgo Tools plugins, which facilitate the creation, validation, and deployment of OSGi bundles and web application bundles (WABs), including support for bundlor core functionality to generate manifest files and resolve dependencies.^[73] These tools, available as Eclipse plugins, enable developers to manage Virgo servers directly within the IDE, perform hot updates, and visualize bundle dependencies, making it suitable for enterprise-scale modular application development. The latest stable release, version 3.7.4, was issued on August 8, 2020, incorporating improvements in provisioning for automatic dependency resolution and Equinox console extensions for runtime management.^[74] Beyond Java ecosystems, Virgo appears in astronomical software as the astro-virgo Python package, an open-source tool for radio astronomy data processing built on GNU Radio.^[75] Released for ease of use in spectrometer and radiometer applications, it processes signals from radio telescopes, supporting tasks like spectral analysis that can apply to simulations of cosmic structures such as the Virgo Cluster of galaxies.^[76] This library emphasizes modularity and accessibility, allowing astronomers to handle real-time data flows without extensive custom coding.^[77]

Geography and Places

Virgo Mountain is a peak in the Bethel Census Area of Alaska, United States, rising to an elevation of 1,119 feet (341 m). Located at coordinates 58°50′46″N 161°16′28″W, it lies approximately 15 miles southeast of Susie Mountain and 14 miles northwest of Hagemeister Island in the Kilbuck Mountains region. The name, derived from the constellation Virgo, was first published by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1951 as a local name on topographic maps.^[78] In Papua New Guinea, Virgo is a populated place in the Western Province, situated at 5°8′0″S 141°22′0″E near the border with Indonesia. This minor settlement reflects naming conventions inspired by the zodiac constellation, though specific historical details on its establishment are limited in available records.^[79] Other minor features include Virgohamna, a bay in Svalbard, Norway, named after the 19th-century ship Virgo that supported Arctic expeditions; it served as a base for Swedish balloonist Salomon August Andrée's 1896 North Pole attempt. The naming ties to exploration eras, with official recognition by Norwegian authorities in the early 20th century.^[80] As of 2025, no new geographical features named Virgo have been officially mapped from recent lunar missions like Artemis, which have focused on south pole regions without referencing Virgo-specific sites.

References

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[20]
Virgo History
The upgrade of Virgo to Advanced Virgo, with the aim of largely improving detection capabilities, was approved in 2009 and completed in 2017. The first ...
[21]
Virgo Interferometer - eoPortal
Apr 1, 2019 · ... Virgo instruments operating together since 1 August 2017. Some promising gravitational-wave candidates have been identified in data from ...
[22]
The VIRGO suspensions - ResearchGate
The VIRGO suspensions are chains of passive mechanical filters designed to isolate the interferometer mirrors from seismic noise starting from a few Hz. In ...
[23]
[PDF] Seismic Isolation for the Test Masses of the VIRGO Gravitational ...
The VIRGO project is an Italian–French collaboration for the realization of an inter- ferometric antenna for gravitational wave detection and observation.
[24]
The First Detection(s) - Virgo-gw.eu
Gravitational waves were first detected a century after their prediction by A. Einstein: this happened on the 14 th of September 2015.
[25]
LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Announce the 200th Gravitational Wave ...
Since the “advanced” era of gravitational wave detection began in 2015, the LVK network has now (as of March 19, 2025) recorded 290 GW events, ...
[26]
LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Runs
During the first one (O1), Advanced Virgo was still in the upgrade phase and the first detection of gravitational waves was achieved, on the 14th of September, ...
[27]
Ten years after the discovery, gravitational waves verify Stephen ...
Sep 10, 2025 · To sense them, LIGO and Virgo must detect changes in space-time smaller than 1/10,000 the width of a proton.
[28]
Record detection of 200 gravitational waves in the current run of ...
Mar 20, 2025 · The signal came on March 19th 2025 and it is over 99% likely to come from a merger of two black holes. This new record of detections is ...
[29]
Future - Virgo-gw.eu
The design process for future gravitational-wave interferometers has already started. Two detectors, with arms up to tens of kilometers-long, one in Europe, ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[30]
LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA observing run plans
Nov 3, 2025 · The fourth observing run (O4) will conclude, as planned, on 18 November 2025. LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA interferometers will then undergo a period ...
[31]
Virgo Zodiac Sign: Characteristics, Dates, & More | Astrology.com
Nov 1, 2025 · The Virgo sign is known as the ambitious virgin of the zodiac. Learn more about Virgo dates & traits on Astrology.com!
[32]
About Virgo the Virgin: Astrology/Zodiac
The Virgin. Modality: Mutable Element: Earth Ruler: Mercury Season: Summer 6th Sign of Zodiac. Metal: Mercury Stone: Sapphire Color: Blue, BeigeMissing: definition tropical
[33]
Virgo Zodiac Sign Personality Traits | The Old Farmer's Almanac
Aug 28, 2025 · Ruled by Mercury, the planet of communication and analysis, Virgos possess sharp minds and a knack for problem-solving. Their symbol, the maiden ...Missing: tropical modality
[34]
Virgo Symbol and Astrology Sign Glyph | Astrostyle.com
Mar 7, 2024 · Analytical, practical, critical, supportive and health conscious are the main Virgo traits. Thus, the Virgo symbol of the Maiden expresses the ...
[35]
Exploring the Symbolism and Meaning of Virgo - LoveToKnow
Virgo's symbol is the Virgin or Maiden. The Virgo glyph symbol is similar to Scorpio's, but with an inward twist.
[36]
Constellation: Virgo - NOIRLab
Virgo. Origin. This constellation was originally called The Furrow with a Barley Stalk and associated with a goddess of fertility in ancient Mesopotamia.Missing: Ptolemy formalization
[37]
Hellenistic Astrology | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Hellenistic and Late Antiquity astrologers built their craft upon Babylonian (and to a lesser extent Egyptian) astrological traditions.<|control11|><|separator|>
[38]
Virgo Compatibility – Virgo Love Horoscope Zodiac Sign Matches
Feb 14, 2024 · Analytical Virgo and ambitious Capricorn are both pragmatic earth signs. In a relationship, you bring out the best in one another, striking a ...
[39]
Virgo Zodiac Sign: Horoscope, Dates & Personality Traits
Nov 1, 2025 · Virgos, an Earth sign ruled by Mercury, are caring, organized, and highly critical individuals with strong communication skills, ...Virgo Man · Virgo Woman · Read More... · MercuryMissing: tropical modality
[40]
Virgo Decans - GaneshaSpeaks
You will possess a disciplined nature, trustworthiness, and generosity. You will have a tendency to be very methodical, disciplined and ordered in specific ...
[41]
Virgo Dates, Decans and Cusps - The Horoscope
Apr 11, 2014 · The first decan of Virgo is between August 23 and September 2. · The second decan of Virgo is between September 3 and September 13. · The third ...
[42]
Kanya Rashi: Here's everything about the Budha governing Hindu ...
Jul 17, 2024 · In astrology, Kanya Rashi, known as Virgo in Western astrology, embodies practicality, meticulousness, and analytical thinking.
[43]
Virgo (Kanya Rasi) Moon Sign Born, General Characteristics - Astrogle
Mercury is exalted in this sign, Venus is debilited. Persons born under this sign have glow of beauty and softness on their face. They are stable but flexible.Virgo Daily · Virgo Weekly · Virgo Monthly
[44]
[PDF] FOI2021-03414 Royal Navy ship naming - GOV.UK
Mar 29, 2021 · The names for a new ship or a class of ship are initially proposed by the Royal Navy's Ships' Names and Badges Committee (SNBC).
[45]
Virgo - Naval History and Heritage Command
Virgo stood out of Pearl Harbor on 24 September and set a course for New Zealand. She arrived in Wellington on 6 October and began a series of landing craft ...
[46]
Ship VIRGO (Oil/Chemical Tanker) Registered in Liberia - Vessel ...
VIRGO (IMO: 9417218) is a Oil/Chemical Tanker and is sailing under the flag of Liberia. Her length overall (LOA) is 183 meters and her width is 32.2 meters.Missing: 2002 | Show results with:2002
[47]
IMO 9236250 - MT VIRGO, Crude Oil Tanker - VesselFinder
The vessel MT VIRGO (IMO 9236250, MMSI 629009436) is a Crude Oil Tanker built in 2002 (23 years old) and currently sailing under the flag of Gambia.Missing: Liberian | Show results with:Liberian
[48]
VIRGO I Yacht - Custom - YACHT CHARTER
The 26.8m/87'11" motor yacht 'Virgo I' was built by Custom. Guest Accommodation. Virgo I has been designed to comfortably accommodate up to 6 guests in 3 ...Missing: 40m | Show results with:40m
[49]
VIRGO VOYAGER - sailboatdata
VIRGO VOYAGER ; Max Draft: 4.00 ft / 1.22 m ; Construction: FG ; First Built: 1971 ; # Built: 350 ; Builder: Newbridge Boats/N.B. Yachts Ltd. (UK).Missing: 40m | Show results with:40m
[50]
IMO 9857171 - MSC VIRGO, Container Ship - VesselFinder
The vessel MSC VIRGO (IMO 9857171, MMSI 255806340) is a Container Ship built in 2020 (5 years old) and currently sailing under the flag of Portugal (Madeira).
[51]
ClassNK Register of Ships - M/S VIRGO I(CNo.974580)
Classification No. 974580. IMO No. 9176412. Official No. 25203-98-E. Signal Letters, 3FYA7. Flag, Panama. Port of Registry, Panama. Ship's Name, VIRGO I.
[52]
Zodiac Suite - Mary Lou Williams Collective, M... - AllMusic
Rating 7.8/10 (32) Release Date ... 1945 ... Duration ... 42:23 ... Genre ... Jazz ... Styles ... Bop, Stride, Swing, Jazz Instrument, Piano Jazz ... Recording Date ... 1945 ... Recording Location.
[53]
On the Record-Mary Lou Williams Zodiac Suite - SFJAZZ.org
Jan 21, 2025 · ... Virgo. Flowing rhythms and running chords suggest these people who seem to be more intellectual than emotional personalities. Tap to unmute.
[54]
Beyoncé Hits a Seductive Sweet Spot on 'Renaissance'
Jul 29, 2022 · But with Renaissance, Beyoncé is more relatable than ever, giving listeners all the anthems and sultry slaps we love and have come to expect ...
[55]
Virgo - Doug E. Fresh, Ludacris, Nas | AllMusic
Explore Virgo by Doug E. Fresh, Ludacris, Nas. Get track information, read reviews, listen to it streaming, and more at AllMusic.
[56]
Virgo Rising | Profiles - Manitoba Music
The band arrived at House of Wonders in January 2022 with a new set of songs and a new ethos. Spirits were high and the material was strong.
[57]
Virgo | GTA Vice City Vehicle Stats & Locations
The design of the Virgo in GTA Vice City is based on a real-life 1977-1979 Mercury Cougar; 1977-1979 Lincoln Continental Mark V; 1981-1989 Lincoln Town Car. The ...
[58]
Virgo — GTA 5/Online Vehicle Info, Lap Time, Top Speed
The Virgo is a muscle car with a top speed of 156.91 km/h, a lap time of 1:17.624, and a mass of 2,200 kg. It can be purchased for $195,000.
[59]
Virgo | Fairy Tail Wiki - Fandom
Virgo, in Fairy Tail, is a celestial spirit, not an angel or devil. She is one of the zodiac spirits summoned by Lucy Heartfilia with her zodiac keys. Known ...Virgo (Eclipse)Virgo/Image Gallery
[60]
Virgo Versus The Zodiac on Steam
Rating 4.5 (770) Virgo Versus the Zodiac is a sci-fi/fantasy JRPG inspired by the Mario & Luigi RPG series and the Mother RPG series in which you play as an obsessed villain.Missing: Orion | Show results with:Orion
[61]
Virgo (McLaughlin) (Character) - Comic Vine
Oct 29, 2024 · The early life and rise to criminal power by Elaine McLaughlin is undocumented. She was recruited to be Virgo in Cornelius Van Lunt's Zodiac ...
[62]
Virgo (LMD) (Earth-616) - League of Comic Geeks
Learn more about Virgo (LMD) from Marvel Comics. Read their character history, track their comic appearances and more.<|separator|>
[63]
I'm A Virgo - Official Trailer | Prime Video - YouTube
May 30, 2023 · ... Video: Want to watch it now? We've got it. This week's newest movies, last night's TV shows, classic favorites, and more are available to ...
[64]
Eclipse Virgo | projects.eclipse.org
The Eclipse Virgo Web Server from EclipseRT is a completely module-based Java application server that is designed to run enterprise Java applications and ...Missing: history | Show results with:history
[65]
SpringSource Offers dm Server to Eclipse -- ADTmag
Jan 13, 2010 · The dm Server, the kernel and all its related assets are going into the Virgo project, FitzGerald said, and some of the tools SpringSource ...Missing: Apache formerly
[66]
Virgo/Tooling - Eclipse Wiki
Mar 30, 2020 · The Virgo Tooling/IDE concept concerns the whole Virgo tooling (that was available inside SpringSource Tool Suite) being put in a separate project.
[67]
https://store.steampowered.com/app/920320/Virgo_Versus_The_Zodiac/
[68]
astro-virgo - PyPI
Virgo is an easy-to-use open-source spectrometer and radiometer based on Python and GNU Radio (GR) that is conveniently applicable to any radio telescope.Missing: Cluster | Show results with:Cluster
[69]
VIRGO: An open-source Spectrometer for Radio Astronomy
Dec 27, 2019 · VIRGO is an easy-to-use open-source spectrometer and radiometer based on Python and GNU Radio Companion (GRC) that is conveniently applicable to any radio ...Missing: library Cluster
[70]
Virgo: A Versatile Spectrometer for Radio Astronomy - TIB AV-Portal
Virgo is an easy-to-use open-source spectrometer and radiometer based on Python and GNU Radio (GR) that is conveniently applicable to any radio telescope ...
[71]
Virgo Mountain - Alaska Guide
Virgo Mountain a mountain near Platinum Alaska.
[72]
Virgo Map | Papua New Guinea Google Satellite Maps
This place is situated in Western, Papua New Guinea, its geographical coordinates are 5° 8' 0" South, 141° 22' 0" East and its original name (with diacritics) ...
[73]
Virgohamna | Echoes of Arctic Exploration in Svalbard - Secret Atlas
The present name is related to the freighter Virgo that supported Salomon August Andrée, a Swedish engineer, in his balloon expedition to the North Pole in 1896 ...The Meaning Behind The Name... · Salomon August Andrée's... · Other Relevant Articles