Spica or Alpha Virginis is the brightest star in the Virgo constellation and the 16th brightest star in the night sky.

Despite appearing as a single point of light to the naked eye, Spica is a binary star system. Both stars, Spica A and Spica B belong to the spectral class B1V and have a bluish-white colour.

Located at a distance of 250 light years from Earth makes Spica one of the nearest massive binary stars to our solar system. With a magnitude of 0.97 Spica’s biometric luminosity is around 20.512 times that of the Sun.

The name Spica comes from the Latin phrase spīca virginis, meaning “Virgo’s ear of grain.” The Latin word spicum refers to the ear of wheat Virgo holds in her left hand. In Greek and Roman mythology, the constellation and the star are often associated with Demeter (Roman Ceres), the goddess of harvest.

Astrologically Spica represents a gift of brilliance, an obvious or hidden talent, skill or extraordinary ability. Whatever Spica touches is illuminated.