HOW TO FIND THF CONSTFLLATIONS. 15 
How to Find the Constellations. XI. 
BY GFORGH I. HOPKINS. 
The lengthening of the duration of daylight at this sea¬ 
son of the year renders it impossible to continue our obser¬ 
vations at the usual hou r, and, as the June moon is at its 
full phase on the second day, it will again interfere some¬ 
what with our observations. It is doubtful if a good view 
can be obtained before half past eight, so we will take our 
station at that hour. 
ket the observer face the south and he cannot fail to no¬ 
tice a star of the first magnitude just a little east of the mer¬ 
idian, at an altitude of nearly forty degrees. This is the 
brightest star in the constellation Virgo, the Virgin, and is 
named Spica. This is one of the zodiacal constellations, 
and comprises a large area, being about thirty degrees wide 
by forty degrees long. The meridian at this time passes 
very nearly through its center, so that it extends about 
twenty degrees each side of the meridian. It occupies all 
the space below Coma Berenecis and Bootes, which can now 
readily be located by the star Arcturus about ten or fifteen 
degrees east of the meridian, for about twenty degrees. It 
comprises one hundred and ten stars Spica alone being of 
the first magnitude. Of the others only six are of the third 
and ten of the fourth magnitude, so that unusual atmos¬ 
pheric conditions are necessary to appreciate the magnifi¬ 
cence of this group. On pictorial star maps Virgo is rep¬ 
resented by a woman in a reclining position holding in her 
left hand an ear of corn or a sheaf of wheat which is locat¬ 
ed by the star Spica, and in her right a pair of scales. 
“Her lovely tresses glow with starry light; 
Stars ornament the bracelet on her hand; 
Her vest in ample fold, glitters with stars; 
Beneath her showy feet they shine; her eyes 
Lighten, all glorious with the heavenly rays, 
But first the star that crowns the golden sheaf. 
According to the ancient poets this constellation repre- 
