Star profile

Omicron Virginis

3D likeness based on its real data · class G · ~5,500 K

What is Omicron Virginis

ο Virginis shines calmly within the Virgin, yet it hides an invisible companion. It is a binary system: a yellow giant eleven times the Sun, paired with a small white dwarf circling every 50.7 years. When that dwarf was once a dying giant, it sprayed its partner with heavy elements forged in nuclear fire. Today the giant still bears that chemical signature —a barium star.

Where it is and when to see it

Omicron Virginis lies in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is March, when it culminates around midnight.

From London it culminates about 47° above the horizon.
From New York it culminates about 58° above the horizon.
From Sydney it culminates about 47° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere north of 81° S.

It ranks no. 13 in brightness among the 99 stars of Virgo in our catalogue. To find it, start from Spica, the brightest: it lies about 28° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 160 years ago.

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Astronomical data for Omicron Virginis

Constellation: Virgo
Apparent magnitude: 4.12
Distance: 163.3 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 181.302° · Dec 8.733°
Catalogue: HIP 58948 · HD 104979

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Other stars in Virgo

Virgo has 99 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 99 stars in Virgo