Spica is Virgo’s brightest star and the 15th-brightest star in the night sky.

Spica marks Virgo with a sharp point of light. Its name comes from the Latin word for a head of grain, linking the star to the maiden’s traditional harvest imagery. At magnitude 1.04, it is easy to find on a clear night and gives the sprawling constellation a visual anchor. Follow the curve of the Big Dipper’s handle to Arcturus, then continue onward toward Spica.