SPICA - is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo, and one of the brightest stars in the nighttime sky.Spica is the brightest of the rotating ellipsoidal variables. Its apparent magnitude varies between +0.92 and +1.04, with a period of 4.0142 days. This slight dip in magnitude is barely noticeable visually. Located close to the ecliptic, Spica can be occulted by the Moon and sometimes by the planets. The Sun passes a little more than 2ยบ north of Spica around October 16 every year.
An easy way to find Spica is to follow the arc of the handle of the Big Dipper to Arcturus, and then continue on the same distance to Spica ("follow the arc to Arcturus and speed on to Spica").
