Virgo Characteristics: Virgo represents those born from August 23—September 22. Virgo is the sixth Zodiac sign of the year, right after Leo.
Good Things about Virgo: Observant, precise, reliable. Very robot like. Confession, I’m a Virgo…There, I’m finally admitted it!
Bad Things about Virgo: Shyness, critical, tendency to worry. Oh, dear I, err…I mean you Virgos out there are neurotic messes!
Myth and Legend: The constellation Virgo is associated with many myths, which differ depending on the civilization. Even in Greco-Roman mythology, this constellation has a couple of different stories. We’re going to focus on the most popular story, that of Persephone, a beautiful young goddess and the daughter of Zeus and Demeter.
Hades, Lord of the Underworld fell in love with Persephone. One bright spring day while she was gathering flowers, Hades appeared out of the earth, riding a chariot with four coal black horses. He charged towards Persephone, grabbed her and placed her in the chariot. A chasm then appeared in the earth ahead of them and the chariot then plunged back into the underworld.
Demeter, Persephone’s mother, was the goddess of agriculture. Furious at her daughter’s abduction, she deliberately ruined all the harvests. Soon the people were starving. Zeus spoke with Hades about releasing Persephone. Hades reluctantly agreed, but persuaded Persephone- who previously had not eaten since she arrived in the underworld – to consume a single pomegranate seed. It was a sly trick on Hades part, as anyone who eats in the Underworld may never leave it! After further negotiation with Zeus, it was agreed that Persephone would spend six months of the year with her mother. Her mother delighted, would begin the sowing that starts in spring and leads to the summer harvest. The other six months of the year, Persephone would spend with Hades in the Underworld. Demeter her mother would go into mourning during this time and so the seasons of fall/autumn and winter came to pass.
The constellation was placed in the sky to commemorate the beautiful young maiden Persephone and explain the story behind the earth’s seasons.
Element Sign: Along with Taurus and Capricorn, Virgo is an Earth sign. Earth signs are all very dull err…I mean dutiful. They have a strong sense of responsibility to those around them and are also very reliable. But before you nod off — when reading about all their stoic qualities —they also have a tendency to be greedy and materialistic. Us Virgos have a dark side after all!
Glyph: When I first saw the sign for Virgo, I thought it looks like a fanciful M, maybe meaning maiden? Well, I was completely wrong. Apparently, the glyph represents…intestines! Yes, you read that correctly. The glyph for Virgo— beautiful young maiden— is the organ where all the food is processed! I’ve really no idea how they came up with that one!
Constellation: Does the Virgo constellation resemble a beautiful young maiden? Well you need a lot of imagination to see that. It mostly looks like a stick figure, stuck in the sky. But if you draw in some hair and a dress…yeah I can sort of see a young woman now.
The best viewing time for the Virgo constellation is in May at around 9pm; between latitudes + 80° and – 80° in the northern hemisphere. If you live in the southern hemisphere, look for the Virgo constellation in the autumn/fall and winter. Use a star map as a guide and a knowledgeable star gazer to assist you.
Extra Fun Fact: Virgo is Latin for virgin. The Virgo constellation is the second biggest and contains Spica, one of the brightest stars in the night sky.
Next Post—Curious about Libra, (September 23 – October 22)? The Story of Libra and How to spot this Constellation in the Night Sky.
Evonne Blanchard is the author of, ‘Amelia, the Moochins and the Sapphire Palace and ‘Amelia, the Venutons and the Golden Cage. These are the first two books in, ‘Amelia’s Amazing Space Adventures,’ an exciting series of ten books set in outer space (for children ages 5-9).
Ever wondered if aliens exist? What if one needed your help? Would you travel to outer space? For the adventures… of a lifetime!
New Book Two: Amelia, the Venutons and the Golden Cage
Uglesnoo needs Amelia’s help. His sister is very sick. The only cure is a repelling crystal from Neptune. With his Earthling friend, Amelia, they must continue their quest. More items are needed to buy the crystal. But Venus is full of danger and angry aliens. Are Uglesnoo and Amelia in over their heads?
“A lively sequel offers a sure-handed blend of fantasy, humor, adventure, and an ingenious heroine.” Kirkus Reviews
5/5 star rating! “Amelia, the Venutons and the Golden Cage is a wonderful children’s book that will allow your kids to get started in the Sci-Fi genre… The story is intriguing and well thought out. All in all, the author did a great job of creating an engaging story that kept my kids interested. We are definitely looking forward to the next book!”- Examiner.com
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Book One: Amelia, the Moochins and the Sapphire Palace
When is a present not a present? When it’s a friendly purple alien called Uglesnoo, from the planet Pluto! Uglesnoo needs to leave right away for the Moon. Uglesnoo also desperately needs Amelia’s help. Should Amelia venture into outer Space?
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“Appealing Illustrations combine with lots of text to make this a great read for children transitioning from picture books to chapter books.” – Kirkus Reviews
“The story is imaginative and fun…and a perfect book to stretch my oldest in his independent reading with something fun to keep his attention.” —Beautiful Books for Children
Amelia's Amazing Space Adventures 