Arabic star names / Spica

Spica

السماك الأعزل

Spica comes from the Arabic السماك الأعزل (al-Simāk al-Aʿzal), which means “the unarmed Simāk”. It is the 15th-brightest star in the sky, in Virgo.

Brightness

0.98

Colour

blue-white

Constellation

Virgo

Best seen

May evenings

Right ascension

13h 25m

Declination

−11° 10′

The name

The other Simāk, with no lance beside it, hence 'unarmed'. The name Spica is Latin for an ear of wheat.

Where you can see it

It rises everywhere south of 79°N. From Riyadh it climbs to 54° above the horizon. From London it climbs to 27° above the horizon. From Sydney it climbs to 67° above the horizon.