Spica's Egyptian connection
Although observations of Sirius get most of the attention, Virgo's bright star Spica may also have played a role in the art and lives of ancient Egyptians.
By Patricia Blackwell Gary
By Richard Talcott
Published:
April 21, 2006
The importance of Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, to the ancient Egyptians would be hard to overstate. Around 3000 B.C., Sirius made its first annual appearance in the eastern sky before dawn near the time of the summer solstice. This so-called heliacal rising marked the rebirth of the star after solar conjunction and was a harbinger of the annual flood of the Nile River — the lifeblood of this ancient civilization. Might there have been other stars whose heliacal risings marked important yearly events?
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