The Great Diamond or Virgin's Diamond/Diamond of Virgo is an asterism

Asterism (astronomy)

In astronomy, an asterism is a pattern of stars recognized on Earth's night sky. It may form part of an official constellation, or be composed of stars from more than one. Like constellations, asterisms are in most cases composed of stars which, while they are visible in the same general direction,...

. It is composed of the stars Cor Caroli

Cor Caroli

Cor Caroli is the brightest star in the northern constellation Canes Venatici...

 (in Canes Venatici), Denebola

Denebola

Denebola is the second brightest star in the constellation Leo. It is an A-class star that is about distant from earth, and has a luminosity about twelve times that of the sun. Its apparent magnitude is 2.14...

 (the tail of Leo), Spica

Spica

Spica is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo, and the 15th brightest star in the nighttime sky. It is 260 light years distant from Earth...

 (the wheat of Virgo), and Arcturus (in Bootes). It is somewhat larger than the Big Dipper

Big Dipper

The Plough, also known as the Big Dipper or the Saptarishi , is an asterism of seven stars that has been recognized as a distinct grouping in many cultures from time immemorial...

.
Three southern stars are sometimes given their own asterism , The Spring Triangle

Spring Triangle

The Spring Triangle is an astronomical asterism involving an imaginary triangle drawn upon the celestial sphere, with its defining vertices at Arcturus, Spica, and alternately Denebola or Regulus. This triangle connects the constellations of Boötes, Virgo, and Leo...

.

Lying within the Great Diamond is the set of stars traditionally assigned to Coma Berenices

Coma Berenices

Coma Berenices is a traditional asterism that has since been defined as one of the 88 modern constellations. It is located near Leo, to which it formerly belonged, and accommodates the North Galactic Pole...

. Many nearby galaxies, including galaxies within the Virgo Cluster

Virgo Cluster

The Virgo Cluster is a cluster of galaxies whose center is 53.8 ± 0.3 Mly away in the constellation Virgo. Comprising approximately 1300 member galaxies, the cluster forms the heart of the larger Local Supercluster, of which the Local Group is an outlying member...

, are located within this asterism, and some of these galaxies can easily be observed with amateur

Amateur astronomy

Amateur astronomy, also called backyard astronomy and stargazing, is a hobby whose participants enjoy watching the night sky , and the plethora of objects found in it, mainly with portable telescopes and binoculars...

 telescope

Telescope

A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...

s.

External links

• Four-Star Sight: The Celestial Diamond (SPACE.com) 19 May 2006 06:16 am ET
• MAP (Space.com)