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Stars and Sticks| Abbreviation | Cru |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Southern Cross |
| Pronunciation Guide is based on “Pronouncing Astronomical Names,” published in 1943 by the American Astronomical Society. | KRUX |
| Genitive The genitive is the Latin possessive form used in star names. For example, Alpha Orionis means “the Alpha of Orion.” | KROO-sis |
| Best Month | May |
| Visibility | Southern |
| Origin | ExplorationCreated by 16th-century Dutch navigators (Keyser & de Houtman) to fill the blank spaces of the southern sky during their voyages to the East Indies. |
| Author | PlanciusA Dutch cartographer who mapped southern stars and added biblical or symbolic figures like the Dove and the Unicorn. |
| Type | constellation |
| Difficulty | Easiest |
| Description | The Southern Cross is the smallest constellation by area but arguably the most culturally significant in the southern hemisphere, appearing on the national flags of Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa. Ancient Greek sailors knew and navigated by it before precession carried it below the Mediterranean horizon around 400 CE; it was rediscovered by European explorers in the 15th century. The long axis of the cross points almost directly toward the South Celestial Pole, making it the southern counterpart of Polaris for navigation. The brightest star, Acrux, is a spectacular double star system 320 light-years away; the nearby Jewel Box cluster (NGC 4755) is one of the most beautiful open clusters in the sky. |
| Asterism | Southern Cross: Small, compact cross used for finding the South Celestial Pole. |
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Images: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/E. Slawik · IAU and Sky & Telescope · Stellarium — Full credits →