Crux
Sign in to saveCrux ( ) is a constellation of the southern sky that is centred on four bright stars in a cross-shaped asterism commonly known as the Southern Cross. It lies on the southern end of the Milky Way's visible band. The name Crux is Latin for cross. Though it is the smallest of all 88 modern constellations, Crux is among the most easily distinguished, as each of its four main stars has an apparent visual magnitude brighter than +2.8. It has attained a high level of cultural significance in many Southern Hemisphere states and nations.
AI overview
Crux is a small constellation visible in the Southern Hemisphere sky, featuring four bright stars arranged in a distinctive cross shape known as the Southern Cross. It matters because it's one of the most recognizable constellations and holds significant cultural importance for nations and peoples in the Southern Hemisphere.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Constellation.name
- Crux
- Constellation.abbreviation
- Cru
- Constellation.genitive
- Crucis
- Constellation.pronounce
- , genitive
- Constellation.symbolism
- Southern Cross
- Constellation.family
- Hercules
- Constellation.quadrant
- SQ3
- Constellation.areatotal
- 68
- Constellation.arearank
- 88th
- Constellation.numbermainstars
- 4
- Constellation.numberbfstars
- 19
- Constellation.numberbrightstars
- 5
- Constellation.numbernearbystars
Article
18 sectionsContents
- History
- In non-Western astronomy
- Characteristics
- Visibility
- Use in navigation
- Features
- Stars
- Scorpius–Centaurus association
- Bright stars
- Variable stars
- Exoplanets
- Objects beyond the Local Arm
- In culture
- Flags and symbols
- See also
- Notes
- References
- External links
Crux ( ) is a constellation of the southern sky that is centred on four bright stars in a cross-shaped asterism commonly known as the Southern Cross. It lies on the southern end of the Milky Way's visible band. The name Crux is Latin for cross. Though it is the smallest of all 88 modern constellations, Crux is among the most easily distinguished, as each of its four main stars has an apparent visual magnitude brighter than +2.8. It has attained a high level of cultural significance in many Southern Hemisphere states and nations.
Blue-white α Crucis (Acrux) is the most southerly member of the constellation, and at magnitude 0.8, the brightest. The three other stars of the cross appear clockwise and in order of lessening magnitude: β Crucis (Mimosa), γ Crucis (Gacrux), and δ Crucis (Imai). ε Crucis (Ginan) also lies within the cross asterism. Many of these brighter stars are members of the Scorpius–Centaurus association, a large but loose group of hot, blue-white stars that appear to share common origins and motion across the southern Milky Way.