Leslie Massey
The Southern Cross, also known as Crux, is a constellation in the southern sky that is visible from Australia and New Zealand. It is made up of four bright stars in a cross-shaped asterism, with a fifth dimmer star between the two stars on the longest edge of the diamond. The constellation is centred on the four bright stars, with the brightest being Alpha Centauri, also known as Acrux. The Southern Cross has been used for navigation by sailors and explorers and is featured in the Australian National Anthem and on the Australian flag. It is also mentioned in the Samoan National Anthem and has appeared in popular culture, including music and television. The constellation has cultural significance for Indigenous Australians, with various stories and beliefs associated with it. Finding the Southern Cross in the night sky involves locating the Pointers, Alpha and Beta Centauri, which point towards the constellation. The Southern Cross can be seen from the Northern Hemisphere in tropical and subtropical regions, but only at certain times of the year and below a certain latitude.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Best time to view in Australia | April, mid-autumn and winter evenings |
| How to identify | Two bright stars on a diagonal, known as the "Pointers", which point towards the Southern Cross. The Southern Cross is above and to the left of the Pointers and looks like a diamond lying on its side. |
| Notable stars | Alpha Centauri, Beta Centauri, Acrux, Mimosa, Gacrux, Imai, Ginan |
| Cultural significance | The Southern Cross features in the Australian National Anthem, the Australian Eureka Flag, and the coat of arms of William Birdwood. It is also mentioned in the Samoan National Anthem. |
| Navigation | The Southern Cross can be used to find the South Celestial Pole and due south. |
| Other names | Crux, the constellation's Latin name |
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What You'll Learn
- The Southern Cross is visible in the Southern Hemisphere all year round, at 35 degrees south latitude and farther south
- The Southern Cross is made up of four bright stars in a cross-shaped asterism
- The constellation Crux, or the Southern Cross, is centred on the four bright stars
- The Southern Cross is used to find the South Celestial Pole and due south
- The Southern Cross is mentioned in the Australian National Anthem
The Southern Cross is visible in the Southern Hemisphere all year round, at 35 degrees south latitude and farther south
The Southern Cross, also known as Crux, is a constellation of the southern sky. It is centred on four bright stars in a cross-shaped asterism. The name Crux is Latin for cross. It is the smallest of all 88 modern constellations but is among the most easily distinguished, as each of its four main stars has an apparent visual magnitude brighter than +2.8.
The Southern Cross has great cultural significance in the Southern Hemisphere and is featured on several national flags, including those of Australia and New Zealand. It is also mentioned in the Australian National Anthem: "Beneath our radiant Southern Cross we'll toil with hearts and hands". The Southern Cross is also important for navigation, as it can be used to find the direction due south.
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The Southern Cross is made up of four bright stars in a cross-shaped asterism
The Southern Cross is a constellation in the southern sky, also known as Crux. It is made up of four bright stars in a cross-shaped asterism, with a fifth star dimly visible between the two longest arms of the cross. The four main stars are Alpha Centauri (Rigel Kentaurus), Beta Centauri (Hadar), Gamma Centauri, and Delta Centauri. These stars are also known as Acrux, Mimosa, Gacrux, and Imai, respectively.
The Southern Cross is the most visible part of the Crux constellation and is the smallest constellation in the sky, covering only 68 square degrees. It is located at the southern end of the Milky Way's visible band and is easily recognisable due to its brightness. The constellation is significant in Australian Aboriginal culture, representing the head of an emu in the traditional constellation of the "Emu in the Sky".
The Southern Cross has been featured in various cultural contexts, including the Australian National Anthem, the Samoan National Anthem, and the Australian Eureka Flag. It has also been referenced in songs by Crosby, Stills and Nash, and Black Sabbath.
The constellation is often used for navigation as it points towards the South Celestial Pole. By drawing an imaginary line through the two stars at the "head" and "foot" of the cross and extending it downwards, one can determine the direction of due south. This method of navigation has been historically used by sailors and explorers venturing south of the equator.
The Southern Cross can be observed from Australia and other Southern Hemisphere locations all year round, although April is considered a great time to start viewing it, as it can be seen over mid-autumn and winter evenings. At 35 degrees south latitude and farther south, it is visible all night, every night.
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The constellation Crux, or the Southern Cross, is centred on the four bright stars
The constellation Crux, or the Southern Cross, is centred on four bright stars in a cross-shaped asterism. It is the smallest of all 88 modern constellations but is among the most easily distinguished, as each of its four main stars has an apparent visual magnitude brighter than +2.8. The constellation lies on the southern end of the Milky Way's visible band.
The Southern Cross is an iconic constellation for people south of the equator and is easily visible from Australia. It is also mentioned in the Australian National Anthem: "Beneath our radiant Southern Cross we'll toil with hearts and hands". It is also featured on the Australian flag, which includes five stars. The constellation is easily recognisable as it contains two first-magnitude stars – Acrux and Mimosa – and a total of five stars brighter than magnitude 3.00. The brightest of these is Acrux, which is also the southernmost member of the constellation. The other three stars of the cross appear clockwise and in order of diminishing magnitude: β Crucis (Mimosa), γ Crucis (Gacrux), and δ Crucis (Imai).
The Southern Cross is a useful navigation aid, as its two bright stars, Acrux and Gacrux, point in the direction of the southern celestial pole. The constellation can be used to find true south, as it always points in this direction. It is also almost always visible in the Southern Hemisphere, although the time of year and viewing location will affect the portion of the night sky in which it appears. For example, at 8 pm in August, it will be lying on its side with the Pointers almost directly above it.
The Southern Cross can be found by first locating the Pointers, two bright stars, Alpha Centauri and Beta Centauri, which are part of the neighbouring constellation Centaurus. These two stars will point towards the Southern Cross. The Southern Cross will appear above and to the left of the Pointers.
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The Southern Cross is used to find the South Celestial Pole and due south
The Southern Cross, also known as Crux, is a constellation of the southern sky that can be used to find the South Celestial Pole and, in turn, the direction of due south. Crux is the smallest of all 88 modern constellations but is among the most easily distinguished, as each of its four main stars has an apparent visual magnitude brighter than +2.8.
The Southern Cross is visible all year round at latitudes of 35 degrees south and farther south. In the Southern Hemisphere, it can be used to find the South Celestial Pole, which is the point in the sky directly above Earth's southern axis. Unlike the North Star, which indicates north, there is no bright star marking the South Celestial Pole.
To find the South Celestial Pole, you can use the following methods:
- Draw an imaginary line from the top of the cross to the bottom and extend it four to four-and-a-half times. Drop a vertical line from this point to the horizon—that place is due south.
- Extend an imaginary line from the dimmer of the two Pointers to a lone bright star called Achernar. The South Celestial Pole is about halfway along this line.
- Imagine a line connecting the Pointers. Midway along this line, extend another line at a right angle to it, until it meets another line drawn down the long axis of the Southern Cross. The meeting place is the approximate location of the South Celestial Pole.
From the South Celestial Pole, you can then look straight down to the horizon to find due south.
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The Southern Cross is mentioned in the Australian National Anthem
The Southern Cross is a constellation in the southern sky that is easily distinguished by its four bright stars in a cross-shaped asterism. It is also known as Crux and is visible from the Southern Hemisphere all year round. In the Northern Hemisphere, it can be seen in tropical and subtropical regions during certain months of the year.
The Southern Cross holds cultural significance for many Southern Hemisphere nations, including Australia. It is mentioned in Australia's national anthem, "Advance Australia Fair", with the lyrics: "Beneath our radiant Southern Cross, we'll toil with hearts and hands". The anthem also mentions "boundless plains", reflecting the vast landscapes of Australia.
The Southern Cross has been referenced in other songs and anthems, such as "O Sweet Saint Martin's Land" and the Samoan National Anthem. In Australian culture, it is associated with cricket and patriotism, with the cricket team adopting "Under the Southern Cross I Stand" as their victory song.
Finding the Southern Cross in the night sky can be done by locating two bright stars, Alpha and Beta Centauri, which act as pointers towards the constellation. The brighter of the two, Alpha Centauri, is closer to the horizon. The Southern Cross itself appears as a diamond lying on its side, made up of five stars, with four forming the cross shape and one dimmer star in between. It can be seen above and to the left of the Pointers.
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Frequently asked questions
April is a great time to start viewing the Southern Cross, which is Australia's favourite constellation. You can track it over mid-autumn and winter evenings.
The Southern Cross is made up of four bright stars in a cross-shaped asterism. It is fairly easy to visualise because it stands upright over the horizon. The key is to look for the Pointers – Alpha and Beta Centauri – two bright stars that point to the Southern Cross.
The Southern Cross has historically played a key role in navigation because its two bright stars, Acrux and Gacrux, point in the direction of the southern celestial pole. It is also mentioned in the Australian National Anthem: "Beneath our radiant Southern Cross we'll toil with hearts and hands".
The Southern Cross can be seen from the Northern Hemisphere, but only if you are below 26 degrees north and know when and where to look. It is best spotted in the evening sky in May.
