crux (constellation)

Crux (the Cross, commonly known as the Southern Cross) is a constellation located in the Southern celestial hemisphere. It is the smallest yet one of the most distinguishable constellations. Its brightest star is Acrux.

Crux is an easily recognizable constellation. Its 4 bright stars form a Latin cross '✝' with a slightly tilted horizontal line and a red star on top. It technically has a fifth star that is not connected to the main cross pattern. The constellation lies directly between the "legs" of Centaurus (the Centaur).

The prominent features of Crux, along with the brightest stars of Centaurus, serve as pointers to the South Celestial Pole. The constellation appears on the flags of Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Samoa.

Examples

Crux and Centaurus

Neighboring constellations

• Centaurus
• Musca

External links

• eSky: Crux
• Wikipedia: Crux
• Study-Style (JP): Crux