Crux
Crucids
- Centaur
- Fly
The Southern Cross (Latin crux ) is a constellation of the southern sky.
- 6.1 State Flags
- 6.2 Flags of State Share
- 6.3 Flags of dependent territories
- 6.4 Flags of government organizations
- 6.5 Flags of other organizations
Description
The Southern Cross is the smallest, but a very striking and well-known constellation. The four brightest stars form a distinctive cross in the sky. It is surrounded by the bright band of the Milky Way. To the south is to see an eye-catching dark cloud, the " Coal Sack ".
The constellation is surrounded to the east, west and north by the vast constellation of Centaurus.
From Central Europe, it is not visible.
History
The Southern Cross is not one of the 48 classical constellations of the ancient world. At the time of ancient Greece, the constellation was indeed still be seen on the northern hemisphere, but was associated with the centaurs. Due to the precession of the earth, the visible position of the constellation has now shifted to the south.
When European sailors drove through the southern seas in the 16th century, they became aware of the constellation again, where they saw the cross of the Christian faith. The Cross served them well for orientation, since the vertical axis toward the SCP shows. The stars of the Cross as a guide Been 1501 Amerigo Vespucci known, were described in detail the positions of Andrea Corsali 1515th As a constellation in its present form it was drawn by Petrus Plancius on a globe for the first time in 1589 ( on a globe from 1589 is it still wrong when Eridanus ). The next, it also took Hevelius in his atlas Firmamentum Sobiescianum on ( Uranographia ).
Celestial objects
Stars
The brightest stars are named Acrux, Becrux, Gacrux and Decrux. These are simply shortcuts for alpha, beta, gamma and delta in conjunction with the Latin name of Crux.
Double stars
Acrux is a triple star, composed of two extremely luminous stars of spectral classes B1 and B2, and a somewhat weaker component of spectral type B4. Even in a small telescope are three white glowing stars visible.
Gacrux is a double star, consisting of a very luminous red giant star of spectral type M4 and a weaker, whitish companion of spectral type A3. Due to its wide angular distance of 128 arc seconds, the system can be separated already in binoculars.
Variable Stars
Becrux (also called Mimosa ) is a 353 light-years distant Variable star Beta Cephei type.
ε Crucis is an irregular variable star, whose brightness fluctuates with no apparent period from 3.4 to 4.0 m. It is 150 light years away and is part of the spectral class K3.
NGC objects
The Open Clusters Herschel's jewelry box is about 5,000 light- years away. Even with the naked eye, a concentration of stars is visible. In the binoculars and the telescope itself provides a magnificent sight of bluish and orange - red stars.
Southeast of the Southern Cross is a conspicuous dark nebulae, the Coal Sack is called. It is a matter cloud of gas and dust 2,000 light- years away, which absorbs the light of the underlying star. In binoculars, interesting structures show.
Determination of the geographical South Pole
In determining the geographical South Pole the Southern Cross helps, similar to the Northern Hemisphere, the Big Dipper in finding the North Star. To extend the major axis of the cross in the direction to which it is longer by about 4.5 times. Thus, the south celestial pole is determined. From there plumbed to the horizon, is the geographic South Pole.
"Wrong Southern Cross"
The star δ and κ Velorum together with ι and ε Carinae, which are also visible in the sky of the southern hemisphere, are sometimes confused with the Southern Cross. This group of stars is therefore also known as "Wrong Southern Cross". (→ star map )
Flags with the Southern Cross
The states of Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Samoa, as well as, inter alia, the Australian states of Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory and Victoria have taken the Southern Cross in their flags, Australia also as a motif on a current coin.
The Australian Christmas Island ( Located in the Indian Ocean and belongs administratively to the Australian state of Western Australia ) has added the Southern Cross in their official flag. Furthermore shows the flag of the South African Customs Union, Mercosur, the Southern Cross.
As Southern Cross, the flag of the Confederate States of America is known. In English, Southern Cross also stands for the translation of the Southern Cross. This has nothing to do with the constellation.
State flags
Brazil
New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
State flags of parts
Tierra del Fuego (Argentina )
Australian Capital Territory (Australia)
Northern Territory (Australia)
Victoria (Australia)
Región de Magallanes y Antártica Chilena de la (Chile)
East New Britain (Papua New Guinea)
Chimbu Province (Papua New Guinea)
New Ireland Province (Papua New Guinea)
Flags of dependent territories
Cocos Islands (Australia)
Tokelau (New Zealand)
Flags of government organizations
Red Ensign of New Zealand
Royal New Zealand Navy
Civil Aviation of New Zealand
Queen 's Personal Australian Flag
Red Ensign Australia
Royal Australian Navy
Civil Aviation Australia
Royal Australian Air Force
Australian Customs Service
President script Brazil
Flags of other organizations
Popular, not recognized protest flag in Australia
Flag of the Australian Federation
Flag of the Joint teams of Australasia
Peter flag of the German East Africa Company
Eureka flag
Mercosur (business organization )
Other pictures
- The European Southern Observatory bears the Southern Cross as a sign of their astronomical activity in the southern hemisphere as a logo.
- The football club Cruzeiro EC from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil gets its logo also on the Southern Cross. Ideas this was the flag of Brazil.
Eponym
The Southern Cross is named for the town of Southern Cross in Western Australia.