Crux, the Southern Cross, is the smallest constellation in the sky and the most famous of the far south, four bright stars that point the way to the southern pole.
At a glance
| stars in the figure | 4 |
|---|---|
| nearest star of the figure | Gacrux, 88.6 light-years (27.2 pc) |
| farthest star of the figure | Imai, 345 light-years (106 pc) |
| depth | the farthest is 3.9 × farther than the nearest |
Read off the piece’s own catalogue, the same values it draws with.
About Crux
The ancient Greeks saw these stars as part of the Centaur’s legs. Crux became a constellation of its own when European navigators charted the southern sky, and it now flies on the flags of Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and others. Its stars are Acrux at the foot, Gacrux at the top, a red giant, and Beta Crucis and Imai at the arms.
Beside the cross lies the Coalsack, a dark cloud of dust that blots out the Milky Way behind it, and near Beta Crucis glitters the Jewel Box, a small cluster of young stars. Following the long axis of the cross leads towards the south celestial pole. It is best seen from the southern hemisphere, highest on autumn evenings there; from most of Europe it never rises.
What you see in the piece
Even this compact figure separates when flown out to: red Gacrux is the nearest, Imai lies several times deeper, and the cross becomes four unrelated stars.
Questions
Can you see the Southern Cross from the northern hemisphere?
Only from the tropics and the far south of the northern hemisphere, low on the horizon. From most of Europe and North America it never rises.
How far away are the stars of the Southern Cross?
They range from Gacrux, 88.6 light-years (27.2 pc), to Imai, 345 light-years (106 pc): the farthest is 3.9 × farther than the nearest.