The Southern Cross is a constellation that is often shown to those learning about the night sky. Right now is a good time to look at the stars, said Peter Ward, an award-winning astrophotographer from Sydney. The Southern Cross itself is actually classed as an asterism, not a constellation, as the word ‘constellation’ applies to 88 specific areas of the whole night sky. "It is only since 1954 that we have officially had a national flag," he says. With the two pointers (which belong to the constellation of Centaurus) it can be used as a navigational tool to find the South Pole. Count them for the Globe at Night science project. The Southern Cross in the night sky has guided travellers, intrigued astronomers and inspired poets and musicians. The Southern Cross appears on the national flags of New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Brazil as well as on the Australian flag. I actually started playing rugby because of the university team. Draw an imaginary line connecting the 2 stars that are a shorter distance apart. Professor Colless says the stars were known to the Ancient Greeks and Egyptians but by Roman times the Southern Cross had sunk below the horizon, disappearing from sight in the Northern Hemisphere. Tattoo artist Peter "Bones" Bone says its popularity has waned, with many people now wanting it removed, perhaps because of its "bogan" association, but it's still favoured by newly nationalised Australians and members of the Australian Defence Force. Quite the opposite, there is in fact an inky-black dark patch across that area of sky. Read more about our work to fact-check social media posts here . The first thing you'll notice after dusk south of the equator is that the northern constellations appear upside down. Acrux’s position is RA: 12h 26m 35s, dec: -63° 05′ 57″. Before you participate in the project, visit the Globe at Night website and put in your location. "I find it just a lovely constellation," he says, in his office at the Mt Stromlo observatory high above Canberra. However, unlike the navigator in the northern hemisphere, the southerner has no fixed star conveniently placed to mark the South Celestial pole. The stars do represent the 13 Southern states of secession. Over the last week there has been a discussion in Column 8 (Sydney Morning Herald) about the stars of the Southern Cross. Finding the constellations and asterisms you thought you knew so well can be difficult: The Summer Triangle becomes the Winter Triangle down s… The Southern Cross, image created by Nick Lomb using TheSky software. Sketch Nick Lomb. The idea is to get as many people around the world to look at the stars on April 23 during International Dark Sky Week, said Marnie Ogg, head of the Australasian Dark Sky Alliance. The southern cross is the best known constelation in the southern hemisphere. It will pull up different versions of the Southern Cross that are matched to what you should be able to see under different conditions. "And we're hoping to get as many people as we can to do that during International Dark Sky week, particularly during COVID lockdowns because we think there's actually a vast difference at the moment.". But most of the observations have come from people living in the Northern Hemisphere. If you're in a more light polluted area you will be able to see only the brightest stars, but if you're in a dark sky area you may be able to see up to magnitude 6. The Southern Cross at various times in June. "The problem is if you try to do it from the suburbs ... a lot of light spill just goes up in the sky and modern cameras will pick that up very quickly. The Southern Cross has also been used as a sign of resistance in modern protest movements such as the anti-coal seam gas campaign. SS Southern Cross was a steam-powered sealing vessel that operated primarily in Norway and Newfoundland and Labrador.. She was lost at sea returning from the seal hunt on March 31, 1914, killing all 174 men aboard in the same storm that killed 78 crewmen from the SS Newfoundland, a collective tragedy that became known as the "1914 Newfoundland Sealing Disaster". Crux, (Latin: Cross) constellation lying in the southern sky at about 12 hours 30 minutes right ascension and 60° south declination and visible only from south of about latitude 30° N (i.e., the latitude of North Africa and Florida). As the Southern Cross spins around the sky once a day we can use it to find the time as long as we know the date. If you do live away from the city lights, here are some tips from Mr Ward about how to capture this type of image from your backyard: Get all the latest science stories from across the ABC. The Southern Cross is officially an asterism, a collection of stars that belongs to the constellation of Crux. In the Southern Hemisphere, start by finding the Southern Cross constellation, a collection of 4 bright stars that make a distinctive cross marking the South Pole. The Italian explorer Andrea Corsali, who worked for the powerful Giuliano de Medici of Florence, observed the Southern Cross during a Portuguese voyage to India. It might depend on where you live. The brighter they are, the lower their magnitude. In 1854 it was famously flown at the Eureka Stockade. "We don't just want [measurements] where it's dark in the country, we actually want to take measurements of where people live in urban environments so we can see how much light is affecting our atmosphere," she said. From western Victoria there's a story about a man who was chased up a tree by a large emu and in punishment for his cowardice he was turned into a possum. "The Southern Cross became a symbol for the miners on the goldfield of their independence," says Michael Evans, the Manager of Visitor Experience at the Museum of Australian Democracy. From there, you need to count how many stars you can see using just your eyes (not binoculars or a telescope) and match it to the maps on the website that best represents what you can see. The Globe At Night program will also have more star-spotting weeks in May and June so you can compare your views. It’s made of two stars in Carina and two in Vela, and it’s slightly larger and more oblique than the true Southern Cross, and more diamond-shaped. Each of the maps is based on how bright the stars are — or their magnitude. [an error occurred while processing this directive]. "A lot of military people definitely wear it as a badge of honour and you do find a lot of people particularly when they go on longer deployments ... are drawn towards that type of tattoo.". The four main stars of the famous Southern Cross constellation are Acrux (Alpha Crucis), bottom; Becrux (Beta Crucis), left; Gacrux (Gamma Crucis), top; and Delta Crucis, right. Many of the proposed designs paid homage to the Stars and Stripes, due to a nostalgia many of the new Confederate citizens felt towards the Union in early 1861, some of the homages were outright mimicry, whilst others were less obviously inspired by the Stars and … As the name suggests, it's in the south. The stars of the Southern Cross – Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon Crucis – form an asterism that really looks more like a kite than a cross.Two of the brightest stars that form the cross, Alpha Crucis and Beta Crucis, are among the brightest stars in the sky and easily visible from the southern hemisphere. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. Exhibition co-curator Dr Susannah Helman says there are earlier depictions of the Southern Cross but Corsali was the first to draw and describe it as a separate constellation. If you are in a darker area you may be able to see even more stars — the constellation contains 49 stars that are bright enough to see at the absolute limit of human eyesight under perfect conditions. Stephen Stills sings lead throughout, with Graham Nash joining on the second verse. If you count them tonight you can contribute to a project that maps light pollution across the globe. That represents the possum.". The Southern Cross is familiar to many cultures in the southern hemisphere and is featured in the national flags of Brazil, Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and Samoa. As discussed in the text it can indicate the time during other months as well. If you count the stars in the Southern Cross tonight you will contribute to the worldwide effort to map light pollution during International Dark Sky Week. For a few years it was also a popular tattoo. The Coal Sack is the dark shape at lower left of the Southern Cross. While these stars are visible from most places, a fifth star — ε (Epsilon) Crucis may be harder to spot in light polluted areas. "With the shutdown of a lot of industry, the sky has become a lot more transparent than it has been for a number of years," he said. The Southern Cross, or Crux, is one of the best known constellations in the southern hemisphere, and is easily recognizable for the cross-shaped asterism formed by its four brightest stars. How many stars in the Southern Cross can you see from your backyard or balcony? The Globe At Night is an international citizen science program that has been mapping night sky light pollution each month for the past 12 years. The five stars. For latest updates on Cyclone Kimi in Far North Queensland, visit the Bureau of Meteorology or find your local ABC radio station. The five stars that make up the Southern Cross - Alpha, Beta (also known as Mimosa), Delta, Gamma and Epsilon Crucis - are 10 to 20 million years old. "I suppose [it's] their interpretation of wearing their Australian pride," he says. "A lot of the law and the customs are recorded in the stars and the Southern Cross is very important for that.". The two arms of Crux cross at nearly right angles, and Crux is smaller and closer to two prominent stars Hadar and Rigil Kent in Centaurus. Alpha-2 is a single star about 13 times as massive as the sun. "They put the five stars on their flag that symbolised their rebellion and which they swore an oath of allegiance to.". In the mid 19th century the Southern Cross was used by some groups of early white settlers, including the Anti-Transportation League, as a symbol of resistance to imperial powers. In areas of South Australia and Queensland the Southern Cross represents a sting ray. The Australian flag featuring the Union Jack, the Commonwealth star and the five stars of the Southern Cross was first flown in 1901. "So if you look at the Southern Cross it actually represents a possum at the top of a tree," explains Dr Hamacher. ", The five stars in the Southern Cross are between 10 and 20 million years old [an error occurred while processing this directive] The closest is 88 light-years from Earth, the furthest 364 light-years away. The Southern Cross (centre) has three blue-white stars, at the foot of the cross (Acrux) and at the ends of the crossbars. With the naked eye, one can only see 5 stars in the Southern Cross. The map below will help you tell one from the other. It is the 14th brightest star in the sky and is really a triple star. In a letter to his patron he drew a rough diagram of it and wrote "this cross is so fair and beautiful". Professor Matthew Colless, the Director of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Australian National University, is a big fan of the Southern Cross. I chose to study at Southern Cross University because there's only three universities in Australia that actually do osteopathy and I really love the lifestyle near the beach. Then you need to find the constellation. Four make up the cross shape and there is one dimmer star between the two stars on the longest edge of the diamond. "You'll find you'll get a garish yellow or green glow from the sky, which is not what you want.". It looks like a diamond lying on its side and is actually made up of five stars. The Southern Cross or Crux is the smallest of the 88 constellations. Tonight also happens to be a new moon, so there will be no moonlight to affect your view. "And that is the one we know now that proudly shows the Southern Cross. The four main stars of the Southern Cross constellation are Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta Crucis.Several dimmer stars are within the borders of the Southern Cross. Gamma Crux, at the top of the cross, appears as an orange star. The Southern Cross or Crux is the smallest of the 88 constellations. Along with air pollution, light pollution is a big problem for taking wide-field photographs of the night sky. Origin (per wikipedia): Southern Cross is based on the song "Seven League Boots" by Rick and Michael Curtis. The image shows the thousands of stars in the night sky, as well as the dark nebula at the foot of the cross known as the Coalsack or head of the Indigenous constellation The Emu, as well as the different colours in the main stars. If you look out between 8-10pm, the Southern Cross will be high above the southern horizon and tilted on an angle. The brightest star is at the bottom and, moving clockwise, the main stars are progressively dimmer. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), Your information is being handled in accordance with the, 'No hope of recovery': Tourism industry fears what protracted border closures could mean, Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny to spend 30 days in custody. It was featured on the band's Daylight Again album and was released as a single in September 1982. Southern Cross Stars. It's too soon to say, A beginner's guide to finding stars and planets, Where did the Moon landings happen? The brightest star is Alpha Crucis, also known as Acrux. It is also known by the name Crux and it can be found deep in the southern skies. Dr Duane Hamacher, a research scientist and ethno-astronomer at the University of New South Wales, says that because there are hundreds of different Aboriginal language groups there are many different stories about the Southern Cross. How worried should we be? "It tells people about when seasons are changing, when food sources are coming in and also gives them a social aspect," Dr Hamacher says. "For me, as for many Australians, it's the most famous, the most visible, most memorable and most personally relevant constellation.". "Southern Cross" is a song written by Stephen Stills, Rick Curtis, and Michael Curtis and performed by the rock band Crosby, Stills & Nash. But it would have been seen as far back as … The full image below, taken by Mr Ward, is made up of a series of images stitched together to create a mosaic of the southern night sky from the pointers in Centaurus on the left through the Southern Cross to the Carina Nebula, a shining pink cloud of excited gas on the right. But this type of image, which was taken this time last year near Mudgee in New South Wales, can only be shot in a dark sky area. This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. (Jim Trail (digital composition) - ABC Local ), Listen to stories about the scientific, historic and cultural aspects of the Southern Cross. Stellarium/ABC Genelle WeuleCloseFrom there, you need to count how many stars you can see using just your eyes (not binoculars or a telescope) and match it to the … It is centred around four bright stars — the brightest of which is Acrux or ɑ Crucis at the foot of the cross, followed by (in a clockwise direction) β (Beta) Crucis or Mimosa, ɣ (Gamma) Crucis, and ƍ (Delta) Crucis. The original letter hasn't survived but a 1516 copy inscribed on vellum is held in the collection of the State Library of New South Wales and has been on display in the Mapping our World exhibition at the National Library of Australia. Its five stars have been used as a sign of rebellion and as a sometimes controversial symbol of national pride. Mr Evans says many Australians would be surprised to learn it didn't become the official flag until the Queen signed it into law during her first visit to Australia. The Australian flag featuring the Union Jack, the Commonwealth star and the five stars of the Southern Cross was first flown in 1901. "The very top star ... is red. The constellation Crux, also known as the Southern Cross. The Southern Cross, formed by five stars, is commonly used in navigation to find the true south. 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How many stars in the Southern Cross can you see from your backyard or balcony? That’s because they seem to point towards the Southern Cross. "It was lost for many years," explains Professor Colless, "until it was rediscovered by the Portuguese when they began to circumnavigate the globe.". When viewed through binoculars it appears as … "You just need to look out between 8–10pm," Ms Ogg said. The Southern Cross itself is above and a little to the left of the Pointers. Astronomers call the Southern Cross the Crux and attach a letter of the Greek alphabet to the main stars in their order of brightness. Epsilon, now known as Ginan, is marked with an E. People all over the planet have different names for the same stars. You can also note the weather and any other conditions, such as nearby street lights, that might affect your view. The UK closed its borders to South America due to the new Brazil variant. How many stars in the Southern Cross? Crux (Latin for cross) is not visible north of +20° in the northern hemisphere but it is circumpolar south of 34° in the southern hemisphere which means that it never sets below the horizon there. "You can sort of see many more stars than we know in the Southern Cross but what you have is some stars that seem to be in a cross like the Southern Cross we know," says Dr Helman. The North Star, Polaris, isn’t visible and the circumpolar northern constellations, such as the Big Dipper, Cassiopeia, Draco, and Cepheus become seasonal. "Sometimes the two pointer stars represent fisherman pursuing the sting ray or it might represent two sharks chasing the sting ray.". It appears on the flags of Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, Papua Latitudes like Hawaii can see it. While people looking at the northern skies this week will be counting stars in the constellation of Leo, we can look to the southern skies to find the Southern Cross. The Southern Cross climbs highest - due south - in the evening around now. Inhabitants of the Southern Hemisphere, including the Incas of South America and indigenous Australians, have always been familiar with the Southern Cross. It can be seen from the lower latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere when the Southern Cross is the highest in the sky. It's possible to see from latitudes like the far-southern contiguous U.S., but difficult. Trump's controversial decisions that Biden plans to scrap during his first hours as president, India continue to defy the odds as Australia's frustration continues, Townsville airport closes, but Tropical Cyclone Kimi weakens, is unlikely to cross coast, FBI vets thousands of National Guard troops heading to Washington DC amid fears of insider attack, 'The answer is probably no': International travel likely off the cards for 2021, Is the Pfizer vaccine the culprit in the elderly deaths in Norway? 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