Is Crux a star cluster?
The Kappa Crucis Cluster, also known as the Jewel Box (or Herschel’s Jewel Box), is an open star cluster in Crux. To the unaided eye, the cluster appears like a star near Beta Crucis, one of the stars that form the Southern Cross. The brightest stars in the Jewel Box Cluster are supergiants.
What is the story behind the constellation Crux?
Crux was first described as a separate constellation by the Italian explorer Andreas Corsali in 1516. The Portuguese while rounding Africa mapped it and discovered its nautical use. The cross serves as a convenient pointer to the south celestial pole, making it useful in navigation.
What are the stars of the Southern Cross called?
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.
Is the Southern Cross a star cluster?
Crux (/krʌks/) is a constellation of the southern sky that is centred on four bright stars in a cross-shaped or kite-like asterism commonly known as the Southern Cross….Crux.
| Constellation | |
|---|---|
| List of stars in Crux | |
| Symbolism | Southern Cross |
| Right ascension | 12.5h |
| Declination | −60° |
What is the brightest star in Crux?
Alpha Crucis
Alpha Crucis, also called Acrux, brightest star in the southern constellation Crux (the Southern Cross) and the 13th brightest star in the sky. Alpha Crucis is about 320 light-years from Earth.
What is the English name of Draco?
dragon
Draco is the Latin word for serpent or dragon.
Can you see Crux from the UK?
If the Crux constellation is in the Southern Hemisphere, does that make it not visible from the UK? The answer is no. There are still times of the year when you can see the cross constellation from the UK – but you need to know when to go searching for it.