Scorpius–Centaurus associationThe Scorpius–Centaurus association (also known as Sco–Cen or Sco OB2) is the closest OB association to the Solar System, composed of three subgroups (Upper Scorpius, Upper Centaurus–Lupus, and Lower Centaurus–Crux) and located at a distance of 420 light-years (130 parsecs) from the Sun. Analysis using improved Hipparcos data has brought the number of known members to 436. The cluster shows a continuous spread of stars with no apparent need for subclassification.
ConstellationA constellation is an area on the celestial sphere in which a group of visible stars forms a perceived pattern or outline, typically representing an animal, mythological subject, or inanimate object. The first constellations were likely defined in prehistory. People used them to relate stories of their beliefs, experiences, creation, and mythology.
Delta CrucisDelta Crucis is a star in the southern constellation of Crux. It has the proper name Imai, pronounced , which was adopted by the International Astronomical Union on 10 August 2018. This is the faintest of the four bright stars that form the prominent asterism known as the Southern Cross. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 2.8. Imai is a massive, hot and rapidly rotating star that is in the process of evolving into a giant.
Milky WayGalaxy containing the Solar SystemArtist's impression of the structure of the Milky Way based on data from the European Space Agency's Gaia telescope, including the location of the spiral arms, bar, and bulgeThe Milky Way or Milky Way Galaxy, or simply the Galaxy, is the galaxy that includes the Solar System, with the name describing the galaxy's appearance from Earth: a hazy band of light seen in the night sky formed from stars in other arms of the galaxy, which are so far away that they cannot be individually distinguished by the naked eye.
AcruxAcrux is a multiple star system and the brightest star in the southern constellation of Crux. It has the Bayer designationα Crucis, which is Latinised to Alpha Crucis and abbreviated Alpha Cru or α Cru. With a combined visual magnitude of +0.76, it is the 13th-brightest star in the night sky. It is the most southerly star of the asterism known as the Southern Cross and is the southernmost first-magnitude star, 2.3 degrees more southerly than Alpha Centauri.
GacruxGacrux is the third-brightest star in the southern constellation of Crux, the Southern Cross. It has the Bayer designationGamma Crucis, which is Latinised from γ Crucis and abbreviated Gamma Cru or γ Cru. With an apparent visual magnitude of +1.63, it is the 26th brightest star in the night sky. A line from the two "Pointers", Alpha Centauri through Beta Centauri, leads to within 1° north of this star.
Asterism (astronomy)An asterism is an observed pattern or group of stars in the sky. Asterisms can be any identified star pattern, and therefore are a more general concept than the 88 formally definedconstellations. Constellations are based upon asterisms, but unlike asterisms, constellations are defined regions with official boundaries which together encompass the entire sky.
Mimosa (star)Mimosa is the second-brightest object in the southern constellation of Crux (after Acrux), and the 20th-brightest star in the night sky. It has the Bayer designationβ Crucis, which is Latinised to Beta Crucis and abbreviated Beta Cru or β Cru. Mimosa forms part of the prominent asterism called the Southern Cross. It is a triple star system. Nomenclatureβ Crucis (Latinised to Beta Crucis) is the system's Bayer designation.
Christian crossSymbol of Christianity A typical Latin crossA typical Greek Cross Part of a series onChristianity Christians JesusChrist Nativity Baptism Ministry Crucifixion Resurrection Ascension BibleFoundations Old Testament New Testament Gospel Canon Church Prophets Creed New Covenant Theology God Trinity Father Son Holy Spirit Apologetics Baptism Christology History of theology Salvation Stewardship Universalism HistoryTradition Apostles Peter Paul Mary Early Christianity Church Fathers Constantine Councils Augustine Three Holy Hierarchs East–West Schism Crusades Aquinas Reformation Luther Denominations(list) Western Latin-rite Catholic Independent Catholic Protestant Anabaptist Anglican Baptist Evangelical Lutheran Methodist Moravian Pentecostal Plymouth Brethren Quaker Reformed Unitarian Waldensian Western Orthodox Eastern Eastern Orthodox Oriental Orthodox East Syriac Eastern Catholic Eastern Protestant Restorationist Adventist Irvingite Jehovah's Witness Latter Day Saint Swedenborgian Related topics Art Adherents Criticism Culture Ecumenism Liturgy Mission Other religions Persecution Prayer Sermon Symbolism Western society Worship Sabbath in Christianity Gregorian calendar Glossary Index Outline Christianity portalvte The Christian cross, representing the crucifixion of Jesus, is a symbol of Christianity.Epsilon CrucisEpsilon Crucis is a single, orange-hued star in the southern constellation of Crux. It has the proper name Ginan, pronounced ; Epsilon Crucis is its Bayer designation. Measurements made by the Gaia spacecraft showed an annual parallax shift of 14.20 mas, which provides a distance estimate of about 230 light-years (70.4 pc). The star can be seen with the naked eye, having an apparent visual magnitude of 3.58.
Apparent magnitudeApparent magnitude (m) is a measure of the brightness of a star, astronomical object or other celestial objects like artificial satellites. Its value depends on its intrinsic luminosity, its distance, and any extinction of the object's light caused by interstellar dust or atmosphere along the line of sight to the observer. Unless stated otherwise, the word magnitude in astronomy usually refers to a celestial object's apparent magnitude.
IAU designated constellations by solid angleThe International Astronomical Union (IAU) designates 88 constellations of stars. In the table below, they are ranked by the solid angle that they subtend in the sky, measured in square degrees and millisteradians.
Southern celestial hemisphereThe southern celestial hemisphere, also called the Southern Sky, is the southern half of the celestial sphere; that is, it lies south of the celestial equator. This arbitrary sphere, on which seemingly fixed stars form constellations, appears to rotate westward around a polar axis as the Earth rotates. At all times, the entire Southern Sky is visible from the geographic South Pole; less of the Southern Sky is visible the further north the observer is located.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.