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Can the Southern Cross?
“A lot of people think you can’t see the Southern Cross in the Northern Hemisphere, but that’s not actually true,” says Watson. If you’re north of the equator but south of a latitude of about 25 degrees, which is around say Hawaii and parts of northern Africa, you can still see the Southern Cross.
Does the Southern Cross ever set?
Observers south of 34°S can see Crux at any time of year, as the constellation is circumpolar for those latitudes: it never sets below the horizon.
Can the Southern Cross be seen from Mexico?
Other cities at about this same latitude include Mecca in Saudi Arabia, Leon and Guanajuato in Mexico, and Hanoi in Vietnam. All of you at this latitude will be able to see the Southern Cross before dawn for at least another month. Are you south of Hawaii’s latitude?
Why is the Southern Cross significant?
The Southern Cross was an important symbol for the Egyptians, as it represented the place where Horus, the Sun-goddess, was crucified, marking the passage of winter. The Aborigines and Maori saw the Southern Cross as symbolizing animist spirits that were integral in their ancestral beliefs.
Does the Southern Cross always point north?
Even though the Southern Cross moves around the sky during the year, the foot of the cross always points to the SCP, which is very handy if you’ve lost your compass or the sun’s gone down.
Why is the Southern Cross in Australia’s flag?
The stars of the Southern Cross represent our geographical position in the Southern Hemisphere, the Commonwealth Star symbolises our federation of States and Territories, and the Crosses stand for the principles on which our nation is based – namely, Parliamentary Democracy, Rule of the Law and Freedom of Speech.
Is the Southern Cross visible all year round?
At 35 degrees south latitude and all latitudes farther south, you can see the Southern Cross at any hour of the night all year around. In that part of the Southern Hemisphere, the Southern Cross is circumpolar, which means it circles the sky close to the celestial pole and is always above the horizon.