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Quiz about The Southern Cross and its Neighbourhood
Quiz about The Southern Cross and its Neighbourhood

The Southern Cross and its Neighbourhood Quiz


The Southern Cross constellation and its southern hemisphere neighbourhood are well worth getting starry-eyed about.

A multiple-choice quiz by sterretjie101. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
303,904
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
926
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
Last 3 plays: kyleisalive (10/10), Guest 93 (5/10), Coachpete1 (10/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. Which of the five stars in the Southern Cross constellation are usually not so easily visible to the naked eye or by using binoculars? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. To locate south by means of the south celestial pole, you make use of the Southern Cross together with two other bright stars commonly known as what? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Which two stars in the Alpha Centauri system orbit each other? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. South of the 34 degree latitude, the Southern Cross is visible all-year round, never dipping below the horizon. What is such a constellation called when it can always be seen? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Close to the Southern Cross, there is another cross-shaped constellation. Because it can be mistaken for the Southern Cross, it is commonly known as what? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. What is the name of the dark nebula close to Alpha and Beta Crucis? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. What is the common name for Open Starcluster NGC 4755 seen close to the Southern Cross? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. What type of stellar phenomenon is Omega Centauri? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. In 1843 the star Eta Carinae appeared to explode into a supernova. It ejected a giant bubble of gas. In what nebula within the greater Carinae nebula is the star found? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Many countries in the Southern Hemisphere feature the Southern Cross on their national flags. Name one exception. Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 19 2024 : kyleisalive: 10/10
Feb 27 2024 : Guest 93: 5/10
Feb 22 2024 : Coachpete1: 10/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Which of the five stars in the Southern Cross constellation are usually not so easily visible to the naked eye or by using binoculars?

Answer: Epsilon Crucis

Set in a kite-like formation, four major stars and one fainter one make up the Southern Cross. Set at the bottom is Alpha Crucis (Acrux), 321 light years away from us. The two arms of the cross are formed by Beta Crucis (Mimosa) and Delta Crucis. The top star is Gamma Crucis (Gacrux), a red-orange star, 88 light years away. Below Delta Crucis is the fainter Epsilon Crucis, quite distant at 570 light years. Of course, there are many other faint stars in the constellation that can be viewed through a telescope.
2. To locate south by means of the south celestial pole, you make use of the Southern Cross together with two other bright stars commonly known as what?

Answer: Pointer Stars

The Pointer Stars are Alpha Centauri (Rigil Kentauri) and Beta Centauri (Hadar). To find south, extend a line through the Southern Cross, top to tail, and a similar line from the Pointers. The two lines meet close enough to the south celestial pole to reliably indicate south.
3. Which two stars in the Alpha Centauri system orbit each other?

Answer: Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B

Alpha Centauri is one of the brightest stars in the sky. It actually consists of a binary star system, named Alpha and Beta (AB), orbiting each other. Proxima Centauri, sometimes called Alpha Centauri C, is often included as part of the system.

Because there are only three stars there are no stars named Gamma, Iota or Zeta in this star system.
4. South of the 34 degree latitude, the Southern Cross is visible all-year round, never dipping below the horizon. What is such a constellation called when it can always be seen?

Answer: Circumpolar

From certain latitudes, stars are defined as being circumpolar because they are close to the celestial pole and therefore always visible. Areas south of the 34 degree latitude include a part of southern Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. On the other side of the world, parts of Argentina and Chile also lie south of that latitude.

Protuberant means bulging, sinanthropus is an apelike man, while there is no such thing as a canon star.
5. Close to the Southern Cross, there is another cross-shaped constellation. Because it can be mistaken for the Southern Cross, it is commonly known as what?

Answer: False Cross

The False Cross lies in the constellation of Vela (named after the sails of a ship). The cross is made up of Delta and Kappa Velorum and Iota and Epsilon Carinae. The stars are fainter than those of the Southern Cross and lack the tell-tale bright Pointer Stars in the vicinity.
6. What is the name of the dark nebula close to Alpha and Beta Crucis?

Answer: The Coal Sack

The Coal Sack is a region of dark gas that only shows up because it blocks out the light of stars behind it. It is easily visible against the rich starfield of the Milky Way around it. It is estimated to lie at 600 light years from earth.
7. What is the common name for Open Starcluster NGC 4755 seen close to the Southern Cross?

Answer: The Jewel Box

An open cluster is a collection of stars that seem grouped together in a loose formation. The Jewel Box lies just outside the Southern Cross, close to Beta Crucis. It was discovered in 1751 by Abbe Lacaille at Cape Town, South Africa. Set against the background of the Coal Sack, the collection of stars shine red, white, blue and orange. Through a telescope, you can make out more than fifty stars.
8. What type of stellar phenomenon is Omega Centauri?

Answer: Globular Cluster

Omega Centauri (NGC 5139) is the biggest globular cluster in the Milky Way, made up of an estimated five million stars. The cluster is part of the constellation of Centaurus.
9. In 1843 the star Eta Carinae appeared to explode into a supernova. It ejected a giant bubble of gas. In what nebula within the greater Carinae nebula is the star found?

Answer: Keyhole

The Carinae nebula lies on the other side of the Southern Cross as the Pointer Stars. Within it lies the Keyhole nebula. Eta Carinae is a massive blue star that brightens and dims over time. In 1843 it brightened to virtually outshine every other star in the sky as stars do when they become supernovas and die. Because Eta Carinae survived the event, the term 'supernova imposter event' was coined.

The Horsehead is a dark nebula, Omega is an emission nebula and Cat's Eye is a planetary nebula.
10. Many countries in the Southern Hemisphere feature the Southern Cross on their national flags. Name one exception.

Answer: Argentina

The flags of Australia, Papua New Guinea and Samoa feature the five stars of the Southern Cross, while New Zealand's flag omits the fainter Epsilon Crucis. Brazil's flag features a star map of the southern sky. Argentina's flag has a yellow sun on it.
Source: Author sterretjie101

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
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