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Southern Constellations Trivia Quiz

This quiz is about the constellations visible from the Southern Hemisphere, some of which can not be seen from the Northern Hemisphere. The Latin names are used.

A multiple-choice quiz by Dave42007. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
Dave42007

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
350,648

Updated
Feb 11 23

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Easy

Avg Score
8 / 10

Plays
492

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Which of the following is the official name for the southern constellation that resembles a crucifix and also appears on the flags of some southern nations? Hint

Leo

Orion

Virgo

Crux

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Question 2 of 10

2. This constellation is the Latin name of a bird with a very large and sometimes colourful beak. This constellation is near the celestial south pole. Which of the following fits the bill? Hint

Draco

Pavo

Tucana

Lyra

3. Another constellation named after a bird is the answer to this question. The bird in question has a spectacular tail and is the national bird of India. Which of the following fits this description? Hint

Tucana

Pavo

Lyra

Phoenix

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Question 4 of 10

4. The solution to this question is another small constellation. Which constellation of the following is a very simple closed geometric shape with straight edges? Hint

Indus

Sculptor

Triangulum Australe

Microscopium

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Question 5 of 10

5. This faint southern constellation is named after an instrument that changed astronomy forever and is strongly associated with Galileo Galilei. Which of the following is named after this instrument? Hint

Pyxis

Microscopium

Telescopium

Horologium

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Question 6 of 10

6. The prefix connected to the number eight will help to solve this one. Which of the following constellations is found directly overhead at the south pole? Hint

Octans

Hydrus

Mensa

Crux

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Question 7 of 10

7. A constellation named after a colour-changing lizard which can look up and down at the same time is the answer here. Of the following, which constellation can you see best fitting the clue? Hint

Serpens

Chamaeleon

Ophiuchus

Lacerta

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Question 8 of 10

8. This constellation is named after a landmark that can be seen from Cape Town, South Africa. The smart choice for this question would be to choose an answer that reminds you of an elite club for people who score very well in I.Q. tests. Which answer do you think is the smartest? Hint

Mensa

Scutum

Sculptor

Delphinus

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Question 9 of 10

9. Look closely, the nearest stars are found here. Which constellation of the following is named after a mythical creature that is half man, half horse? Hint

Piscis Austrinus

Centaurus

Monoceros

Lupus

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Question 10 of 10

10. The Latin for sails is the name of this constellation; the answer may be a reVelation to you as it does contain the False Cross. Which following choice will you select? Hint

Pictor

Musca

Norma

Vela

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which of the following is the official name for the southern constellation that resembles a crucifix and also appears on the flags of some southern nations?

Answer: Crux

The flags of Australia and New Zealand contain this constellation although it is depicted differently. It is usually called the Southern Cross and is the smallest of the constellations covering 7 degrees by 5 degrees of the sky. It can be used to find the south celestial pole because the long axis points toward it.

2. This constellation is the Latin name of a bird with a very large and sometimes colourful beak. This constellation is near the celestial south pole. Which of the following fits the bill?

Answer: Tucana

Tucana is Latin for Toucan. It contains the Small Magellanic Cloud, one of the Milky Way's two small companion galaxies named after Ferdinand Magellan. The other one is the Large Magellanic Cloud.

Answer: Pavo

Pavo is Latin for Peacock and Peacock (Pavonis) is also the name of the brightest star in the constellation it contains. The constellation is not as eye-catching to the unaided eye as a peacock's tail though.

4. The solution to this question is another small constellation. Which constellation of the following is a very simple closed geometric shape with straight edges?

Answer: Triangulum Australe

Another small southern constellation, it has three main stars that form a near equilateral triangle. The name simply means Southern Triangle.

Answer: Telescopium

Telescopium is the Latin version of the Greek word for telescope. Unfortunately only large telescopes will find much of interest in this constellation.

6. The prefix connected to the number eight will help to solve this one. Which of the following constellations is found directly overhead at the south pole?

Answer: Octans

Octans is named for the octant, a tool used to navigate before the sextant replaced it. This constellation includes the south celestial pole.

7. A constellation named after a colour-changing lizard which can look up and down at the same time is the answer here. Of the following, which constellation can you see best fitting the clue?

Answer: Chamaeleon

Chamaeleon is named after the chameleon. Like a camouflaged chameleon it is hard to see this small and faint southern constellation that borders Octans, the most southern constellation.

Answer: Mensa

Mensa has a small part of the Large Magellanic Cloud included in its borders. Mensa is deep in the southern sky; only Octans is more southerly and none are as faint.

9. Look closely, the nearest stars are found here. Which constellation of the following is named after a mythical creature that is half man, half horse?

Answer: Centaurus

Plenty to see here. Centaurus is named after the Centaur and is a large constellation containing a lot of stars and clusters. Our nearest neighbour Alpha Centauri is a triple star system comprising of a binary star, Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B, and the red dwarf Proxima Centauri. Proxima Centauri is the nearest of the three stars and it is in a million-year orbit of the binary system. Proxima Centauri is invisible to us without optical aids yet Alpha Centauri AB, the binary part, is the third brightest star.

10. The Latin for sails is the name of this constellation; the answer may be a reVelation to you as it does contain the False Cross. Which following choice will you select?

Answer: Vela

This constellation was once part of the constellation Argos Navis so it has no alpha or beta stars like most constellations. The False Cross has fooled many people I know when asked if they can find the Southern Cross, but it is a larger cross that is not as straight and does not contain an equivalent to the fifth bright star Epsilon Crux between the Alpha Crux and Delta Crux. Also, Alpha Centauri and Beta Centauri create a handy line to point you in the right direction.

Source: Author Dave42007

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