Astronomy Picture of the Day -- The Southern Cross in a Southern Sky

NASA ^ | October 19, 2015 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: Have you ever seen the Southern Cross? This famous constellation is best seen from Earth's Southern Hemisphere. Captured from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the four bright stars that mark the Southern Cross are visible just above the horizon in the featured image. On the left of this constellation, also known as The Crux, is the orange star Gamma Crucis. The band of stars, dust, and gas rising through the middle of the image mosaic is part our Milky Way Galaxy. Just to the right of the Southern Cross is the dark Coal Sack Nebula, and the bright nebula at the top of the image is the Carina Nebula. The Southern Cross is such a famous constellation that it is depicted on the national flag of Australia.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit and Copyright: Carlos Fairbairn]

[SunkenCiv]

[SunkenCiv]

The Big One

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[SaveFerris]

Interesting

[Moltke]

Have the muslim protests against the “cross” begun yet?

(Great pic, btw. Thanks.)

[HonkyTonkMan]

80 feet of waterline, nicely making way.....

[who knows what evil?]

“...it’s the sign of the Southern Cross...”

[Hatteras]

When you see the Southern Cross for the first time
You understand now why you came this way
‘Cause the truth you might be runnin’ from is so small
But it’s as big as the promise, the promise of a comin’ day...

[huldah1776]

I was excited this morning because I could see more than 10 stars here outside the philly cityline. THEN i got to see a shooting star! Must have been super bright to beat the city lights. No matter where I am it’s cloudy on meteor shower nights.

[sheana]

When we bought our sailboat I wanted to name her Southern Cross. Hubby won and she got a different name.

[Rebelbase]

“The Southern Cross and the satellites they remind us of where we are”—Jimmy Buffet

[SunkenCiv]

There’s just a sliver of Moon; when I got home (this is out in the Boonies, actually a little out past the Boonies, frankly we can’t even see the Boonies from here) I’d left no exterior lights on, and the stars were startlingly bright. I’d love to see a really prominent meteor like that though.

[SamAdams76]

That photo reminds me of Yacht Rock. It’s been gone since mid-September and I miss it already.

[SunkenCiv]

Yacht Rock... good name for a TV series...

[huldah1776]

I always think of when God started it on its journey millions (billions?) of years ago knowing that at that 1/2 a second I would be looking up thinking about His work. Now that’s a physicist!