
Crux (krŭks, krŏŏks) n. See Southern Cross. |
| Southern Cross n. A constellation in the Southern Hemisphere near Centaurus and Musca. Also called Crux. |
crux (krŭks, kr&oobreve;ks)
n. pl. crux·es or cru·ces (kr&oomacr;'sēz)
A cross or a crosslike structure.
Crux
constellation lying at about 12 hours 30 minutes right ascension (the coordinate on the celestial sphere analogous to longitude on the Earth) and 60 south declination (angular distance south of the celestial equator), now visible only from south of about 30 north latitude (i.e., the latitude of North Africa and Florida). It appears on the flags of Australia, New Zealand, and Samoa (formerly Western Samoa)
Learn more about Crux with a free trial on Britannica.com.