|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries: |
Research categories | Follow us on Twitter |
Research categories
View all topics in the newsView all reference sources at Encyclopedia.com |
|||
Crux
Crux [Lat.,=cross], small but brilliant southern constellation whose four most prominent members form a Latin cross, the famous Southern Cross. The long arm of the cross, terminating in the brightest member, Acrux (Alpha Crucis), points almost directly at the south celestial pole. Two other stars, Mimosa (Beta Crucis) and Gacrux (Gamma Crucis) are also among the brightest in the sky. Also in Crux is the Coalsack, a famous dark nebula. Crux reaches its highest point in the evening sky in May; its location in the far southern sky makes it visible most of the year to southern observers but not at all to observers north of about 25°N lat. |
|
|
Cite this article
"Crux." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Crux." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Crux.html "Crux." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Crux.html |
|
Crux
Crux (abbr. Cru, gen. Crucis) The smallest constellation of all, better known as the Southern Cross. Its distinctive cross-shape is marked by four stars: Alpha Crucis (Acrux); Beta Crucis (Becrux or Mimosa); Gamma Crucis (Gacrux); and the faintest of the four, Delta Crucis, magnitude 2.8. Mu Crucis is a wide double of magnitudes 4.0 and 5.2. NGC 4755 is a sparkling open cluster known as the Jewel Box or the Kappa Crucis Cluster. Crux lies in a rich part of the Milky Way, part of which is blotted out by the dark Coalsackg nebula.
|
|
|
Cite this article
"Crux." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Crux." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O80-Crux.html "Crux." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O80-Crux.html |
|
crux
crux / krəks; kroŏks/ • n. (pl. crux·es or cru·ces / ˈkroōˌsēz/ ) (the crux) the decisive or most important point at issue: the crux of the matter is that attitudes have changed. ∎ a particular point of difficulty. |
|
|
Cite this article
"crux." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "crux." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-crux005.html "crux." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-crux005.html |
|
Crux
Crux / krəks; kroŏks/ Astron. another term for the Southern Cross. ∎ [as genitive] (Cru·cis / ˈkroōsis/ ) used with a preceding letter or numeral to designate a star in this constellation: the star Beta Crucis. |
|
|
Cite this article
"Crux." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Crux." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-crux.html "Crux." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-crux.html |
|
crux
crux a cross (from Latin); the term is recorded from the mid 17th century, chiefly in crux ansata (‘cross with a handle’), a word for ankh. From the early 18th century, the figurative use of the decisive or most important point at issue is recorded.
|
|
|
Cite this article
ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "crux." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "crux." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-crux.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "crux." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-crux.html |
|
crux
crux pl. cruxes, cruces †conundrum, riddle XVIII; difficulty the solution of which perplexes XIX. — L., ‘CROSS 1’; short for crux interpretum, crux philosophorum torment of interpreters, of philosophers.
|
|
|
Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "crux." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "crux." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-crux.html T. F. HOAD. "crux." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-crux.html |
|
crux
crux
•crux, dux, flux, lux, luxe, tux
•afflux • efflux • Benelux • conflux
•bollocks, Pollux
•flummox, lummox
•Lennox • barracks • Trossachs
•circs, Merckx, Perks
•gasworks • steelworks • printworks
•waterworks • calx
•Franks, Hanks, Manx, Shanks
•Fairbanks • phalanx • Gollancz
•spindleshanks
•jinks, jinx, lynx, methinks, minx, sphinx
•larynx, pharynx
•Bronx, Tonks, yonks
•Monks • quincunx
|
|
|
Cite this article
"crux." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "crux." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-crux.html "crux." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-crux.html |
|
|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries:
HighBeam™ Research, Inc. © Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
The Encyclopedia.com advertising network includes:
