Yeah, I would like to see Polaris and the Ursa Major. I'm from Brazil and our flag also displays the Southern Cross, along with other stars from Scorpion, Virgo, Canis Major, Orion etc. each star representing one Brazilian state.
The globe depicts the sky at November 15th of 1889, when Brazil became a republic. But the stars are inverted, as if we were looking them in an old celestial globe. 2011/1/27 John Pickard <[email protected]> > Good morning Roger, > > Several nations in the Southern Hemisphere include the Southern Cross on > the flags (Australia, NZ, etc.) Unfortunately, too many (including > Australia) retain the Union Jack. > > Perhaps the most attractive is the relatively young flag of the Provincia > del Tierra del Fuego of Argentina which combines a stylised outline of the > province, with an albatross forming the junction between land and Atlantic > Ocean, plus the Southern Cross (URL: http://flagspot.net/flags/ar-v.html) > > The Australian flag is described officially by the Australian government at > http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/symbols/flag.cfm with details of its history > etc. Here you will find why Australian kids are taught that the large single > star is the FEDERATION star (not "confederation") with seven points > representing the states and territories of the Commonwealth. > > There is no connection at all between the Federation Star and Alpha > Centauri. However, I agree that few Australians know that Alpha Centauri is > the SECOND closest star to Earth. Rhetorically I could ask why would they > know? After all, it is depressing to find how many people have little idea > of earth geography let alone that of the heavens! > > Every visiting Northern Hemisphere field-based scientist who I escorted > around parts of Australia became very excited when camping under the stars > and they saw the Southern Cross and the Clouds of Magellan for the first > time. They had a similar reaction to seeing kangaroos and koalas in the > wild. To me, these are just background, always there and easy to see if you > know where to look. But I got the same buzz when I saw Polaris for the first > time during field work in Canada. Wow! (Some of us are easily amused!). > Regardless of the hemisphere, the sheer pleasure of camping under the stars > on a fine moon-free night is fantastic. > > Cheers, John > > John Pickard > [email protected] > Cloudy Sydney, Australia > 38o 39.6'S 151o 06.3'E > > ----- Original Message ----- > *From:* Roger Bailey <[email protected]> > *To:* Richard Mallett <[email protected]> ; Sundial Mailing > List<[email protected]> > *Sent:* Wednesday, January 26, 2011 4:49 PM > *Subject:* A Stellar Flag > > The Australian national flag does not show a sundial but it is of > astronomical interest as a stellar flag. It shows the Southern Cross and > another star to the lower left. When visiting Australia, I would often ask > about this single star on the left. Everyone knew about the Southern Cross > but not this bright star. Most told me it was the Confederation star, with > seven points to represent the six original states in Australia and the > territories. This is what they are taught in school. Nobody I asked knew the > significance of the real star depicted on the flag, Alpha Centauri, the > multiple star closest to earth, 4.37 light years away. > > Look up! The stars are real with individual characteristics, histories and > personalities. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Centauri, The sun is > not the centre of the universe. > > Regards, Roger Bailey > > ------------------------------ > > --------------------------------------------------- > https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial > > > --------------------------------------------------- > https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial > > >
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