Its four brightest stars (Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta Crucis) appear on the flags of Australia, New Zealand and Samoa. The Australian and Samoan flags show also Epsilon Crucis. |
Its five brightest stars (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon Crucis) appear on the flags of Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Samoa, except that the New Zealand flag omits Epsilon. |
Crux was formerly part of Centaurus, and was first introduced as a separate constellation by A. Royer in 1679.