Mimosa or Becrux (β Cru, β Crucis, Beta

Beta (letter)

Beta is the second letter of the Greek alphabet. In Ancient Greek, beta represented the voiced bilabial plosive . In Modern Greek, it represents the voiced labiodental fricative ....

 Crucis) is the second brightest star in the constellation

Constellation

In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....

 Crux

Crux

Crux is the smallest of the 88 modern constellations, but is one of the most distinctive. Its name is Latin for cross, and it is dominated by a cross-shaped asterism that is commonly known as the Southern Cross.-Visibility:...

 (after Alpha Crucis

Alpha Crucis

Acrux is the brightest star in the constellation Crux, the Southern Cross, and, at a combined visual magnitude 0.77, is the twelfth brightest star in the night sky...

 or Acrux) and is one of the brightest stars in the night sky.

Beta Crucis is located approximately 350 light years away from Earth. It is a spectroscopic binary with components that are too close together to resolve with a telescope

Telescope

A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...

. The pair orbit each other every 5 years and are separated by about 8 AU

Astronomical unit

An astronomical unit is a unit of length equal to about or approximately the mean Earth–Sun distance....

. Beta Crucis, being of spectral type B0.5IV, is believed to be the hottest first-magnitude star.

Since Beta Crucis, "Becrux", is at roughly −60° declination

Declination

In astronomy, declination is one of the two coordinates of the equatorial coordinate system, the other being either right ascension or hour angle. Declination in astronomy is comparable to geographic latitude, but projected onto the celestial sphere. Declination is measured in degrees north and...

, it is only visible south of the Tropic of Cancer

Tropic of Cancer

The Tropic of Cancer, also referred to as the Northern tropic, is the circle of latitude on the Earth that marks the most northerly position at which the Sun may appear directly overhead at its zenith...

 and did not therefore receive a traditional name, "Mimosa

Mimosa

Mimosa is a genus of about 400 species of herbs and shrubs, in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the legume family Fabaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek word μιμος , meaning "mimic."...

" being a recent name based on its color.

In Chinese

Chinese language

The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...

, , meaning Cross, refers to an asterism consisting of β Crucis, γ Crucis

Gamma Crucis

Gamma Crucis , often called Gacrux, is a red giant star approximately 88 light-years away in the constellation of Crux. Among Portuguese-speaking peoples it is also named "Rubídea" , in reference to its color. The star is the third-brightest star in Crux and one of the brightest stars in the...

, α Crucis

Alpha Crucis

Acrux is the brightest star in the constellation Crux, the Southern Cross, and, at a combined visual magnitude 0.77, is the twelfth brightest star in the night sky...

 and δ Crucis. Consequently, β Crucis itself is known as .

Modern legacy

Mimosa is represented in the flags of Australia

Flag of Australia

The flag of Australia is a defaced Blue Ensign: a blue field with the Union Flag in the canton , and a large white seven-pointed star known as the Commonwealth Star in the lower hoist quarter...

, New Zealand

Flag of New Zealand

The flag of New Zealand is a defaced Blue Ensign with the Union Flag in the canton, and four red stars with white borders to the right. The stars represent the constellation of Crux, the Southern Cross....

 and Papua New Guinea

Flag of Papua New Guinea

The flag of Papua New Guinea was adopted on July 1, 1971. In the hoist, it depicts the Southern Cross; in the fly, a raggiana bird of paradise is silhouetted. The designer of the flag was 15 year old schoolgirl Susan Huhume who won a nationwide competition for a new flag design in 1971.Red and...

 as one of five stars making up the Southern Cross. It is also featured in the flag of Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

, along with 26 other stars, each of which represents a state. Mimosa represents the State of Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro (state)

Rio de Janeiro is one of the 27 states of Brazil.Rio de Janeiro has the second largest economy of Brazil behind only São Paulo state.The state of Rio de Janeiro is located within the Brazilian geopolitical region classified as the Southeast...

.