Which constellation is shown by five stars on Brazil's national flag?

The five stars on Brazil’s national flag depict the Southern Cross, the prominent constellation also known as Crux. They appear among the flag’s wider pattern of stars representing the sky over Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil adopted its republican flag on 19 November 1889, four days after the monarchy was overthrown. The design retained the former imperial flag’s green field and yellow diamond, but replaced the imperial coat of arms with a blue celestial globe. The stars are arranged as they appeared in the sky over Rio de Janeiro on 15 November 1889.

The Southern Cross is easy to confuse with a general star pattern because Brazil’s flag contains 27 stars in total. Those stars represent Brazil’s federal units, while their placement evokes specific constellations. The Southern Cross is also featured on several other national flags, including Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.