Top 5 for Stargazers

An appropriate list for astronomers, astrologers, astronauts, and the folks like me, who can't help but gaze up at a star-filled sky with absolute wonder and awe. It is common to find stars on flags, but they rarely represent specific stars, constellations or asterisms. The following flags pay tribute to true stars. 

1. Flag of Brazil

"...the creators of our republican flag intended to represent the stars in the sky at Rio de Janeiro at 8:30 in the morning on 15 November 1889, the moment at which the constellation of the Southern Cross was on the meridian of Rio de Janeiro and the longer arm [of the cross] was vertical."
-Professor Paulo Araújo Duarte

Brazil's flag has 27 stars, coinciding with the country's 27 federative units (26 states, 1 Federal District). The stars, constellations and asterisms featured on the flag include Scorpio, Triangulum Australe (Southern Triangle), Sigma Octanis (South Star), Crux Australis (Southern Cross), Hydra (Water Serpent), Spica (brightest star of Virgo), Canopus, Canis Major (Greater Dog) and Procyon (brightest star of Canis Minor).     

2. Flag of Alaska, USA

The flag of Alaska honors one of the most recognizable asterisms in the northern hemisphere, the Big Dipper of the constellation Ursa Major (Larger Bear). The star in the upper corner represents Polaris, the brightest star in Ursa Minor, more commonly known as the North Star.   

3. Flag of Australia

There are 88 recognized constellations, and Crux, seen as the Southern Cross, is the smallest of them. It is easily the most common of the flag constellations, found not only on the flag of Australia, but also on the country flags of New Zealand, Samoa, Papua New Guinea and Brazil.  

The large star that stands alone, called the Commonwealth Star, does not symbolize a true star, but rather the Federation of Australia.

4. Flag of Durham, North Carolina, USA

Durham celebrates its birthday on April 26th under the constellation Taurus, or the Bull. The shoulder of Taurus is the bright star cluster called Pleiades, displayed on Durham's flag. The cluster is better known as the Seven Sisters, the seven daughters of the titan Atlas and the sea-nymph Pleione of Greek mythology.   

5. Flag of Nunavut, Canada

Like the flag of Alaska, Nunavut's flag pays tribute to the North Star, known by the Inuit as Niqirtsuituq. Because the star is recognized as a navigational beacon, it symbolizes the strong leadership of the territory's elders as well. 

The inukshuk, like the North Star, is used as a guidepost for travelers. These stone monuments may also mark sacred sites or food caches.