Cruciswhile

Cruciswhile is a fictional astronomical-ritual concept used in speculative fiction and role-playing settings. The name combines Latin crucis meaning cross with while, reflecting the event's signature cross-shaped appearance in the sky. In most depictions, Cruciswhile occurs at decadal intervals on a world with a visible southern Crux asterism and a stable terminator geometry; observers report a cross-shaped illumination after sunset or before dawn.

The phenomenon is described as an alignment of celestial bodies that arranges three bright stars of Crux with the planet’s perspective so that a cross-like pattern is outlined across the sky or projected onto the surface during twilight. The event lasts several hours as twilight deepens, with the cross taking different forms depending on the observer’s location and atmospheric conditions. Some accounts emphasize a bright central axis with intersecting arms, while others describe a softer glow and shadow.

Culturally, Cruciswhile is often embedded in calendars and mythologies within its fictional setting. It may mark beginnings of seasons, signal voyages, or trigger rites of passage. In literature and games, the event serves as a plot device for exploration, navigation challenges, or character turning points, and it is commonly accompanied by festivals, music, and ritual lighting.

As a fictional construct, Cruciswhile has no basis in real-world astronomy, though it can be used to explore themes of fate, crossroads, and transition in world-building.