The logo comprises a stylized capital letter
E metamorphosing into a treble clef., with the Southern Cross constellation superimposed.
The 'E' is for Elation of course, but also for Enjoyment and Excellence. There are lots of other good 'E' words that come to mind - energy, empathy, effervescence and so on. All apply!
Also when you say 'E' it's quite hard not to smile, and singing 'E' (especially with teeth apart) produces a joyous ringing tone.
In recognition of Elation's 'Australian-ness', the five main stars of the Southern Cross - Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon - are depicted in the swirl of the logo, more or less in their correct place in the constellation.
See below for the astronomical particulars!
The idea for the
logo was thought up by Leigh Wigglesworth and the graphics designed and executed by Elan Leng Lau in August 2003.
Some Astronomical Facts
The Southern Cross (or Crux as astronomers call it) is made up of 5 main stars, named in order of brightness after the first five letters of the Greek alphabet: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon.
Alpha is the star in the centre at the bottom.
Moving clockwise, the main stars are progressively dimmer.
1.
The brightest star is Alpha Crucis, also known as Acrux. It is the 14th brightest star in the sky and is really a triple star, made up of two blue-white stars, of which one is a pair! Acrux is 321 light years from earth.
2.
Beta Crucis, also known as Mimosa, is the eastern tip of the upright cross. and is the 20th brightest star in the sky. It is a blue-white giant star, and about 353 light years away.
3. Gamma Crucis or Gacrux is at the top of the cross. It is a distinct red-orange star, and stands out in contrast to the other blue-white stars of the cross. It lies 88 light years from earth.
4. Delta Crucis is the faintest of the four stars making up the actual cross. Like Beta Crucis on the opposite tip of the horizontal bar it is a blue-white giant star. It is some 364 light years from earth.
5. The faint fifth star, Epsilon Crucis, shows up as a dusty orange colour below and just to the left of Delta Crucis, and is barely visible from light-polluted cities and suburbs. This star is an orange giant, located about 570 light years away.
