13point8 · The universe, sourcedAll discoveries
Bright star · Crux

Acrux

NameAcrux
DesignationsAlpha¹ Crucis · HIP 60718 · HD 108248
ConstellationCrux
Distance~320 ly
Magnitude+0.76
Spectral typeB0.5IV

Naked eye: magnitude +0.76, bright enough to see without a telescope under dark skies (limit ≈ +6).

From India (8°–34° N): only rises from southern India; it never clears the horizon from Srinagar.

Why it matters

When to look: Mar–May, low in the south; from roughly south of 27°N.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia: List of brightest stars
  2. HYG Database v4.1 (D. Nash, astronexus), CC BY-SA 4.0: stars within 20 ly, derived list
  3. HYG Database v4.1 (Nash), CC BY-SA 4.0
  4. IAU, The Constellations (88 official names and abbreviations)
See it in 3D →

13point8 is an independent educational project. Every fact links to its source; send corrections to [email protected]. Privacy