Celestial hemisphere:  Southern  ·  Constellation: Crux (Cru)  ·  Contains:  256 Cru  ·  35 Cru  ·  39 Cru  ·  Acrux  ·  Becrux  ·  Becrux (β Cru)  ·  Crux  ·  Gacrux  ·  HD104233  ·  HD104347  ·  HD104422  ·  HD104522  ·  HD104567  ·  HD104650  ·  HD104723  ·  HD104809  ·  HD104857  ·  HD104876  ·  HD104901  ·  HD104919  ·  HD104933  ·  HD104971  ·  HD104984  ·  HD104993  ·  HD104994  ·  HD105015  ·  HD105055  ·  HD105168  ·  HD105178  ·  HD105193  ·  And 1022 more.
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Crux, the Southern Cross 6 panel mosaic, Reggie
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Crux, the Southern Cross 6 panel mosaic

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Crux, the Southern Cross 6 panel mosaic, Reggie
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Crux, the Southern Cross 6 panel mosaic

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Description

Crux, the Southern Cross, is perhaps the most famous southern constellation. It is the smallest constellation in the sky and covers only 68 square degrees. The Southern Cross points to the South Celestial Pole, in the same way the pointer stars of the Big Dipper point to the North Celestial Pole. Acrux or Alpha Crucis is a double star, blue-white in color, with components of magnitude 1.4 and 1.9, separated by 4.4 arcseconds. It is the 14th brightest star in the sky. It is located 320 light-years from our solar system, and composed of two hot blue-white stars with luminosities 25,000 and 16,000 times the Sun's.Beta Crucis is a blue-white star of magnitude 1.3, and is the 20th brightest star in the sky. It is also a very hot star, with a luminosity of 34,000 Suns, located 350 light-years away.Gamma Crucis is the third-brightest star in Crux, a red giant of magnitude 1.6. It is 88 light-years away, has a luminosity of 1,500 Suns, and has a white, sixth magnitude companion 25 arcminutes away, which appears to be a physically unrelated star four times more distant. Imaged from my backyard. Mount: iOptron CEM70Imaging Scope: ASKAR FRA300Imaging Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC ProFilters: Antlia TriBandGuiding: ZWO OAG-L, ZWO ASI174MM miniControl: ZWO ASIAIR Plus Bortle  7

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Crux, the Southern Cross 6 panel mosaic, Reggie