Gamma Crucis
Gacrux (γ Cru / γ Crucis / Gamma Crucis) is the third brightest star in constellation Crux (the Southern Cross) and one of the brightest stars in the nighttime sky.
Gamma Crucis (γ Cru / γ Crucis), often named Gacrux, is a red giant star approximately 88 light-years away in the constellation of Crux.
Gamma Crucis B?
This hypothesized, much dimmer (and as yet unseen) companion is probably a white dwarf (DA3? /VII).
Gamma Crucis (Gacrux) forms the top of the cross. The reported distance may be erroneous; it's been calculated from the visual and absolute magnitudes. The resulting parallax is so large that it should be measurable.
Gamma Crucis is an M3.5 III star, a red giant. Using its spectral and luminosity classes we can place it where the red circle is on the HR diagram. Reading across to the vertical axis this corresponds to an absolute magnitude of about -0.8.
Gacrux Gamma Crucis
Garnet Star Mu Cephei
Gatria Gamma Trianguli Australis
Gianfar Lambda Draconis
Giedi Alpha Capricorni
Gienah Gurab Gamma Corvi
Giennah Epsilon Cygni
Girtab Kappa Scorpii
Gomeisa Beta Canis Minoris
Gorgonea Tertia Rho Persei ...
At bright second magnitude (1.63), it is tied with Gacrux (Gamma Crucis) for the 24th brightest star in the sky. Of second magnitude stars, only Castor in Gemini is brighter.
From the top of the cross Gacrux(gamma crucis) trace a line south to Acrux (alpha crucis) and continue about 4.5 times that distance and you will get near the celestial south pole.
The third brightest star in the constellation, [3021] gamma Crucis, or Gacrux, is a binary star consisting of a red giant 88 light-years distant and an optical white companion star 400 light-years away from Earth.
Prominent bright red giants in the night sky include Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri), Gamma Crucis and Alpha Vulpeculae (Lucida Anseris).
Overview ...
It is sometimes called Becrux, from its Bayer name, analogous to Acrux (Alpha Crucis) and Gacrux (Gamma Crucis). A bluish-white giant of spectral class B0 III, its apparent magnitude of 1.28 makes it one of the 20 brightest stars in the sky.
called Acrux, a name applied by navigators from its scientific designation Alpha Crucis. It is actually a double star, divisible through small telescopes into two sparkling blue-white points. The names Becrux and Gacrux for Beta and Gamma Crucis have ...
 See also: Gacrux, Sky, Star, Light, Constellation
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