Star profile
Lambda Crucis
Variable starWhat is Lambda Crucis
Lambda Crucis is a blue-white B-type star lying some 384 light-years away, set within the Southern Cross, that celestial emblem of the southern hemisphere. It belongs to the family of Beta Cephei variables: its surface pulses in subtle oscillations that barely change its brightness over the course of a few hours. It is part of the famous quadrilateral that has guided navigators and explorers for centuries.
Where it is and when to see it
Lambda Crucis lies in the southern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is May, when it culminates around midnight.
- From London it never rises above the horizon.
- From New York it never rises above the horizon.
- From Sydney it never sets and culminates about 65° up.
It can be seen from anywhere south of 31° N.
It ranks no. 11 in brightness among the 32 stars of Crux in our catalogue. To find it, start from Acrux, the brightest: it lies about 5° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).
The light you see today left it about 380 years ago.
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Astronomical data for Lambda Crucis
- Constellation
- Crux
- Apparent magnitude
- 4.62
- Distance
- 383.8 light years
- Coordinates (J2000)
- RA 193.663° · Dec -59.147°
- Catalogue
- HIP 63007 · HD 112078
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Other stars in Crux
Crux has 32 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.
- AcruxAlpha 1 Crucis0.77
- MimosaBeta Crucis1.25
- GacruxGamma Crucis1.59
- Eta Crucis4.14
- Theta 1 Crucis4.32
- HIP 623274.62
- Iota Crucis4.69
- Theta 2 Crucis4.72