Crux

The Southern Cross

The smallest of all 88 constellations, a compact cross of four bright stars. It is visible only from the far southern United States, such as Florida, southern Texas, and Hawaii.

Chart drawn as the sky looks when you face the constellation: north is up and east is to the left. Dot size shows brightness, and color hints at temperature. The connecting lines are one common stick figure; other traditions draw them differently.

Best season: Spring
Best months: March through June, low in the south on spring evenings, from the far south only
Visibility: Visible only from the far southern United States, such as southern Florida, southern Texas, and Hawaii; not visible from most of the country
Abbreviation: Cru

How to find it

From the far southern United States, look low in the south on a spring evening for a small, kite-shaped cross of four bright stars.
The two bright Pointer stars, Alpha and Beta Centauri, lie to the left and point to the cross.

Brightest stars

Acrux (the bottom of the cross)
Mimosa
Gacrux (a red giant at the top)
Imai

What to look for

The Coalsack, a dark nebula beside the cross that looks like a hole in the Milky Way.
Gacrux's red-orange color compared with the blue-white of the others.

Binocular and telescope targets

Coalsack: a dark nebula, visible as a dark patch in the Milky Way
Jewel Box (NGC 4755): a bright cluster of colorful stars near Mimosa, best in binoculars or a small telescope

Using it to find other things

The Pointers, Alpha and Beta Centauri, lead the eye to Crux.

About this constellation

Crux is the smallest constellation, but its brilliant stars make it one of the best known. It appears on several national flags in the Southern Hemisphere.

From most of the United States it never rises. From Florida, southern Texas, and Hawaii it appears low on the southern horizon in spring evenings.

Related guides

Visibility depends on your latitude, the date, and the time of night. The months above assume a typical evening from the contiguous United States, so use a planetarium app to confirm what is up tonight. Never look at the Sun through binoculars or a telescope without a proper solar filter.

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