Star
The nearest red giant to the Sun, marking the top of the Southern Cross and standing out for its orange colour beside its blue neighbours.
| Type | Star |
|---|---|
| Distance from Earth | 88.6 ly |
| Diameter | 101,500,000 km |
| Mass | 2.98 × 10^30 kg |
| Temperature | 3,416°C |
| Apparent magnitude | 1.64 |
| Redshift | 0 |
| Discovered | 150 |
At 101,500,000 km across, Gacrux is 73 times the diameter of the Sun.
Its mass is 1.5 times the mass of the Sun.
The light reaching us from Gacrux tonight left it around 89 years ago.
Its surface sits at 3,689 K, cooler than the Sun at 5,772 K, which is what sets its colour.
It has been on record since the year 150.
Play today's Cosmodle