Crux
The Southern Cross, small but mighty
Best on March–May evenings · far-southern sky.
Crux, the Southern Cross, is the smallest constellation in the sky by area, yet it punches far above its weight: a tight, kite-shaped cross of bright stars set in a brilliant stretch of the Milky Way. Deep in the far-southern sky, it has guided navigators below the equator for centuries and appears on several southern-hemisphere flags.
How to find it
A far-southern constellation, riding highest on March-to-May evenings and best seen from the southern hemisphere — for most of the northern hemisphere it never rises. Look for a compact cross standing out against the dense Milky Way; two brilliant stars in neighbouring Centaurus sit just alongside and point straight at it.
Brightest stars
Three bright stars anchor it: blue-white Mimosa at magnitude 1.25, Acrux at 1.33 marking the foot of the cross, and Gacrux at 1.63 at its top, with a fourth, fainter star filling out the cross shape.
Worth seeing
The cross itself is the prize — a small, sharp, unmistakable shape once you find it, set against one of the richest and brightest stretches of the entire Milky Way.
Frequently asked
When is the Southern Cross visible?
It rides highest on March-to-May evenings and, being circumpolar from far-southern latitudes, stays visible year-round across much of the southern hemisphere.
What are the main stars in Crux?
Mimosa (magnitude 1.25), Acrux (1.33) and Gacrux (1.63) are the three brightest, forming the cross together with a fourth, fainter star.
Can you see Crux from the northern hemisphere?
Only from low northern latitudes near the tropics, and only low on the horizon — for most of the northern hemisphere it never rises.
Nearby constellations
Centaurus · Triangulum Australe · Carina · Corvus · Hydra · Scorpius · Libra · Puppis