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Alpha Crucis
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The brightest star in the Crux constellation
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View of the Andromeda Galaxy (Messier 31, M31).
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Nicolaus Copernicus. Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543) Polish astronomer. In 1543 he published, forward proof of a Heliocentric (sun centered) universe. Coloured stipple engraving published London 1802. De revolutionibus orbium coelestium libri vi.
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Acrux
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Alpha Crucis

star
Also known as: Acrux
Written by
Erik Gregersen
Erik Gregersen is a senior editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica, specializing in the physical sciences and technology. Before joining Britannica in 2007, he worked at the University of Chicago Press on the...
Erik Gregersen
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History

Alpha Crucis, brightest star in the southern constellation Crux (the Southern Cross) and the 13th brightest star in the sky. Alpha Crucis is about 320 light-years from Earth. It is a multiple star system consisting of three B-type stars, the spectroscopic binary α1 and α2, that are of roughly the same brightness and are close enough together to appear as one star to the naked eye. The stars of α1 orbit around each other every 76 days, but it takes α1 and α2 about 1,500 years to orbit each other.

(List of Brightest Stars as Seen from Earth)

Erik Gregersen
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