Gacrux

Gacrux, designated Gamma Crucis (γ Crux), is a star in the southern constellation Crux, commonly known as the Southern Cross. It is the third-brightest star in Crux, with an apparent magnitude of about 1.6. The star is relatively close by galactic standards, at roughly 88 light-years from the Sun (about 27 parsecs). Its spectral type is M3III, identifying it as a cool, evolved red giant. As a giant, Gacrux has a radius tens to over a hundred times that of the Sun and a luminosity greater than the Sun's, despite its cool surface. The color is distinctly red-orange.

The name Gacrux is derived from its position in Crux, with Gamma Crucis used in the Bayer designation.

Gacrux lies within the cross-shaped asterism of the Southern Cross, a prominent feature in the southern sky. It is best seen from the southern hemisphere, particularly between late autumn and winter, and serves as a navigational reference in celestial navigation.

No confirmed exoplanets have been detected around Gacrux, and it is not known to form a close binary system; however small companions cannot be ruled out with current data.