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HIP 61966 — Star in Crux

Magnitude 4.9m Star Crux (Cru) Visible
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1Physical Properties

Magnitude 4.93
Variable Type Eclipsing Binary (Algol-type)
Spectral Type B6IVe supergiant
Star Color Blue-white (B-V -0.04)

2Position & Identifiers

RA 12h 41m 56.6s
Dec -59° 41' 09.0"
Constellation Crux (Cru)
HR 4823
HIP 61966
HD 110335
SAO 240161
SIMBAD

3How easy to spot?

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Equipment Bortle 3 Bortle 4 Bortle 5
Naked eye Medium Medium Hard+
50mm finder Easy Easy Easy
150mm scope Easy Easy Easy
Easy Medium Hard Very hard Impossible

Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs

4Visibility

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Best season Feb – Apr (peak: Mar)

5Survey Image

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6

Size Comparison

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7

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8

Spectral Classification

9

Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

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Read: The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram — Reading Stars Like a Map
10

Stellar Lifecycle

11

Blackbody Spectrum

12

Stellar Absorption Spectrum

Simulated absorption spectrum based on spectral type. Hover over lines to identify elements.

13

Stellar Fusion

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14Stellar Notes

EA? 4.91 - >7.5V, 5.0 - >7.5p. Faint May 22, 1896. Also amp. 0.04V suspected on time scale 1d.
Sco-Cen assoc.

Nearby in the Sky

Other targets within a few degrees — pan your scope a little and keep exploring.

Visibility scores assume a 150 mm Newton at Bortle 4.

Becrux
HIP 62434; Beta Crucis
Easy
Hot blue O-type star
Star mag 1.25 0.7° Crux
Jewel Box
NGC 4755
Easy
Rich open cluster
Open Cluster mag 4.2 1.6° Crux
S Cru
Medium
Pulsating variable, period 4.7d
Variable Star mag 6.58 2.0° Crux
Coalsack Nebula
Easy
Dark nebula — shows as a void against the Milky Way
Dark Nebula mag 12.0 3.4° Crux
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