Imai — Star in Crux

Delta Crucis is a blue-white subgiant of spectral type B2IV at magnitude 2.80. It is the faintest of the four main stars that form the Southern Cross, located roughly 345 light-years from Earth. With a surface temperature of about 22,000 K, it is a hot, luminous star that is also classified as a Beta Cephei variable, pulsating with a period of about 3.6 hours.

Delta Cru marks the rightmost (western) point of the Southern Cross when the Cross is upright. It is the faintest of the Cross's four main stars but still prominent at magnitude 2.8. The Southern Cross is one of the most iconic asterisms in the sky and is easily recognized from southern latitudes. Best observed from March through June. Use the Cross's long axis to point toward the south celestial pole.

The Southern Cross has been recognized as a distinct group since at least the time of Ptolemy, who listed its stars as part of Centaurus. It was formally separated into its own constellation (Crux) in the 16th century. The Cross appears on the flags of Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, and several other southern nations, making it one of the most culturally significant star patterns in the world.