Alpha Cux

[jsmoraes]

Acrux is a four stars system located 321 light-years from the Earth. Only two components are visually distinguishable, Alpha A and Alpha B, separated by 4 arcseconds, with surface temperatures of about 28,000 and 26,000 K respectively. Their luminosities are 25,000 and 16,000 times that of the Sun and have minimum separation of 430 astronomical units, the period is at least 1,500 years.

Alpha A is itself a spectroscopic binary star, with its components orbiting in only 76 days at a separation of about 1 AU

The third star has movement that seems to be gavitationally bounded. Its luminosity is low for its class and suggest that it is far away and it may be only apparent bounding, although. It is separated by 90 arcseconds from A B stars.

GSO 305 mm - Canon T3 - Skyglow filter

[kalasinman]

Well done!

[southernman]

Great pic! I was looking at this multiple star system last night.

Peter

[jsmoraes]

Thank you for comments.