α Scuti, also known as Acrux, is the brightest star in the constellation Crux, commonly referred to as the Southern Cross. It is a blue giant star located approximately 320 light-years away from Earth. With a magnitude of about 0.77, it is one of the most prominent stars in the southern hemisphere's night sky. Acrux is actually a binary star system, consisting of two stars that orbit each other. The primary star is classified as a B-type star, while the secondary is slightly less massive. This system is notable for its position near the celestial south pole, making it an important navigational reference for explorers in the southern hemisphere.