Irregularities in the structure of Alpha Pyxidis mean that its brightness changes over time. While it appears dim and faint from Earth, this is due to its great distance of more than 800 light years - in fact, it is a gigantic, powerful and brilliant star.

With an apparent magnitude of +3.7, this is a rather faint star to an observer on Earth. Nonetheless, it is the brightest in the sparse constellation of Pyxis.