The cruzeiro () was the currency of Brazil from 1942 to 1986 (two distinct currencies) and again between 1990 and 1993. In August 1993 it was replaced by the short-lived Cruzeiro Real, itself replaced less than a year aftwards by the Real. The name refers to the constellation of the Southern Cross, known in Brazil as "Cruzeiro do Sul", or simply "Cruzeiro". Prominently visible in the southern hemisphere, the Southern Cross (formally named Crux) is the main astronomical reference to identify the south and is a common cultural icon in Brazilian history.