Magellanic Cloud, either of two satellite galaxies of the Milky Way Galaxy, the vast star system of which Earth is a minor component. These companion galaxies were named for the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, whose crew discovered them during the first voyage around the world (1519–22).Mar 30, 2022
Can you see the Magellanic Clouds with naked eye?
The LMC is the third closest galaxy to the Milky Way, at 160,000 light-years away. And at around 210,000 light-years from Earth, the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) is the furthest object us southerners can see with the naked eye during the winter months.
Who discovered the Magellanic Clouds?
Scientists estimate the Small Magellanic Cloud contains around 3 billion stars, while the Large Magellanic Cloud houses some 30 billion stars. History usually credits 15th-century Portuguese voyager/astronomer Ferdinand Magellan with “discovering” these hazy star-clouds.
When was the Large Magellanic Cloud discovered?
1519 Discovered by Magellan 1519. The Large Magellanic Cloud, together with its apparent neighbor and relative, the Small Magellanic Cloud, are conspicuous objects in the southern hemisphere, looking like separated pieces of the Milky Way for the naked eye.
How old is the Small Magellanic Cloud?
Studying the brightness and colours of the stars in the cluster, astronomers have determined it's about 6.5 billion years old, roughly half the age of more common globular clusters.
What is the fate of the Magellanic Clouds?
The Clouds' recent collision may have fractured the lesser galaxy, and Besla says its fate is bleak: "I think the Small Magellanic Cloud is on its way to becoming a dwarf spheroidal." To do that, it need only lose its gas, then wait for some future astronomer to mistake it for a fingerprint.
Can the Milky Way be seen from Earth?
The Milky Way is visible from Earth as a hazy band of white light, some 30° wide, arching the night sky. In night sky observing, although all the individual naked-eye stars in the entire sky are part of the Milky Way Galaxy, the term "Milky Way" is limited to this band of light.
How were the Magellanic Clouds discovered?
The Magellanic Clouds were recognized early in the 20th century as companion objects to the Milky Way Galaxy. When American astronomer Edwin Hubble established the extragalactic nature of what are now called galaxies, it became plain that the Magellanic Clouds had to be separate systems.
How were the Magellanic Clouds formed?
The Large Magellanic Cloud contains a highly active starbirth region called the Tarantula Nebula. It is part of a larger cloud of gas and dust, and its high rate of star formation may be caused by compression of interstellar gas and dust by the collision of the cloud with the interstellar medium.
Where can I see the Magellanic Clouds?
The Magellanic Clouds are visible to the unaided eye in the Southern Hemisphere, but they cannot be observed from most northern latitudes. The LMC is about 160,000 light-years from Earth, and the SMC lies 190,000 light-years away.