The Large Magellanic Cloud
Nubecula Major in Doradus/Mensa
is a satellite galaxy of our own Milky Way. At a distance of 160,000 light-years, the LMC is the second-closest galaxy to us.
At approx. 32,000 light-years across, the LMC is densely packed with star forming regions.
The large, pink knot at about 10 o'clock is the well known Tarantula Nebula. An SHO narrowband version of this area is here.
The LMC is believed to have been a barred dwarf spiral galaxy before its spiral arms were disrupted
by tidal interactions with the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) and the Milky Way's gravity.
The Milky Way and the LMC are predicted to merge in approximately 2.4 billion years. See you then!
Many thanks to Telescope Live, who acquired this fine data from Chile's Atacama Desert.
LARGE
is a satellite galaxy of our own Milky Way. At a distance of 160,000 light-years, the LMC is the second-closest galaxy to us.
At approx. 32,000 light-years across, the LMC is densely packed with star forming regions.
The large, pink knot at about 10 o'clock is the well known Tarantula Nebula. An SHO narrowband version of this area is here.
The LMC is believed to have been a barred dwarf spiral galaxy before its spiral arms were disrupted
by tidal interactions with the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) and the Milky Way's gravity.
The Milky Way and the LMC are predicted to merge in approximately 2.4 billion years. See you then!
Many thanks to Telescope Live, who acquired this fine data from Chile's Atacama Desert.
LARGE