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Celestial Object

Small Magellanic Cloud

Galaxies

The Small Magellanic Cloud is a dwarf irregular galaxy near the Milky Way, containing several hundred million stars with a total mass of approximately 7 billion solar masses. At a distance of about 200,000 light-years, it is among the nearest intergalactic neighbours of the Milky Way and one of the most distant objects visible to the naked eye.

Facts
Object Type
Dwarf irregular galaxy 1
Orbital Distance
about 200,000 light-years (203.7 kly) from the Milky Way 1
Discovery Year
1521 3
Classification
Constellation
Tucana 1
Catalogue
New General Catalogue (NGC) 2
Connections

Orbits

Milky Way, Celestial Objects
Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Additional Source Small Magellanic Cloud (Wikipedia)Small Magellanic Cloud, lead section (satellite relationship, edges wave 2)
In the Other Atlases

In Constellation

Tucana

Also in Divinity Atlas: the constellation this subject lies in.

Sources
1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationSmall Magellanic Cloud, infobox (Distance)
Quote, Small Magellanic Cloud, infobox (Distance)
203.7 +/- 1.5 kly (62.44 +/- 0.47 kpc)
View the Source
2. SIMBAD Astronomical Database: SMC (Small Magellanic Cloud) SIMBAD record
SIMBAD Astronomical DatabaseIdentifiers
Quote, Identifiers
NAME SMC NGC 292
View the Source
3. Wikidata: Small Magellanic Cloud
Wikidata Q49984, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Small Magellanic Cloud (Wikipedia)
  • Small Magellanic Cloud, lead section
    Classified as a dwarf irregular galaxy
  • Small Magellanic Cloud, Wikipedia - lead section, constellation
    The galaxy is located across the constellation of Tucana and part of Hydrus, appearing as a faint, hazy patch resembling a detached piece of the Milky Way.
  • In Group: Irregular Galaxies, infobox 'type' field: SB(s)m pec (NED classification, de Vaucouleurs system) filed under Irregular Galaxies
  • In Category: Celestial Objects, Small Magellanic Cloud, Wikipedia summary
  • Orbits: Milky Way, Small Magellanic Cloud, lead section (satellite relationship, edges wave 2)
    It is currently a satellite of the Milky Way but is likely a former satellite of the LMC.
View the Source
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