Celestial Objects
Small Magellanic Cloud
Galaxies
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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
Orbital Distanceabout 200,000 light-years (203.7 kly) from the Milky Way 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
Sources
1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationSmall Magellanic Cloud, lead sectionQuote, Small Magellanic Cloud, lead section
Classified as a dwarf irregular galaxy
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)
1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationIn Category: Celestial Objects, Small Magellanic Cloud, Wikipedia summaryView the Source 1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationOrbits: Milky Way, Small Magellanic Cloud, lead section (satellite relationship, edges wave 2)Quote, 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.
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