|
Credit & Copyright: W. Keel (U. Alabama in Tuscaloosa), Cerro Tololo,
Chile
Explanation:
Two galaxies stand out to casual observers in
Earth's Southern Hemisphere: the
Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and the
Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC).
These irregular galaxies are two of the closest galaxies to our
Milky Way Galaxy.
Recent observations of the LMC (on the left) have determined that it is on a
nearly circular orbit around our Galaxy, and have even helped in the determination of the composition
of dark matter in our Galaxy. The
above photograph spans 40 degrees.
Visible on the lower left of the LMC is the
Tarantula Nebula (in red).
In the foreground to the right of the SMC is globular cluster
47 Tucanae,
appearing here as a bright point of light.
|
January February March April May June July August September October November December |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Local Group of Galaxies
Publications with words: Local Group of Galaxies
See also: