Galaxy
Large Magellanic Cloud
Magellanic spiral (dwarf) galaxy
The Milky Way's brightest satellite
A satellite galaxy easily visible from the southern hemisphere as a detached patch of the Milky Way. It hosts the Tarantula Nebula, the most active star-forming region in the Local Group.
In your sky
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Key facts
Distance
~163,000 light-years
Diameter
~32,000 light-years
Apparent mag.
+0.9
Did you know
- Supernova 1987A, the closest observed in centuries, exploded here.
- It is named after Ferdinand Magellan.
- It may be on its first pass around the Milky Way.
