Get the latest Science News and Discoveries

The Large Magellanic Cloud Survived its Closest Approach to the Milky Way


The Large Magellanic Cloud is the closest, brightest dwarf galaxy to the Milky Way—20 times bigger than the full Moon in the sky. Astronomers think that the LMC just completed its closest approach to the Milky Way, blowing away the spherical halo of gas surrounding it. Smaller galaxies would have shut down star formation, but the LMC has enough material to keep forming stars. New observations from Hubble have helped astronomers measure its halo structure.

None

Get the Android app

Or read this on Universe Today

Read more on:

Photo of closest approach

closest approach

Photo of Milky Way

Milky Way

Related news:

News photo

The First Close-Up Picture of Star Outside the Milky Way

News photo

High Velocity Clouds Comprise Less of the Milky Way's Mass Than We Thought

News photo

Tidal Steams of Interstellar Objects May Flow Through the Milky Way Like Braided Rivers