archive / atlas record
Large Magellanic Cloud
A nearby satellite galaxy rich in star-forming regions.
- classification
- Dwarf irregular galaxy
- system
- Local Group
The Large Magellanic Cloud orbits the Milky Way and contains active stellar nurseries, including the Tarantula Nebula.
- Class
- Dwarf irregular galaxy
- Location / system
- Local Group
- Distance
- About 160,000 light-years from Earth
Only values with an established scientific consensus are listed. Where a quantity is uncertain or model-dependent, it is discussed in the sections below rather than stated as data.
Overview (starter entry, expanded review pending)
The Large Magellanic Cloud orbits the Milky Way and contains active stellar nurseries, including the Tarantula Nebula.
Imaging, redshift and distance indicators
Large Magellanic Cloud's morphology is mapped across wavelengths; spectra establish motion and composition, while distance estimates use calibrated indicators appropriate to its range.
- What remains least constrained about Large Magellanic Cloud?Composition, internal structure, formation history or local environment can require different observations and may remain model-dependent.
Items above are unresolved. Hypotheses are labelled as such and are not presented as confirmed findings.
NASA/IPAC // verified 28 September 2026
CDS Strasbourg // verified 28 September 2026