LOCAL GALACTIC GROUP
LOCAL GALACTIC GROUP
Along with our own Milky Way Galaxy, the Local Galactic Group is a collection of more than fifty nearby galaxies, including the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds and the Andromeda Galaxy.
The Large Magellanic Cloud
The Large Magellanic Cloud
The Large Magellanic Cloud, is a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way Galaxy.
Image credit: NASA.
Large Magellanic Cloud Facts
Distance: 1,542,000,000,000,000,000 kilometres (1 quintillion, 542 quadrillion kilometres), or 958,200,000,000,000,000 miles (958 quadrillion, 200 trillion miles)
Diameter: 132,450,000,000,000,000 kilometres (132 quadrillion, 450 trillion kilometres), or 82,300,000,000,000,000 miles (82 quadrillion, 300 trillion miles)
Number of stars: Possibly 30,000,000,000 (30 billion)
The Small Magellanic Cloud
The Small Magellanic Cloud is clearly visible in Southern Hemisphere skies (along with the Large Magellanic Cloud) with the naked-eye.
Image credit: Hubble, ESA/NASA.
Small Magellanic Cloud Facts
Distance: 1,892,000,000,000,000,000 kilometres (1 quintillion, 892 quadrillion kilometres), or 1,176,000,000,000,000,000 miles (1 quintillion, 176 quadrillion miles)
Diameter: 66,225,000,000,000,000 kilometres (66 quadrillion, 225 trillion kilometres), or 41,150,000,000,000,000 (41 quadrillion, 150 trillion miles)
Number of stars: Possibly 3,000,000,000 (3 billion)
Andromeda, is the largest galaxy in the local galactic group. It is even larger than our own Milky Way Galaxy.
Image credit: Adam Evans.
Andromeda Galaxy Facts
Distance: 24,000,000,000,000,000,000 kilometres (24 quintillion kilometres) or 15,000,000,000,000,000,000 miles (15 quintillion miles)
Diameter: 2,081,000,000,000,000,000 kilometres (2 quintillion and 81 quadrillion kilometres), or 1,293,000,000,000,000,000 miles (1 quintillion, 293 quadrillion miles)
Number of stars: 1,000,000,000,000 (1 trillion)