Small Magellanic Cloud
Also known as SMC
Small Magellanic Cloud is a galaxy in the constellation Tucana, about 195,690 light-years from Earth.
Satellite galaxy of the Milky Way
Facts
| Type | Galaxy (shape dIrr) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Tucana |
| Position (J2000) | 0h 52m 37s, −72° 48′ |
| Distance | 195,690 light-years (its light set off about 195,690 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 2.2 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Size on the sky | 158.1′ × 93.1′ (the full Moon is about 31′) |
| Studied in | 12,554 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Small Magellanic Cloud is highest in the sky at midnight in October. It never rises from India (about 20° N); from 50° N it never rises. To see it you need the naked eye, even from a town.
Heights are worked out for India and for 50° N. Set your location in Settings to see them for where you are.
For tonight's best time from your own town, the darkness and the Moon, open it on the map and see its "Tonight from your location" card.
More in Tucana
Everything in Tucana · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · Data sources & credits