The Small Magellanic Cloud (NGC 292) is an irregular dwarf galaxy.
At only 200,000 light years distance in the constellation of Tucana it is possible to make out the details of the various nebulae within the galaxy and to resolve stars. There are an estimated 3 billion stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC).
Originally thought to be a satellite of the Milky Way, it is now thought that the galaxy is passing through our neighborhood.
The SMC consists of many young blue stars and is thought to be the result of the combination of two precursor galaxies.
With an apparent diameter of 4.2 degrees the SMC covers over 70 times the apparent sky space of our moon.
This image consists of a four panel mosaic enabling a view of the entire SMC.
Imaged in LRGB and H alpha on my Planewave DR 350 at Observatorio El Sauce, Chile.
Image Processing and Acquisition: Mike Selby
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