Photo of the day: at the tip of the “wing” of the Small Magellanic Cloud
The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) offers a fresh look at this magnificent image showing the so-called “wing” of the Small Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy that is a satellite of our Milky Way.
The named object is located at a distance of about 200,000 light-years from us. Due to the interaction with the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Milky Way itself, it has an irregular shape.
A gorgeous composite image was created back in 2013 using data from several observatories at once. The observations were carried out using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Spitzer Space Telescope, and the NASA / ESA Hubble Space Telescope.
The “wing” is a small Magellanic Cloud region, which contains less gas, dust, and stars than the Milky Way. And therefore, this zone is of particular interest for scientists from the perspective of studying the life cycle of luminaries.
It should be noted that the Small Magellanic Cloud is one of the most visible objects in the southern sky. Moreover, you can see it in clear weather with the naked eye. The presented image clearly shows distant spiral galaxies, numerous stars, and bizarre structures.
