Small Magellanic Cloud

The Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) is a dwarf galaxy. It has a diameter of about 7,000 light-years and contains several hundred million stars. It has a total mass of approximately 7 billion times the mass of our Sun.
At a distance of about 200,000 light-years, it is one of the Milky Way's nearest neighbors. It is also one of the most distant objects that can be seen with the naked eye.
With a mean declination of approximately -73 degrees, it can only be viewed from the Southern Hemisphere and the lower latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. It is located in the constellation of Tucana and appears as a hazy, light patch in the night sky about 3 degrees across. It looks like a detached piece of the Milky Way. Since it has a very low surface brightness, it is best viewed from a dark site away from city lights.
It forms a pair with the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), which lies a further 20 degrees to the east. The Small Magellanic Cloud is a member of the Local Group.
==Structure==
==History==
It is hypothesised that the SMC was once a barred spiral galaxy that was disrupted by the Milky Way to become somewhat irregular. It contains a central bar structure.
==Notable Species==
*Plevanio: Origin is unknown.
*Mezato: The Mezato originally came from the Milky Way Galaxy but fled as many races began to prey on their resource rich planet.
*Sylthurian: The Sylthurians originate from the planet Hyedron and have begun creating their empire from there.
*Arnean: The Arnea were an intelligent yet primitive race just galactic north of Sylthurian space. They were educated by the Sylthurians and hundreds of thousands joined the Sylthurian Technocracy. Most however, wanted to govern themselves. They created the Arnean Republic because of this.
Category:Dwarf galaxies
Category:Galaxies