Magellanic Cloud
noun
Mag·el·lan·ic Cloud
ˌma-jə-ˈla-nik- 
chiefly British ˌma-gə-
: either of the two nearest galaxies to the Milky Way system:
Examples of Magellanic Cloud in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That’s why the team focused on the Magellanic Cloud (SMC).
—
Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 20 Feb. 2025
The petals of a cosmic Valentine's Day flower are unfurled in this image taken by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, revealing the most detailed X-ray image ever of the great star-forming nebula 30 Doradus in the Large Magellanic Cloud.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 14 Feb. 2025
The discovery of supernova remnants in the outskirts of the Large Magellanic Cloud confirms that stellar explosions can happen beyond a galaxy's main body.
—Victoria Corless, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2025
This image from the James Webb Space Telescope features a bright H II region in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of our Milky Way.
—Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 19 Dec. 2024
But with the inclusion of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way that is the fourth largest in the Local Group, those chances dropped back down to a coin flip.
—Bydaniel Clery, science.org, 9 Aug. 2024
The Atacama Desert's near-perfect visibility provides crystal-clear views of the most famous constellations of the Southern Hemisphere sky — including the Tarantula Nebula, the Fornax Cluster of galaxies, the Southern Cross, and even the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way.
—Skye Sherman, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2024
This image is also a testament to the observing power of the Hubble Space Telescope, which captures the Large Magellanic Cloud's incredible scope and grandeur.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 11 Dec. 2023
The Tarantula is a sprawling star-forming region in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small companion galaxy to our own Milky Way Galaxy.
—Phil Plait, Discover Magazine, 11 Aug. 2010
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 20 Feb. 2025
The petals of a cosmic Valentine's Day flower are unfurled in this image taken by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, revealing the most detailed X-ray image ever of the great star-forming nebula 30 Doradus in the Large Magellanic Cloud.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 14 Feb. 2025
The discovery of supernova remnants in the outskirts of the Large Magellanic Cloud confirms that stellar explosions can happen beyond a galaxy's main body.
—Victoria Corless, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2025
This image from the James Webb Space Telescope features a bright H II region in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of our Milky Way.
—Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 19 Dec. 2024
But with the inclusion of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way that is the fourth largest in the Local Group, those chances dropped back down to a coin flip.
—Bydaniel Clery, science.org, 9 Aug. 2024
The Atacama Desert's near-perfect visibility provides crystal-clear views of the most famous constellations of the Southern Hemisphere sky — including the Tarantula Nebula, the Fornax Cluster of galaxies, the Southern Cross, and even the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way.
—Skye Sherman, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2024
This image is also a testament to the observing power of the Hubble Space Telescope, which captures the Large Magellanic Cloud's incredible scope and grandeur.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 11 Dec. 2023
The Tarantula is a sprawling star-forming region in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small companion galaxy to our own Milky Way Galaxy.
—Phil Plait, Discover Magazine, 11 Aug. 2010
Cite this Entry
“Magellanic Cloud.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Magellanic%20Cloud. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share