The Large Magellanic Cloud is a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. At a distance of about 50 kiloparsecs, the LMC is the second- or third-closest galaxy to the Milky Way, after the Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal and the possible dwarf irregular galaxy known as the Canis Major Overdensity.

Distance to Earth: 158,200 light years

Radius: 7,000 light years

Stars: 30 billion

Apparent size (V): 10.75° × 9.17°

Coordinates: RA 5h 23m 34s | Dec -69° 45′ 22″

Did you know: It is the largest of the small galaxies that orbit the Milky Way.