Magellanic Cloud

noun

Mag·​el·​lan·​ic Cloud ˌma-jə-ˈla-nik- How to pronounce Magellanic Cloud (audio)
 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 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 The lack of dust compared to similar systems in the Milky Way is giving astronomers a far away, but unobstructed view of star and planet formation in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 29 Nov. 2023 The Large Magellanic Cloud, which sits around 160,000 light-years from the galactic center, is a satellite galaxy that orbits our own at more than 650,000 mph (one million kilometers per hour)—a value consistent with standard dark matter models. Adam Mann, Scientific American, 11 Oct. 2023 The Tarantula Nebula is about 161,000 light-years away from Earth in the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy, which is home to some of the hottest and biggest stars known to astronomers. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 Oct. 2023 And in 1987, when a star in the Large Magellanic Cloud exploded as a supernova, it was first seen by the Swope and, simultaneously, with the naked eye of a Las Campanas staff member who was on a break in the parking lot. Dennis Overbye Marcos Zegers, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Magellanic Cloud.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Ferdinand Magellan

First Known Use

1678, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Magellanic Cloud was in 1678

Dictionary Entries Near Magellanic Cloud

Cite this Entry

“Magellanic Cloud.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Magellanic%20Cloud. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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