Description: 麥哲倫星雲是兩個環繞著銀河系的星系。大麥哲倫星雲（LMC）的直徑約為 14000 光年，小麥哲倫星雲（SMC）的直徑約為 7000 光年。SMC 是一個不規則星系，但 LMC 在受到銀河系引力潮汐力破壞（瓦解）之前可能具有螺旋結構。這兩個星系都可以用肉眼看到微弱的光芒。早在幾千年前，地球赤道和南部地區的人們就已經知道這兩個星系了，並給它們起了很多名字。中世紀的伊斯蘭天文學家通過旅行者的故事了解到它們。它們的歐洲名稱源自斐迪南·麥哲倫，他的航行是歐洲人首次對這些星系進行觀測。

Related Terms:

• 矮星系
• 不規則星系
• 銀河系
• 漩渦星系
• 潮汐力

Term and definition status: The original definition of this term in English have been approved by a research astronomer and a teacher
The translation of this term and its definition is still awaiting approval

This is an automated transliteration of the simplified Chinese translation of this term

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