Core of the Large Magellanic Cloud

 This remarkable image showcases the core of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) as a highly detailed 16-panel mosaic. The composition beautifully reveals the wide array of gaseous colors and complex structures within the cloud, including twisting, looping, bubbling, and explosive forms. In addition to these vibrant features, the mosaic highlights numerous globular clusters and millions of stars, creating a truly stunning and captivating view of this astronomical region.

 The annotated version was produced by Alex Zaytsev and is a must see.

 The Large Magellanic Cloud is a dwarf galaxy and stands as one of the Milky Way's closest and most massive satellite galaxies. Visible to the naked eye from the Southern Hemisphere, the LMC appears as a hazy, luminous patch in the night sky. It is a highly dynamic region, well-known for intense star formation activity and hosting many interesting astronomical objects.

 ·       Distance: Approximately 160,000 light-years from Earth

·       Type: Dwarf irregular galaxy, with some signs of a barred spiral structure

·       Size: About 14,000 light-years in diameter, roughly one-tenth the size of the Milky Way

·       Star Count: Contains approximately 30 billion stars

·       Location: Located in the southern constellations of Dorado and Mensa

·       One of its most notable features is the Tarantula Nebula (30 Doradus): The largest and most luminous star-forming region in the Local Group of galaxies. If it were as close as the Orion Nebula, it would be bright enough to cast shadows.

 The LMC and SMC are gravitationally bound to each other and are engaged in a slow, intricate gravitational dance with the Milky Way. Recent studies indicate that the LMC may be a first-time visitor to our cosmic neighborhood, rather than a long-term satellite. This ongoing interaction is causing some of the LMC's outer halo of gas to be stripped away, though its dense core remains intact. Looking far into the future, a merger between the LMC and the Milky Way is anticipated to occur in about 2.4 billion years. SMC mosaic can be seen here: https://www.hansonastronomy.com/smc-mosaic

 Image Processing and Data Collection

 The image was processed and calibrated by Mark Hanson using advanced methods to ensure exceptional clarity and detail. The data for this mosaic was gathered by Hanson, Mazlin, Parker, and Forman in 2025. Observations were made using a 24-inch Planewave CDK telescope with an f/6.5 configuration, mounted on an L600, and a Moravian C5 camera located at El Sauce, Chile.

 The final mosaic consists of 16 panels, captured in Red, Green, Blue (RGB), and Hydrogen-alpha (Ha) bands, with binning at 2x2. In total, 960 R,G,B,Ha frames were taken, resulting in 100 hours of cumulative observation time so far, O3 and S2 to follow.

 Enjoy this breathtaking view.

 Mark, Alex and entire SWO group.