This densely populated group of stars is the globular cluster NGC 1841, which is a part of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a satellite tv for pc galaxy of our Milky Way galaxy that lies about 162,000 light-years away. Satellite galaxies are certain by gravity in orbits round a extra large host galaxy. We usually consider the Andromeda Galaxy as our galaxy’s nearest galactic companion, however it’s extra correct to say that Andromeda is the closest galaxy that’s not in orbit across the Milky Way galaxy. In truth, dozens of satellite tv for pc galaxies orbit our galaxy and they’re far nearer than Andromeda. The largest and brightest of those is the LMC, which is well seen to the unaided eye from the southern hemisphere underneath darkish sky circumstances away from gentle air pollution.
