Local Group

The Milky Way is not the only galaxy existing in the vast universe. In recent years, more galaxies have been discovered. Our Solar System can be found on the Milky Way galaxy. The Milky Way galaxy is part of a group of about 30 to 35 galaxies in one neighbourhood and are collectively called as a Local Group. This neighbourhood of galaxies covers the entire sky.

The Local Group has member galaxies that can go as far as three to six million light-years. Another famous galaxy found in this neighbourhood is the Andromeda galaxy which is located about two million light-years from our galaxy and is found on the opposite side of the neighbourhood.

Two galaxies known as the Magellanic Clouds are also members of the Local Group. The Small Magellanic Cloud is about 190,000 light-years away from the Milky Way and is about 20,000 light-years in diameter. The Large Magellanic Cloud is about 163,000 light-years away from the Milky Way and is about 10,000 light-years bigger in diameter compared to the Small Magellanic Cloud. The Sagittarius Dwarf is the nearest galaxy to our Milky Way with a distance of 55,000 light-years but is often seen as a patch of light.

The galaxies in the Local Group may soon become the indicators that we are not alone in this universe. Scientists and astronomers are continuously searching for evidences of life in these galaxies.

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