either of two small irregular galaxies, the Large Magellanic Cloud (Nubecula Major) and the Small Magellanic Cloud (Nubecula Minor), lying near the S celestial pole; they are probably satellites of the Galaxy. Distances: 163 000 light years (Large), 196 000 light years (Small)
Magellanic Cloud in American English
Astronomy
either of two irregular galaxies visible to the naked eye in the S constellations Dorado, Mensa, and Tucana: the larger one is the closest external galaxy to the Milky Way and the smaller one is the second closest