2. The Small Magellanic Cloud (NGC 292) Apparent Magnitude 2.8
For the most part located in the constellation Tucana and partly in constellation Hydrus is the Small Magellanic Cloud(SMC), a dwarf irregular galaxy. Studying the stars in the SMC enabled Henrietta Leavitt to discover the period-luminosity of Cepheid variable stars, which gave astronomers ability to measure the distance between the Earth and the faraway galaxies. Both the SMC and its larger companion the Large Magellanic Cloud(LMC), are not visible north of about 17 to 20 degrees North latitude – this is why they weren’t known to the astronomers from the northern hemisphere until the Ferdinand Magellan’s around the world voyage. And now, let’s see the number one on our list of easiest galaxies to see with telescope or binoculars.
