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The Magellanic Stream
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 August 2015
Abstract
A southern sky survey of Hiin the velocity range − 340 km s−1 to + 380 km s−1 has shown that a long filament of H iextends from the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) region down to the South Galactic Pole and connects with the long Hifilament discovered recently by Wannier and Wrixon (1972) and van Kuilenberg (1972). There is also some evidence that this continues on the other side of the Magellanic Clouds and crosses the galactic plane at l = 306°. This filament, which follows very closely a great circle over its entire 180° arc across the sky, is given the name ‘The Magellanic Stream’. It may have been produced by gravitational interaction between the SMC and the Galaxy during a close passage (20 kpc) of the SMC some 5 × 108 yr ago, although it is impossible to account for the observed radial velocities along the Stream unless some force other than gravity is invoked to act on the Stream as well.
- Type
- Part 6: Large-Scale Galactic Structure
- Information
- Symposium - International Astronomical Union , Volume 60: Galactic Radio Astronomy , 1974 , pp. 617 - 624
- Copyright
- Copyright © Reidel 1974
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