The Magellanic Stream and its related problems
Abstract
A brief survey is made of recent 21-cm, and optical observations of the Magellanic Stream (MS). The space orientation of the Magellanic Clouds is touched upon in relation to modeling the MS. After summarizing a variety of models for the MS, it is shown that if the Galaxy is massive with a huge dark halo, a tidal model is most suitable for reproducing its characteristic structure and high-negative radial velocity. Past orbits of the Large and the Small Magellanic Cloud (LMC and SMC) are determined uniquely for the last 2 Gyr, postulating that the LMC and SMC have been bound together for 10 Gyr. Highly noncircular motion of the SMC around the LMC could give a clue to understand some peculiar features associated with the Magellanic Clouds.
- Publication:
-
Structure and Evolution of the Magellanic Clouds
- Pub Date:
- September 1984
- DOI:
- 10.1017/S0074180900040080
- Bibcode:
- 1984IAUS..108..115F
- Keywords:
-
- Celestial Mechanics;
- Magellanic Clouds;
- Astronomical Models;
- Centimeter Waves;
- Orbital Mechanics;
- Radial Velocity;
- Spatial Distribution;
- Tides;
- Astrophysics