The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way named after the Spanish explorer Magellan who discovered it and its companion the Small Magellanic Cloud during his trip around the world in 1519. The LMC shows characteristics of a barred spiral form and is classified as a transition type between a spiral and an irregular galaxy. Both the LMC and SMC are orbiting the Milky Way, and are easily visible to the unaided eye.
Fifth magnitude Nu Doradus anchors a region of Large Magellanic Cloud open clusters east of the Tarantula Nebula. NGC2214 (Bennett 36) lies 41' NNE of the star (mag. 11). NGC2210 (mag. 10.2, 1.7') lies 23' south-east of the star. NGC2164 (mag. 10) lies 58' WNW of Nu Doradus, while NGC2157 (mag. 10) lies. 1.1° WSW. The galaxy pair NGC2187 and NGC2187a lie at the limit of an 8"-10" telescope. Dreyer offers this description for both: Pretty bright (mag. 13.3), pretty small (2.0'x1.2'), round, gradually brighter middle, double nebula (companion very faint, round, gradually little brighter middle). They lie 53' south-west of Nu.
Offset from the center of the LMC is the Tarantula Nebula (NGC2070, Bennett 35, Caldwell 103). This is the only extragalactic nebula visible to the unaided eye and is striking when seen in medium to large telescopes. Measurements indicate that this nebula is actually the core of the LMC even though it appears to be off-center (on the SE side of the LMC) from the rest of the galaxy. One of Dreyer's extremely remarkable objects, it is very bright (mag. 8.3), very large (5') and strongly looped in appearance. The associated cluster with this nebulosity is called the 30 Doradus cluster.
NGC1866 (Bennett 33) is an open cluster in the northern Large Magellanic Cloud described as very bright (mag. 9.8), large (5'), round, very gradually much brighter toward the middle, and resolvable. "Resolvable" means it takes on a mottled appearance in a 12" scope.
NGC1865 is very faint, fairly large, and it brightens slightly toward the middle.
Dreyer calls NGC1860 faint, fairly large, round, and brightening slightly toward the middle.
NGC1858 is bright, large, and slightly elongated with two nuclei. Dreyer sees nebulosity involved.
NGC1856 is an open cluster described as bright (mag. 10), fairly large (12" in right ascension), round, and gradually brightening toward the middle.
NGC1854 an open cluster that sits mid way between NGC1858 and NGC1850. It is quite bright (mag. 10.5), small, round, and brightening gradually toward the middle.
NGC1847 is bright, small, slightly elongated, with two brighter stars in the middle.
NGC1839 is described as a star plus nebulosity, fairly bright, irregular in shape, and the second object in a line of several.
NGC1836 is the first of a series of star plus nebulosity.
NGC1825 has no description.
45' east of NGC1763 sits the open (the NGC catalog describes it as a globular) cluster NGC1818 (Bennett 30). Dreyer calls it very bright (mag. 9.8), fairly large (3'), resolvable, very condensed, and perfectly round.
37' ENE of NGC1763 sits another open cluster, NGC1805. Described as bright (mag. 10), very small, very suddenly brightening toward the middle, Dreyer claims there is nebulosity involved.
NGC1783 (Bennett 28) is the last prominent cluster, call it "globularish." It is quite bright (mag. 11), large, more or less round, gradually brightening to a very condensed core. Dreyer said it was resolvable. It sits 27' NNE of NGC1763.
NGC1688 lies 30' east of Kappa Doradus. Dreyer calls it fairly bright (mag. 12.6), fairly large (2.4'x1.9'), irregularly round, and fairly gradually much brighter toward the middle.
NGC1703 lies just over 1° east of Kappa Doradus. This one is described as faint (mag. 12.3), large (2.9' x 2.6'), round, and very gradually brightening toward the middle. There is a double star attached.
Moving 2° west of Alpha Doradus we come to an area that contains 5 galaxies easily visible with amateur telescopes. The largest and brightest is NGC1566 (Bennett 25), a spiral Seyfert. Described as very bright (mag. 10.1), large (8.5'x6.5'), with a small nucleus much brighter than the surrounding halo.
NGC1596, an elliptical galaxy, lies 1.1° to the east, 52' west of Alpha Doradus, and 43' south-west of NGC1617. It is bright (mag. 12.1), fairly large (3.7'x.9'), much elongated (P.A. 20°), and possessing a small, bright nucleus. A fainter (mag. 13.8) companion (NGC1602) sits just 3' south-west of 1596.
Three bright spiral galaxies lie almost 1° south-east of NGC1566. From north to south these are: NGC1549 (Bennett 23). It is bright (10.5), fairly small (4.9'x4.1'), round, with a bright nucleus. 13' to the south lies NGC1553 (Bennett 24). Dreyer calls it very bright (mag. 10.2), fairly small (4.5'x2.8'), round (?), and brighter toward the middle. NGC1546 is the southernmost galaxy of the three. It shines at mag. 12.3 and is 3'x1.6' in size. IC2058 is a faint, edge on spiral shining at mag. 13.9, and measuring 3'x.4'. It lies 17' south-east of NGC1553.