Smith's Cloud

Smith's Cloud is a large, high-velocity cloud of gas moving toward the Milky Way galaxy. It contains a significant amount of hydrogen gas, which is the raw material for star formation. At about 8,000 light-years across and roughly 35,000 light-years away, it’s notable for its trajectory—it's heading toward the galaxy’s disk and may eventually collide with it in the future. Such clouds provide insights into how galaxies acquire new material and evolve. Scientists study Smith’s Cloud to better understand the movement of gas in our galaxy and the processes that sustain star formation over time.