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Coalsack |
Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Hutchinson | 0.01 sec. |
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Coalsack: see Milky Way Milky Way, the galaxy of which the sun and solar system are a part, seen as a broad band of light arching across the night sky from horizon to horizon; if not blocked by the horizon, it would be seen as a circle around the entire sky. ..... Click the link for more information. . CoalsackDark nebula in the Crux constellation (Southern Cross). It reduces the brightness of stars beyond it by 1–1.5 magnitudes. Easily visible against a starry background, it is probably about 550–600 light-years from Earth and 20–30 light-years in diameter. It figures in legends of peoples of the Southern Hemisphere and has been known to Europeans since c. 1500. The Northern Coalsack, in the constellation Cygnus, is similar in nature and appearance but somewhat less obvious. Coalsack [′kōl‚sak] (astronomy) An area in one of the brighter regions of the Southern Milky Way which to the naked eye appears entirely devoid of stars and hence dark with respect to the surrounding Milky Way region. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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