coalsack
1
9.3
- noun
- /ˈkoʊlˌsæk/
- Specialized
- Coalsack Nebula
- dark coalsack
Examples
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In the Milky Way, the dark coalsack nebula is clearly visible.
Blog text (23) -
While stargazing, I pointed out the coalsack, a dark patch in the sky that blocks the light of many stars.
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In the southern sky, the coalsack is a prominent feature, easily recognized by its starless shape.
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Astronomers study the coalsack to understand how interstellar dust affects the visibility of distant stars.
Synonyms
93
8.2
A large cloud of gas and dust in space that often looks like a bright patch in the sky
1
9.1
A metal container with a sloping front for holding and pouring coal into a fire
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word coalsack comes from the simple image of coal + sack, a 'bag' for coal. People used the same image for a dark patch in the sky that looks like a black bag of coal blocking the stars, so coalsack can mean both a sack for coal and a dark area that hides starlight.