Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes ProCon History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture Money Videos
Coalsack
Table of Contents
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Images
Coalsack
Discover
Santa Claus flying in his sleigh, christmas, reindeer
Was Santa Claus a Real Person?
Los Angeles Police Department wanted flyer on Elizabeth Short, aka the "Black Dahlia," who was brutally murdered in January 1947. The FBI supported the Los Angeles Police Department in the case, including by identifying Short through her fingerprints that
America’s 5 Most Notorious Cold Cases (Including One You May Have Thought Was Already Solved)
Super Typhoon Noru over the western tropical Pacific Ocean as observed by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA Aqua satellite July 31 2017
What Is the Difference Between a Typhoon and a Super Typhoon?
Thanksgiving Celebration Traditional Dinner Setting Food Concept
Why Is Thanksgiving in the U.S. Celebrated on a Thursday?
A Factory Interior, watercolor, pen and gray ink, graphite, and white goache on wove paper by unknown artist, c. 1871-91; in the Yale Center for British Art. Industrial Revolution England
Inventors and Inventions of the Industrial Revolution
Woman tied to a ducking stool, a method of punishment by means of humiliation, beating, or death. (cucking stool)
8 Unusual Punishments Inflicted on Women Throughout History
Thanksgiving Turkey with all the sides
Why Do We Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving?
Coalsack
Coalsack The Coalsack nebula, photographed from the International Space Station.

Coalsack

nebula
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/place/Coalsack
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Article History

Coalsack, a dark nebula in the Crux constellation (Southern Cross). Easily visible against a starry background, it is perhaps the most conspicuous dark nebula. Starlight coming to Earth through it is reduced by 1 to 1.5 magnitudes. The Coalsack is about 500 light-years from Earth and 50 light-years in diameter. It figures in legends of peoples of the Southern Hemisphere and has been known to Europeans since about 1500. The Northern Coalsack, in the constellation Cygnus, is similar in nature and appearance but somewhat less prominent.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Erik Gregersen.