Posted on 01/31/2013 3:29:35 AM PST by SunkenCiv
Explanation: The delightful Dark Doodad Nebula drifts through southern skies, a tantalizing target for binoculars in the constellation Musca, The Fly. The dusty cosmic cloud is seen against rich starfields just south of the prominent Coalsack Nebula and the Southern Cross. Stretching for about 3 degrees across this scene the Dark Doodad seems punctuated at its southern tip (lower left) by globular star cluster NGC 4372. Of course NGC 4372 roams the halo of our Milky Way Galaxy, a background object some 20,000 light-years away and only by chance along our line-of-sight to the Dark Doodad. The Dark Doodad's well defined silhouette belongs to the Musca molecular cloud, but its better known alliterative moniker was first coined by astro-imager and writer Dennis di Cicco in 1986 while observing comet Halley from the Australian outback. The Dark Doodad is around 700 light-years distant and over 30 light-years long.
(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...
[Credit & Copyright: Ivan Eder]
Oooh, a nebula, or, if this is one we didn't know about, a Newbula.
|
Oooh, a nebula, or, if this is one we didn't know about, a Newbula.
|
Does this mean God smokes?
That’s way too many stars. That’s light pollution. The EPA needs to step in and get those turned off.
What’s that creepy black thingy?
So... what you are saying is that the dark Doodoo nebula (aka doodad) recently passed medicinal marijuana laws? I love this ping list!!
RACISM ALERT! RACISM ALERT!
CREEPY BLACK = RACIST!
CREEPY BLACK = RACIST!
LOL.
He smokes and He smites.
The Dark Doodad? Gee, that Batman gets around.
Doodad? Looks more like a thingamabob to me.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.