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Astronomy (thesaurus)

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Concept information

Preferred term

dark nebula  

Definition

  • A dark nebula or absorption nebula is a type of interstellar cloud, particularly molecular clouds, that is so dense that it obscures the visible wavelengths of light from objects behind it, such as background stars and emission or reflection nebulae. The extinction of the light is caused by interstellar dust grains located in the coldest, densest parts of molecular clouds. Clusters and large complexes of dark nebulae are associated with Giant Molecular Clouds. Isolated small dark nebulae are called Bok globules. Like other interstellar dust or material, things it obscures are only visible using radio waves in radio astronomy or infrared in infrared astronomy. (Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_nebula)

Broader concept

Entry terms

  • absorption nebula
  • absorption nebulae
  • dark nebulae

In other languages

URI

http://data.loterre.fr/ark:/67375/MDL-NT2WZ91H-0

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