dark nebula

noun

, Astronomy.

1. a cloud of interstellar gas and dust that absorbs and thus obscures the light from stars behind it, appearing as a dark patch in front of a bright nebula or in an otherwise bright area of sky.

dark nebula

noun

1. See nebula
   a type of nebula that is observed by its blocking of radiation from other sources See nebula

dark nebula

1. See absorption nebula

Word History and Origins

Origin of dark nebula¹

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

It was later, that I saw the dark nebula—at first, an impalpable cloud, away to my right.

From Project Gutenberg

Upon the whole, the theory of an encounter between a star and a dark nebula seems best to fit the observations.

From Project Gutenberg

We have seen that there are reasons for supposing our own system to have been at first a cool dark nebula rotating slowly.

From Project Gutenberg