Dark Nebula

space · astronomy · dust clouds

Blocks Starlight. Dark nebulae are so packed with dust and gas that they stop visible light from passing through them, making the stars and bright clouds behind them completely invisible to our eyes.

Invisible to Eyes. Even though we cannot see dark nebulae with regular telescopes, astronomers can detect them using infrared light and radio waves, which pass right through the dust.

Made of Dust Grains. The darkness comes from tiny particles of dust scattered throughout the cloud that scatter and absorb light, similar to how fog blocks your view on a misty day.

Home to Star Birth. Dark nebulae are where new stars and planets form, as gravity pulls the dense gas and dust together until they become hot and bright enough to ignite.

Come in Different Sizes. Small dark nebulae are called Bok globules, while giant complexes can contain millions of stars worth of material waiting to become solar systems.