The Dark Doodad Nebula

The Dark Doodad Nebula

Image Credit & Copyright:
Martin Pugh &
Rocco Sung

Explanation:
What is that strange brown ribbon on the sky?

When observing the star cluster
NGC 4372, observers frequently take note of
an unusual dark streak nearby running about three
degrees in length.

The streak, actually a long
molecular cloud,
has become known as the Dark Doodad Nebula.

(Doodad is slang for a
thingy or a
whatchamacallit.)

Pictured here, the
Dark Doodad Nebula sweeps across the
center of a rich and colorful starfield.

Its dark color comes from a high concentration of
interstellar dust that preferentially scatters
visible light.

The globular star cluster NGC 4372 is visible as the
fuzzy white spot on the far left, while the bright blue star
gamma Muscae is seen to the cluster’s upper right.

The
Dark Doodad Nebula can be found with strong
binoculars toward the southern
constellation of the Fly
(Musca).