Dark Doodad Nebula

{{Short description|Nebula in the constellation Musca}}

{{use mdy dates|date=April 2020}}

{{Infobox nebula

|name = Dark Doodad Nebula

|image = Dark Doodad Nebulae.jpg

|caption = The Dark Doodad is the vertical streak at center

|type = dark

|epoch = J2000

|ra = {{RA|12|25|00}}

|dec = {{DEC|-71|42|00}}

|dist_ly =

|dist_pc =

|constellation = Musca

|dimensions = ≈3 degrees

|names = {{nowrap|Sandqvist 149}}, {{nowrap|CG 21}}, {{nowrap|BHR 80}}, {{nowrap|TGU H1875}}, {{nowrap|DCld 301.7-07.2}}, {{nowrap|[DB2002b] G301.70-7.16}}

}}

The Dark Doodad Nebula is a dark nebula near the globular cluster NGC 4372, much closer than the centre of the galaxy and in the galactic plane, having a length of nearly three degrees of arc. Although officially unnamed, this long molecular cloud has come to be known under this name. It can be found in the southern constellation of Musca (the Fly) with strong binoculars.{{Cite APOD |title=The Dark Doodad Nebula |date=December 8, 2008 |access-date=July 6, 2012}}

This cloud consists of regions of dense gas and dust, and is one of the closest star forming regions to the Solar System.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=roXyxpcc9MsC&pg=PA95 |title=Nebulae and How to Observe Them |publisher=Springer |location=New York, New York |first=Steven R. |last=Coe |page=95 |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-84628-482-3}} It was described in Sky & Telescope as one of the finest dark nebulae—one that is "wonderful, winding, and very definite".{{cite magazine |url=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/deepsky/3304821.html?showAll=y |title=Nebulae of the Deep South |magazine=Sky & Telescope |first=Alan |last=Whitman |volume=103 |issue=2 |page=108 |date=February 2002 |bibcode=2002S&T...103b.108W |access-date=July 6, 2012 |archive-date=February 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140210044055/http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/deepsky/3304821.html?showAll=y |url-status=dead }} Just to the east of the southern end of the Dark Doodad is NGC 4372.

It has also been called the Musca nebula and grouped as the Musca-Chamaeleonis Molecular Cloud.{{cite journal | last1=Hacar | first1=A. | last2=Kainulainen | first2=J. | last3=Tafalla | first3=M. | last4=Beuther | first4=H. | last5=Alves | first5=J. | title=The Musca cloud: A 6 pc-long velocity-coherent, sonic filament | journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics | publisher=EDP Sciences | volume=587 | date=2016-02-24 | issn=0004-6361 | doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201526015 | page=A97| doi-access=free | arxiv=1511.06370 }}