noun
- Large dark nebulae or dust clouds visible against the bright background of the Milky Way, appearing as dark patches in the sky.
- Large sacks or bags used historically for storing or transporting coal.
Usage: astronomy; plural form; singular is 'coalsack'; most commonly refers to the Coalsack Nebula in the southern sky
Usage: historical; plural form
Examples
- Astronomers use telescopes to study the coalsacks and other dark nebulae in our galaxy.
- The Coalsack is one of the most prominent coalsacks visible from the Southern Hemisphere.
- Workers loaded the coalsacks onto the ship for transport to the factory.
- The dark coalsacks in the night sky are caused by dust blocking starlight.
- Early miners stored coal in large coalsacks before modern containers were invented.