Pronunciation: [nˈɛbjʊlˌiː] (IPA) 
The word "Nebulae" is spelled with a silent "e" at the end, which is not pronounced. The IPA phonetic transcription of this word is: /nɛbjʊli/. The first syllable is pronounced "neb," with a short "e" sound followed by a "b" consonant. The second syllable is pronounced "yoo," with a short "u" sound and a "y" consonant. Finally, the last syllable is pronounced "li," with a long "e" sound and a silent "e" at the end.
Nebulae, plural form of the noun "nebula," refers to vast, interstellar clouds of gas and dust scattered across the expanse of outer space. These celestial structures are composed of diverse elements such as hydrogen, helium, and various heavier elements, all immersed in the vacuum of space. Nebulae are primarily characterized by their distinct shapes and compositions, which can vary greatly between different types.
One well-known type of nebula is an emission nebula, which is observable due to the emission of light from ionized gases within it. These nebulae often exhibit vibrant colors such as red, blue, or green, and are often the birthplaces of new stars. Another type is the reflection nebula, which is visible because it reflects the light of nearby stars.
Furthermore, there are also dark nebulae, commonly referred to as "absorption nebulae," which appear as dark patches against the bright backdrop of stars. These clouds of dense dust absorb most of the visible light, making them appear opaque and obscuring any background stars.
Nebulae are of great importance in the field of astronomy as they provide valuable insights into the life cycle of stars. They serve as the nurseries for star formation and often result from the explosive deaths of massive stars in events known as supernovae. By studying nebulae, scientists can gain a deeper understanding of the processes that shape galaxies and the universe as a whole.
An appearance as of a light gauzy cloud amongst the stars, usually only seen through a telescope, often resolvable by a powerful instrument into clusters of stars; a white spot or slight opacity on the cornea.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "Nebulae" comes from Latin, specifically from the word "nebula" which means "mist" or "cloud". In Latin, "nebula" was a common word used to refer to any kind of mist, fog, cloud, or haze. The plural form "nebulae" is derived from the nominative plural form "nebula" in Latin. Over time, the word "nebulae" began to be used in various scientific fields, particularly in astronomy, to refer to collections of gas, dust, and other celestial objects in space that appear hazy or cloud-like.
