What is the Latin term from which the word nebula is derived?
Answer
cloud or mist
The term nebula originates from Latin, specifically meaning 'cloud' or 'mist.' This linguistic origin reflects the initial visual appearance of these celestial objects as faint, diffuse formations when viewed through early telescopes. Historically, the term was applied broadly to any faint, fuzzy deep-sky object, even encompassing entire galaxies like the Andromeda Galaxy, before its definition was refined to specifically denote concentrations of gas and dust within the interstellar medium of a single galaxy.
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