Observer's guide
About Coalsack Nebula
Coalsack Nebula (C99) is catalogued as a dark nebula in Crux. Its J2000 position is RA 12:50:00, Dec -63:00:00, corresponding to 187.8292 degrees RA and -63.7433 degrees Dec. The local catalogue places it about 610 light-years away. No consistent angular diameter is available in the source record.
Observing tips
StarWatchr rates this as a hard target at magnitude not listed. It is associated with spring observing, with midnight placement typically strongest around March. From 52 degrees north its theoretical meridian altitude is about 0 degrees; local horizons and the live altitude chart determine the practical window.
Its brightness makes it a practical binocular or small-telescope candidate when it is well above the horizon.
What to expect
The SIMBAD classification for the matched source is DNe. The SIMBAD record currently connects it to 276 bibliographic references.
Confirm the framing in the live sky atlas before choosing a field of view. Use the listed unknown arcminute extent to check framing, and treat catalogue magnitude as integrated brightness rather than a direct measure of visual contrast.