Zodiacal Light and the False Dawn

COLLECTION NAME:

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection

mediaCollectionId

NVA2~4~4

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection

Collection

true

Title:

Zodiacal Light and the False Dawn

title

Zodiacal Light and the False Dawn

Title

false

Explanation:

An unusual triangle of light will be particularly bright near the eastern horizon before sunrise during the next two months for observers in Earth's northern hemisphere. Once considered a false dawn [ http://en.wikipedia… ], this triangle of light is actually Zodiacal Light [ http://home.wanadoo… ], light reflected from interplanetary dust particles [ http://antwrp.gsfc.… ]. The triangle is clearly visible toward the left of the frame taken from the Paranal Observatory [ http://en.wikipedia… ] in Chile [ http://en.wikipedia… ] in July. Zodiacal dust [ http://coolcosmos.i… cosmic_reference/zodydust.html ] orbits the Sun [ http://www.nineplan… ] predominantly in the same plane as the planets: the ecliptic [ http://antwrp.gsfc.… ]. Zodiacal light [ http://www.as.wvu.e… ] is so bright this time of year because the dust band [ http://antwrp.gsfc.… ] is oriented nearly vertical at sunrise, so that the thick air near the horizon does not block out relatively bright reflecting dust [ http://antwrp.gsfc.… ]. Zodiacal light [ http://antwrp.gsfc.… ] is also bright for people in Earth's northern hemisphere in March and April just after sunset. APOD editor to review best space pictures in Philadelphia tomorrow (Wednesday) night [ http://www.rittenho… ]

explanation

An unusual triangle of light will be particularly bright near the eastern horizon before sunrise during the next two months for observers in Earth's northern hemisphere. Once considered a false dawn [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zodiacal_light ], this triangle of light is actually Zodiacal Light [ http://home.wanadoo.nl/marco.langbroek/zodiac.html ], light reflected from interplanetary dust particles [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010813.html ]. The triangle is clearly visible toward the left of the frame taken from the Paranal Observatory [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranal_Observatory ] in Chile [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile ] in July. Zodiacal dust [ http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/ cosmic_reference/zodydust.html ] orbits the Sun [ http://www.nineplanets.org/sol.html ] predominantly in the same plane as the planets: the ecliptic [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap001014.html ]. Zodiacal light [ http://www.as.wvu.edu/~jel/skywatch/skw9810h.html ] is so bright this time of year because the dust band [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap000517.html ] is oriented nearly vertical at sunrise, so that the thick air near the horizon does not block out relatively bright reflecting dust [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap970825.html ]. Zodiacal light [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020915.html ] is also bright for people in Earth's northern hemisphere in March and April just after sunset. APOD editor to review best space pictures in Philadelphia tomorrow (Wednesday) night [ http://www.rittenhouseastronomicalsociety.org/ ]

Explanation

false

Credit and Copyright:

Yuri Beletsky [ mailto:ybialets at eso.org ] (ESO [ http://www.eso.org/ ])

credit_and_copyright

Yuri Beletsky [ mailto:ybialets at eso.org ] (ESO [ http://www.eso.org/ ])

Credit and Copyright

false

facet_where:

Chile

facet_where

Chile

facet_where

false

facet_what:

Dawn

facet_what

Dawn

facet_what

false

original url:

http://antwrp.gsfc.…

original_url

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070925.html

original url

false

UID:

SPD-APOD-ap070925

uid

SPD-APOD-ap070925

UID

false

MEDIA INFORMATION

Zodiacal Light and the False Dawn