Credit & Copyright: Daniel López
Explanation:
Ghostly Zodiacal
light, featured
near
the center
of this remarkable panorama, is produced as sunlight is
scattered by dust in the Solar System's
ecliptic plane.
In the weeks surrounding the March
equinox (today at 1732
UT)
Zodiacal light is more prominent after sunset in the
northern hemisphere, and before sunrise in the south, when
the ecliptic makes a steep angle with the horzion.
In the picture, the narrow triangle of Zodiacal light extends
above the western horizon and seems to end at the lovely
Pleides star cluster.
Arcing above the Pleides are stars and nebulae
along the plane of our Milky Way Galaxy.
Recorded on March 10 from
Teide National Park on
the island of Tenerife, the vista is
composed of 4 separate pictures spaning over 180 degrees.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: zodiacal light - equinox - pleiades
Publications with words: zodiacal light - equinox - pleiades
See also:
- APOD: 2024 December 9 Á Pleiades: The Seven Sisters Star Cluster
- APOD: 2024 September 29 Á Seven Dusty Sisters
- APOD: 2024 September 22 Á Chicagohenge: Equinox in an Aligned City
- Sunrise Shadows in the Sky
- APOD: 2024 September 3 Á Quarter Moon and Sister Stars
- APOD: 2024 March 19 Á A Picturesque Equinox Sunset
- APOD: 2024 January 29 Á The Pleiades: Seven Dusty Sisters