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Credit & Copyright: Malcolm Park
(North York Astronomical Association)
Explanation:
An unusual triangle of light is visible this time of year just before dawn.
Once considered a false dawn, this triangle of light is actually
Zodiacal Light, light reflected from
interplanetary dust particles.
The triangle is clearly visible in the above image taken from
New Mexico,
USA, in October.
Curvature by the
wide-angle lens makes foreground trees and a nearby
less vertical than they really are.
Zodiacal dust
orbits the Sun
predominantly in the same plane as the planets: the
ecliptic.
Zodiacal light is so bright this time of year because the
dust band is oriented
nearly vertical at sunrise,
so that the thick air near the horizon does not block
out relatively bright reflecting dust.
Zodiacal light is also bright for
people
in Earth's northern hemisphere in March and April just after sunset.
Note: APOD Editor to Speak in New York on Jan. 2
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Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day