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Credit & Copyright: Tunç Tezel
(TWAN)
Explanation:
Sometimes the sky itself seems to glow.
Usually, this means you are seeing a cloud reflecting
sunlight or moonlight.
If the glow appears as a faint band of light running across the
whole sky,
you are probably seeing the combined light
from the billions of stars that compose our
Milky Way Galaxy.
Such a glow is visible rising diagonally up to the right in the
above image.
If the glow is seen coming up from the horizon just before sunrise or just after sunset,
however, you might be seeing something called
zodiacal light.
Pictured rising diagonally up to the left in the above image,
zodiacal light is just sunlight reflected by
tiny dust particles orbiting in our
Solar System.
Many of these particles were ejected by comets.
The above image was taken just after sunset earlier this month from
Ras Lanuf,
Libya.
Best Astronomy Images:
APOD Editor to speak in Philadelphia on Jan 5 and New York City on Jan 7
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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: Milky Way - zodiacal light - sky
Publications with words: Milky Way - zodiacal light - sky
See also:
- APOD: 2024 November 24 Á Journey to the Center of the Galaxy
- APOD: 2024 November 5 Á Milky Way over Easter Island
- APOD: 2024 August 4 Á Gaia: Here Comes the Sun
- APOD: 2024 July 29 Á Milky Way over Uluru
- APOD: 2024 May 29 Á Stairway to the Milky Way
- APOD: 2023 December 12 Á Aurora and Milky Way over Norway
- Milky Way Rising