Wonder at the 'false dawn' of zodiacal light in early autumn

A photograph of the zodiacal light, a triangular glow seen best in night skies free of overpowering moonlight and light pollution.
(Image credit: ESO/Y. Beletsky/Wikimedia Commons)

A band of eerie predawn light will put on a show for early risers over the next few weeks.

The phenomenon, known as zodiacal light, will be prominent along the eastern horizon before dawn between the autumnal equinox, which occurred on Thursday (Sept. 22), and the next full moon on Oct. 9.

Zodiacal light will be most visible in areas free from urban light pollution and will appear in the lower third of the sky next to the twin stars of Castor and Pollux in the constellation Gemini. If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, look for zodiacal light during the early predawn hours from late August into early November. For the Southern Hemisphere, the phenomenon will be most visible in the evening hours around sunset, appearing in the west. 

Related: Night sky, September 2022: What you can see tonight [maps]

Zodiacal light, also known as "false dawn," occurs when sunlight is scattered by interplanetary particles in the plane of the solar system, the same material that causes meteor showers. It will appear as a broad cone or wedge of faint light extending upwards from the eastern horizon into the ecliptic  — the path the sun appears to take in the sky. The zodiacal light will appear comparable in brightness to the Milky Way, and will even appear "milkier," or lighter in appearance, according to EarthSky.org

Zodiacal light is most visible around the equinoxes because it follows the path of the sun through the sky. During the equinoxes, the sun is positioned directly above the equator. This means sunlight hits the horizon at its most extreme vertical angle during these times, brightly illuminating the interplanetary dust that creates the "false dawn" phenomenon.

(Image credit: VW Pics/Getty Images)

If you want to take a photo of zodiacal light, try a long exposure to make sure your camera can capture the glow. For capturing the best pictures of the zodiacal light you can, check out our recommendations for the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography

Editor's Note: If you get a good photo of the zodiacal light and would like to share it with Space.com's readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.  

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Brett Tingley
Editor, Space.com

Brett is a science and technology journalist who is curious about emerging concepts in spaceflight and aerospace, alternative launch concepts, anti-satellite technologies, and uncrewed systems. Brett's work has appeared on The War Zone at TheDrive.com, Popular Science, the History Channel, Science Discovery, and more. Brett has English degrees from Clemson University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In his free time, Brett is a working musician, a hobbyist electronics engineer and cosplayer, an avid LEGO fan, and enjoys hiking and camping throughout the Appalachian Mountains with his wife and two children.