Zodical Light Pyramid!!

Hi all

I have always been interested in observing the zodical light/band and gegenschein but i heard they required good dark skies and knowledge of where to look to spot these elusive solar system phenomena.

I have been checking the sky every clear night with no luck however before dawn this morning i got rewarded for my persistance. At 05.33 LT the sky cleared up after a heavy shower passed over, the trans = 8-9, seeing = 5 and stars to mag 6.5 where easy with the naked eye. The sky was still dark with no morning twilight when i looked to the NE sky and got a shock, my first impression was that i was observing an aurora in the wrong sector of sky until i realised that i was looking at the zodical light!!!!!

It stretched up from the NE at an angle following the ecliptic, its base and western edge was 40* long while its eastern most angled side was 0ver 50* long. The ZL was a uniform green colour and as bright as a typical auroral band with well defined edges. Its apex was diffuse and seemed to end in eastern Cancer near the fuzzy glow of M44 and Saturn, the main body of the pyramid was in Leo. It was spectacular sight with the thin crecsent moon with earthshine at its base.

Then at 05.48 i spotted the slowest satellite i have ever seen. It appeared like an orange coloured Nova in the head of Draco and creeped across the sky like a snail heading N to S at 05.53 it faded out at mag 6.5. It had covered approx 22* of sky in 5 mins!!!!!

Clear skies!

Well done Martin! I think you're only the second person in the history of these boards to report an obervation of ZL!

Bart.

Thankyou Bart

I never knew that!!!!!!

Well done Martin. I have always wanted to see a ZL. I'll make an effort early mornings now to see possible future ones.

Eamonn A

Martin, you bring back my own memory of the first time (and only time) i've ever seen the zodiacal light myself This was 2 years ago, during October 2003, I was actually out at my astrosite at a nearby lake photographing the winter sky with film! when I noticed the ZL east-northeast about 30 degrees up and about 20 degrees wide, as a greenish glow eminating fron the ecliptic under the constellation Leo. I even have the photo to prove it

Here it is, Jupiter is the bright light under Leo, I like this shot, it gives you a feel for what it was like. I could'nt believe my luck I hope this shot reminds you of what you saw! Seems it's a good time to se the ZL!

The glow here is a purple colour due to the type of film is was using at the time! A lovely sight! Pity about the light pollution on the horizon.

Keith..

Great shot Keith :shock: Is that a meteor on either side of the ZL?

Thanks everyone.