Look to the western sky around sunset on the nights surrounding the spring equinox this month and you may notice a strange column of light stretching up from the horizon. Read on to discover how and when to see zodiacal light and what causes this “false dawn” display.
Zodiacal light becomes visible in Earth‘s sky when sunlight reflects off dust particles concentrated on the ecliptic — the plane surrounding the sun that hosts the planets of our solar system, according to EarthSky.
Zodiacal light is at its most visible for viewers in the Northern Hemisphere in the hours following sunset on nights surrounding the spring equinox (March 20) and before dawn around the autumn equinox (Sept. 23), when the path of the ecliptic is at its most extreme angle relative to the horizon. This hazy glow can manifest at any time in the year for stargazers near Earth’s equator, and is often referred to as a “false dusk” or “false dawn,” depending on the time of year.
The moon will be conspicuously absent from the post-sunset sky from March 7 up until a few days after its new moon phase on March 20, presenting ideal conditions to hunt for the zodiacal light in the runup to the spring equinox and in the nights that follow. No equipment is needed to see the rare natural light display, but you won’t stand a chance of spotting it in urban skies.
So, head away from artificial city lights over the coming weeks and gaze to the west in the hours directly following sunset. Allow your eyes at least 20 minutes to adapt to the dark, and if you’re lucky, you may just spot a pale pyramid of light extending up from the horizon.
Editor’s Note: If you would like to share your photos of zodiacal light with Space.com’s readers, then please send your image(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.
