The zodiacal light is best visible around the equinoxes. Around the March equinox, look for it in the west after dusk (for Northern Hemisphere observers) and in the east before dawn (for Southern Hemisphere observers).
Zodiacal light around the March equinox
Where to find: From February through May, as seen from mid-northern latitudes, you will find the zodiacal light in the western sky after evening twilight ends (around 90 minutes after sunset).
How to find: You need a dark sky to see the zodiacal light. It appears as a triangular-shaped glow that stretches upward from the western horizon. Try to observe it when the sky is moonless.
False dusk: In the Northern Hemisphere, the zodiacal light around the March equinox is also known as “false dusk,” as it appears in the sky after true dusk ends. It can be seen for about an hour afterward.
View from the Southern Hemisphere: The zodiacal light will be visible in the eastern sky before morning twilight begins, when viewed from the Southern Hemisphere.
What is zodiacal light?
The zodiacal light is a faint, pyramid-shaped glow that stretches upward from the horizon before dawn or after dusk.
People used to think that the zodiacal light was an atmospheric phenomenon of Earth. However, today we know that it is the reflection of sunlight from tiny dust particles orbiting the sun in the inner solar system.
Why is the zodiacal light best visible around the equinoxes?
The zodiacal light appears throughout the year. However, it is best visible around the equinoxes.
The zodiacal light follows the ecliptic—the path of the sun, moon, and planets in our sky. Around the March equinox, the ecliptic makes its steepest angle with the horizon in the evening (in the Northern Hemisphere) and in the morning (in the Southern Hemisphere).
That’s why the zodiacal light is best visible around the March equinox—in the evening in the Northern Hemisphere and in the morning in the Southern Hemisphere.
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