The Zodiacal Light, your best opportunity to see it

An often missed sight in our night sky is the Zodiacal Light. This cone shaped western glow found 90 minutes after sunset is never bright, but always occurs. The Zodiacal Light is simply the combined sunlight reflected off minute dust grains orbiting our sun. Most of the dust lies in the plane of the ecliptic and, therefore, its reflected sunlight can be found on or near the ecliptic band as seen from Earth.

During April, the ecliptic band stands nearly straight up from the western horizon after sunset. Once twilight ends and true night begins, the Zodiacal Light rises almost straight up from the western horizon to perhaps 45 degrees, maybe less. Careful observers notice that it tilts slightly to the left as does the ecliptic band.

In April, the Pleiades and Hyades frame the cone, and this year, Venus joins the scene. This phenomenon can be seen from a dark location with a dark western horizon until moonlight interferes on April 22.

Such is our view from Earth.