Photo Agency - Astronomy - Space - Nature

> Gegenschein

Gegenschein

author: J.Lodriguss/Novapix

reference: a-pas09-00001

Image Size 300 DPI: 32 * 21 cm

The Gegenschein, or counterglow, is visible here, just below the center of the image and to the lower left of the circlet of Pisces. It can be seen as a large diffuse oval area of very faint light just above the brightness of the sky background. The planet Uranus also happened to be located in the Gegenschein when the image was taken. Very faint extensions, called the Zodiacal Bridge, or Zodiacal Bands, connect the Gegenschein to the Zodiacal Light along the ecliptic. The Zodiacal light and Gegenschein are made of very small particles of dust that orbit the Sun in the plane of the Ecliptic. These particles are created by asteroid collisions and comets. The Gegenschein is at the anti-solar point, directly opposite the Sun in the sky, and is brighter because of backscatter.

Keywords for this photo:

2009 - ASTRONOMY - GEGENSCHEIN - NIGHT - PISCES - PLANET - STAR - STARRY SKY - URANUS -